Hi,

 

This is the first time I'm seeking support via these forums, so my apologies if I've missed something.

 

I'm using UnRAID 6.12.9 on a Mac Mini 2012 with a number of external ThunderBolt 2 enclosures attached. Overall this has been working well, and I have been using this since the middle of last year.

 

This week I wanted to add some additional storage (also connected via the ThunderBolt bus), but it's not appearing as a drive.

 

If I look in Tools -> System Devices I can see it there "[c0a9:5421] 11:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Micron/Crucial Technology Device 5421 (rev 01)". If I go to the Main screen, I don't see it as a disk to assign to a pool or array.

 

I also have a seperate test UnRAID box (running 6.12.6), also on a Mac Mini, with ThunderBolt devices attached. If I connect the same Transcend JetDrive to the UnRAID install using 6.12.6, it appears as a drive, I can assign it to pools/arrays etc.

 

On the surface, it looks like 6.12.9 is seeing the device, but not identifying it as storage.

 

I think reading the various release notes, there were kernel updates between 6.12.6 and 6.12.9, so is it possible there is some kind of bug in 6.12.9?

 

I'm attaching the diagnostic file from the 6.12.9 if someone else can identify something I've missed.

 

James

lcars-nas01-diagnostics-20240404-1825.zip

The device is being detected on lspci but the driver is not being loaded, nor do I see any attempt to load it, disconnect the device, reconnect and post new diags, to see if there's something in the syslog.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

I've done two things since the original post. I saw that 6.12.10 was released so just upgraded to that (hence a reboot). Didn't appear after the reboot.

 

Based on what you've just said, I've just disconnected, waited a few seconds and reconnected.

 

Without spamming the entire syslog, here are the entries from when I disconnected the drive and reconnected it.

 

Apr  4 19:53:19 LCARS-NAS01 kernel: thunderbolt 0-10101: device disconnected
Apr  4 19:53:23 LCARS-NAS01 kernel: thunderbolt 0-10101: new device found, vendor=0xa8 device=0x2
Apr  4 19:53:23 LCARS-NAS01 kernel: thunderbolt 0-10101: Transcend Storejet

 

If I check in System Devices I can still see it listed in there as:

 

[c0a9:5421] 11:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Micron/Crucial Technology Device 5421 (rev 01)

 

But I still don't see it as a drive to assign to a pool or an array.

 

Also, if I SSH in and look in /dev/ I don't see any nvme devices. On the 6.12.6 test USB I do see a /dev/nvme0n1

 

 

It's still not loading the nvme driver, can you post the same entries from v6.12.6? Also update the other server to v6.12.10 and retest to see if it still works there, find it difficult to believe that it would be related to the new release, but not impossible of course.

 

 

 

 

Hi,

 

I've not completed all the tests, but sharing part of what I've done.

 

So, using the 'backup NAS' hardware, I grabbed a new USB and installed a trail of UnRAID. Yes, this is more variables, but I'm not ready to upgrade the back-up USB just yet.

 

So, same backup hardware (that was working), but running 6.12.10.

 

6.12.10 - JetDrive directly connected. It shows up as a drive, I can assign it to pools, start the array etc.

 

6..12.10 - connected with a ThunderBay enclosure in the path (same as the main NAS), and the ThunderBay drives show up, but the NVMe drive doesn't. It still detects the NVMe enclosure, but doesn't detect the drive.

 

I'm attaching the diagnostic file for the 10.12.10 TEST/TRIAL machine with the ThunderBay in-line.

 

I'll also take the ThunderBay out of the path, and attach that diag file as well.

 

Noting, if I use these combination with Windows etc on the same hardware it seems all the drives.

 

tower-diagnostics-20240405-1908.zip

Edited April 5, 20242 yr by James Miller
more typos

Okay, now this is getting stranger.

 

So, same backup server hardware.

I've removed the Thunderbolt enclosure the NVMe was passing through.

It is once again detected in the System Devices, but no drive.tower-diagnostics-20240405-1929.ziptower-diagnostics-20240405-1929.zip

 

Before I used the same Mac Mini hardware, fresh USB + just the JetDrive and it worked (wish I'd grabbed a diag file then).

 

Then same hardware + USB + ThunderBay enclosure + JetDrive = NVMe/JetDrive detected, but not as a drive.

 

Remove the ThunderBay from the path, back to the JetDrive being detected in the System Devices, but not as a drive.

 

I'll do more testing on permutations, but this is getting really weird.

tower-diagnostics-20240405-1929.zip

Edited April 5, 20242 yr by James Miller
Typo

Okay,

 

This test.

 

Same backup hardware + ThunderBay + JetDrive + 6.12.6 (the working one).

 

So, this is the JetDrive connected going via a ThunderBay on the bus as well.

 

This is detecting the drives in the ThunderBay and the JetDrive, so seems to be working.

 

So, also a Mac Mini, also with other devices (ThunderBays) on the bus and the JetDrive is appearing as a drive and I can use it in pools and arrays.

 

lcars-nas02-diagnostics-20240405-2106.zip

I'm not rulling it a local hardware issue, but so far the JetDrive (the NVMe enclosure) works in my MacPro/MacBook etc, both directly and via other ThunderBolt devices on the bus.

 

Using it in a Mac Mini running unRAID 6.12.6 either being the only device or with other ThunderBolt devices (ThunderBays) on the bus seems to work.

 

I know you asked to upgrade the 6.12.6 USB, but I'm hesitant to at the moment as that appears to be the only one constantly working at the moment.

Looks more like it's related to how it's connected, so upgrading won't really help.

okay - last test for now

 

backup Mac Mini hardware + 6.12.10 + ThunderBay + JetDrive = NVMe detected, mounted usable in the array and pool.

 

Based on the permutations it seems like 6.12.6 works consistently, but 6.12.10 is hit and miss. 6.10.10 detects the NVMe as a device in System Devices, but isn't always detecting it as a drive.

 

tower-diagnostics-20240405-2155.zip

Edited April 5, 20242 yr by James Miller
I need glasses, too many typos

Just an update, but I have NFI what I've done differently to make this work.

 

I went back to the primary NAS that I wanted to use this in. It's a Mac Mini 2012, with 2x ThunderBays connected to it (8x drives), and added the JetDrive (NVMe) again. This time I shut everything down. unplugged the power from the bays etc. 

 

This time when I turned everything back on and allowed unRAID to boot the JetDrive was appearing as a disk (/dev/nvme0n1p1) as it should.

 

I'm currently copying about 1.2TB of data from the spinners to the NVMe, and it's working and seems pretty fast. It's a Time Machine backup store, so lots of little files.

 

I honestly have no idea what it's now appeared, and I'll try more reboots etc to see if it stays there, but so far seems to be working.

lcars-nas01-diagnostics-20240406-1412.zip

Well, I have no idea what I’ve done differently, but the NVMe is now consistently working. 
 

I’ve shutdown and rebooted several times. Still appearing and working. Thanks for the help.