How can I add a cache pool without formatting to retrieve the data on it?

[Swishington]

Problem: I have important data on a pair of cache drives in my old server. I'd like to either:

A) Move those (NVME) drives to the new server and add them without losing the data.

B) Set up unraid on the old server and add the cache drives without losing the data so I can copy off the data.

 

Background:

I moved my array drives to a new server but not the cache drives, as the new machine has new NVME cache drive. I had shutdown dockers and VMs and all set all the shares to move data to array when mover was run. I ran Mover a few times, expecting all the data to be transferred (I missed a direct to cache VM drive). I then started the new server deleting the old cache pools as the array wouldn't start with them defined as the new server has new NVME drives.  Then I realised that the VM drive wasn't on the array and that the only copy was on the cache drives in the old server.

[JorgeB]

If it's an existing Unraid pool you can easily import it, just add a new pool, assign all devices from that pool, and start the array.

[Swishington]

Thank you, @JorgeB, it worked perfectly!!!!

 

I ran up the old server up as a new unraid server with one drive in the array (another drive, not a cache drive). I added the old cache drives into a new cache pool, making sure I added them in the same order. The cache FS was auto by default. Upon starting the array I was able to access the files on the cache drive. 😁

Edited June 28 by Swishington

[JorgeB]

41 minutes ago, Swishington said:

making sure I added them in the same order.

It would still import with a different order, in this case it's not important.