Curiousity about migrating array drives from ReiserFS to XFS

[dchamb]

Would it be possible to add a new data drive formatted as XFS and transfer files from a ReiserFS array drive to it while the array is running? Just trying to see if there is a way to do this without taking the Dockers and the array down.

[JonathanM]

Yes, that is the typical way of doing it. The fastest way is to copy, NOT MOVE, the files. ReiserFS takes forever to delete files, especially on a mature file system. You can continue to use the array while that is in progress, just keep in mind that you may have to check that all the files on the old and new volumes are complete and identical, or make sure that any new file or file edits are done on the XFS not the ReiserFS volume.

 

The sticky thread in this forum has a whole dissertation on methods with their plusses and minuses.

[dchamb]

1 hour ago, JonathanM said:

Yes, that is the typical way of doing it. The fastest way is to copy, NOT MOVE, the files. ReiserFS takes forever to delete files, especially on a mature file system. You can continue to use the array while that is in progress, just keep in mind that you may have to check that all the files on the old and new volumes are complete and identical, or make sure that any new file or file edits are done on the XFS not the ReiserFS volume.

 

The sticky thread in this forum has a whole dissertation on methods with their plusses and minuses.

Would that cause file duplication for the array?

[JonathanM]

47 minutes ago, dchamb said:

Would that cause file duplication for the array?

Yes, until the source drive is formatted as XFS to become the next destination. That's why I mentioned staying aware of writes to the involved shares. You can temporarily exclude the source drive from the user share system, then the files would appear to be gone from the share until they were copied. How you use your array will determine what method is best for you.

 

If you temporarily stop any processes that can add files to the array, and just allow reading only on the drives you are messing with, then duplicates are not an issue, as only one copy of the duplicated file will show in the user shares at any given time.

[JorgeB]

Note that with v7.0.0-beta you can use the mover to empty a disk to all the other array disks, (as long as there is enough space obviously), so it makes filesystem conversion much easier.

[Frank1940]

@dchamb, You might want to read this post about conversion instructions for the "Mirror Method while Preserving Parity".  It is written to convert any number of reiserfs disks.  It does require an extra disk or one that has already been emptied...

 

https://forums.unraid.net/topic/35815-re-format-xfs-on-replacement-drive-convert-from-rfs-to-xfs-discussion-only/page/40/#comment-1454446