unless there is a better alternative.  I want everything in the same pool, but can't figure out how to do this after I already set it up like this.  sounds like zfs is the best option?  Can i remove a parity disk, save everything over to it, and rebuild everything?

 

Do you mean the HDDs and SSDs in the same pool? That is possible with zfs but the type of recommended subpool(s) will depend on the use case, and it may make more sense to create two zfs pools, and possibly use one of them as primary storage, though a 6 disk HDD raidz pool will already have a decent performance by itself.

Whatever you suggest.  Just want to get this completed.  I've always used raid5 or 6 so this waterfall allocation doesn't seem legit.  When I set this up in a later version 6, i had the option for using array and/or cache when creating shares.

 

This is only for home file sharing.  plex repo and backups.

48 minutes ago, Riehmc said:

When I set this up in a later version 6, i had the option for using array and/or cache when creating shares.

That has always been the case even before v6, and still is on v7, and I doubt that will change.

1 hour ago, Riehmc said:

always used raid5 or 6

The Unraid parity array is different than other RAID implementations you may be familiar with. Each array data disk is an independent filesystem that can be read all by itself on any linux. Each file in the array is completely contained on a specific disk. No striping.

 

Array disks can be different sizes. Array disks not being accessed can spin down.

 

Reads from the parity array are at the speed of the single disk being read. Writes include parity updates, so those are somewhat slower.

 

Pools provide other options for faster access that may be more similar to other RAID implementations you are familiar with.

 

Folders can span disk and pools, that is what User Shares are all about.

 

https://docs.unraid.net/unraid-os/overview/nas/#parity-protected-array

The array and/or cache is the last of my concerns on this post.  The correct setup is what i'm still waiting for.

 

But here is a share that only shows array or cache, not both.

You must select a pool as primary storage, and you will then have the option to set the array as secondary.

so do i just leave everything how it is?

It's up to you, and depends mostly on the use case and priorities, Unraid can be used with very different configs.

For example, a Movies share might be configured to have long term storage on the parity array (write once, read many), while possibly caching new writes (write once) on a pool for more speed, then later moved to the array for long term storage.

 

So Primary:cache; Secondary:array; Mover Action:cache->array.

 

For other shares, other settings might make more sense. You have to decide.

 

https://docs.unraid.net/unraid-os/manual/shares/user-shares/

 

Typically, Docker/VM related shares (appdata, domains, system) would be kept on faster pool and not moved to the array, so Docker/VM will perform better, and so array disks can spin down, since these files are always open.

 

Attach Diagnostics to your NEXT post in this thread if you want more specific advice.

i understand the primary and secondary storage, i'm just saying it changed is all.  Attached is the diagnostics, hopefully I can figure out the best configuration before the trial runs out.

unraid-diagnostics-20250303-0955.zip

That looks good!

Still not a fan of the xfs and waterfall allocation method.  looks too much like JBOD to me

 

I formatted one of the parity drives to NTFS and have it mounted, however the directory isn't available to copy files from the array to it.

 

Any ideas?

You can use for exmple rsync:

 

rsync -av /mnt/user/<share name>/ /mnt/disks/<UD disk name>/

 

31 minutes ago, Riehmc said:

looks too much like JBOD to me

The Unraid array consists of separate disks, each with their own filesystem that can be read all by itself on any linux.