Using the e-SATA port at the back of my Limetech computer

[hawihoney]

Hi,

 

I would like to use the e-SATA port at the back of my MD-1500 from Limetech. This drive should work with unRAID, should be mounted but no part of the array.

 

Can somebody please point me into the right direction. What do I need to buy? What do I need to put in the go script? Will it work immediately? Do I just need a drive plus cable or do I need additional hardware?

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Regards

Harald

 

[WeeboTech]

My first suggestion would be to identify what removables are used in your system.

Then look at getting an external eSata chassis capable of using the same removables.

 

> What do I need to put in the go script?

This all depends on how many drives are already in your system Joe L. created a nice lil script to help identify the drive by Serial.

Perhaps using that as a base will allow a script to be created to mount the appropriate drive where you want.

Basically once the drive is formatted the command is just

 

mount /dev/sdxx /mnt/diskx where xx = device of external, and x=a designation pointint to it. for example diske

 

What format do you plan to use with this disk?

If the disk has a label then the mount command easier as the raw device does not need to be know and the disk can be mounted with

 

mount -L LABELNAME /mnt/diske

 

> Will it work immediately?

Once it is formatted, mounted and a segment added to the smb.shares, Yes.

 

> Do I just need a drive plus cable or do I need additional hardware?

Drive, Cable and an external eSata chassis.

As suggested above, Find out information about the current removables,

look for a single drive chassis and go from there.

(That's my suggestion at least).

If you happen to have other hardware around, then that will be just as good.

 

Another choice is to pick one of the newer single drive eSata units that do not need trays.

(Personally, these days, I'm all about trayless. LOL).

 

Here's an example others may exist.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817198020

http://www.icydock.com/product/mb664us-1sb.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

[hawihoney]

My first suggestion would be to identify what removables are used in your system.

 

Thanks for your fast response.

 

I want to format this external drive the same as the array drives (RiserFS currently). So I pick up an external drive, connect eSATA port, connect power (uh, oh, that's why I need a chasis, I see) and restart my machine. Hopefully the drive will be in the devices list but I won't attach it. Then I have to mount, format, etc. etc.

 

Seems the way to go.

 

Thanks

Harald

 

[WeeboTech]

Format first.

 

mkreiserfs -l EXTERNALNAME /dev/sdxx where xx = device

 

If you use the label (you do not have to). then you can mount it by label without knowing the physical device name.

 

mkdir /mnt/diske

mount -l EXTERNALNAME /mnt/diske

 

 

 

 

root@unraid:~# mkreiserfs 
Usage: mkreiserfs [options]  device [block-count]

Options:

  -b | --block-size N              size of file-system block, in bytes
  -j | --journal-device FILE       path to separate device to hold journal
  -s | --journal-size N            size of the journal in blocks
  -o | --journal-offset N          offset of the journal from the start of
                                   the separate device, in blocks
  -t | --transaction-max-size N    maximal size of transaction, in blocks
  -B | --badblocks file            store all bad blocks given in file on the fs
  -h | --hash rupasov|tea|r5       hash function to use by default
  -u | --uuid UUID                 store UUID in the superblock
  -l | --label LABEL               store LABEL in the superblock
  --format 3.5|3.6                 old 3.5 format or newer 3.6
  -f | --force                     specified once, make mkreiserfs the whole
                                   disk, not block device or mounted partition;
                                   specified twice, do not ask for confirmation
  -q | --quiet                     quiet work without messages, progress and
                                   questions. Useful if run in a script. For use
                                   by end users only.
  -d | --debug                     print debugging information during mkreiser
  -V                               print version and exit

 

[Joe L.]

Format first.

Actually, I think you need to create a disk partition first, then use mkreiserfs

 

So... fdisk first.

 

For this example, I'll pretend your new disk is /dev/sdz.  The command would then be

fdisk /dev/sdz

 

First thing to do is to list any existing partition table. If this is a brand new drive, there probably will not be any partition defined when you first invoke fdisk.  If there is, you will see it by typing "p" to print the existing partition table.  You can delete the existing partitions, if any, and then create, using the "n" command a new partition.  You can assign all the blocks on the disk. (accept the defaults when creating the new partition)

 

When done, the new partition should be marked as type "83" (Linux)  It will be known as /dev/sdz1

You will need to use the "w" command in fdisk to actually write the newly defined partition table to the new disk.

 

Now that you have a partition, you can then type (for this example):  mkreiserfs -l EXTERNALNAME /dev/sdz1

 

Now for the warning.  Using fdisk on the wrong drive will destroy its partition table and make your life miserable.  Yes, it can be fixed by putting back the correct partition table, but it is not real easy.  Make sure you have the correct disk before you partition it and create a new file-system on it.

Joe L.

 

[hawihoney]

Joe, WeeboTech,

 

Thanks you very much for this outstanding support.

 

Regards

Harald

 

[WeeboTech]

DOH,, fdisk first.. right.

I've done this so many hundreds of times that it's so second nature I didn't even think .  Ooops