Hi. Just added a nexus double twin to the ODD bay of my N40L. The first drive in there has been there for some weeks, is part of the array and all has been good. Today i added the additional 1.5TB WD drive, used a molex to twin satas power connector and routed a e-sata to sata cable through the back of the server as i have seen done by others in different threads (see http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=11585.270 post 282 as an example)

 

The new disk is powering up as i can feelo and hear it, the cables are all sound but there is no way i can get it to be seen by the Unraid and it does not appear as a candidate for clearing in preclear_disk.sh -1. I have attached the syslog from a rebbot and where i removed and then reinserted the esata cable to try to get it to recognise it after a reboot. I can only see 1 point where the inventory is 6 drives and then seems to go back to 5?

 

Would appreciate some help of how to get it to appear - dont want to risk an array that is working and parity is fine - just wanted to add some more space !!

 

Thanks

syslog-2012-05-19.zip

I've heard that the ESATA connector is "picky" about the cable you use. Try re-inserting it in case it's not in fully, or try another cable if you can.

 

Also, once you get it running, that drive will be slow if you don't update to the hacked BIOS.

Thanks for the reply. Will see what i can do about moving cables around. I have the hacked bios as i have had a driove in the ODD drive bay for a few mon ths now with no problem so this is just on the e-sata external connection on the back of the server not on the MB conection.

 

What has happened whiloe i have been away is that my drive 4, the one that has always been in this top location has just shut down due to over temp at 40 (i set it this low myself as i dont like hot drives) never been over 35 before ...... going to open it all up again and see what i can do but all help on why it might not bee see would be great, thanks

OK, been trying a few things out - sanity check please > if i remove and reconnect the e-sata to sata cable i should see entries in the syslog - dont know what they are but i am assuming that connecting and deconnecting anything will make an entry. Tried removing each end of the cable (back of server end and the back of the HDD) and doing a refresh of syslog in unraid and i do not see any additional line - buggered cable do we think ?

No, my point was that your cable is not working because the connection doesn't work with every cable. If you reseat it, do it with the power off.

 

Try another cable.

OK, going to try another restart as the cable has been in and out a few times now to see if it can be kick started. Failing that i will have to source another cable as i do not have another e-sata to sata cable.

 

Just a question - would a low profile PCI card with a sata connection on it be better than using the extenral e-sata port and if so why

 

Thanks

And an additional question - if i wanted to prove conclusivly that it is the cable and kick of a preclear could i do this but:

 

- Shutting down

- Remove power and connector from doth drives in the top ODD bay

- Connect the working disks cables

- Restart

- NOT start the array

- Use the precelar for the disk in question

- Shut down

- Reconnect as now

- Restart and start the array

 

Would this be fine, have no effect on current config, parity etc would it all come back like nothing had happened or would there be disk reasignemnt or other issues - i do not want to do anything to risk the current set up. My idea here was just to use the current array and add a disk hanging off the e-sata connection available on the back of the server.

 

Thanks

And an additional question - if i wanted to prove conclusivly that it is the cable and kick of a preclear could i do this but:

 

- Shutting down

- Remove power and connector from doth drives in the top ODD bay

- Connect the working disks cables

- Restart

- NOT start the array

- Use the precelar for the disk in question

- Shut down

- Reconnect as now

- Restart and start the array

 

Would this be fine, have no effect on current config, parity etc would it all come back like nothing had happened or would there be disk reasignemnt or other issues - i do not want to do anything to risk the current set up. My idea here was just to use the current array and add a disk hanging off the e-sata connection available on the back of the server.

 

Thanks

to just test the port it is far easier to just issue

hdparm -tT /dev/sdX

(it is non-destructive, far quicker, and will test the read speed of the drive)

Thanks Joe.l but if you check the syslog it seems the drive is not seen on boot or anything when i remove or replace the e-sata to sata cable i.e the drive in question is not detected or mounted so i cannot issue a command to it unless i can connect it to another port - but all the ports are currently used by drives in the array (hence me wanting to use the e-sata port). Is it ok to just connect it to a port used currently by asnother drive as long as i do not start the array, check it and then change stuff back.

 

If i put the drive in an extrnal caddy and use a different e-sata to e-sata cable the drive and caddy is detected so the port functions, the drive seems fine its just with this cable i suspect. Just wanted to know all the ways i could check it out without doing anything stupid

 

Thanks

Is it ok to just connect it to a port used currently by asnother drive as long as i do not start the array, check it and then change stuff back.

yes.

Joe.L - thanks. Going to change this to solved as getting some input on another thread and also just tried changing the cable over, rebboted and there is the new drive and the old one is shown as missing so simply not seeing what is connected to the e-sata port. Will try to get a different cable and if that does not work i will go for a low profile PCI card with a couple of Sata connection on and use that.

 

Many thanks

Joe.L - thanks. Going to change this to solved as getting some input on another thread and also just tried changing the cable over, rebboted and there is the new drive and the old one is shown as missing so simply not seeing what is connected to the e-sata port. Will try to get a different cable and if that does not work i will go for a low profile PCI card with a couple of Sata connection on and use that.

 

Many thanks

Just an FYI.  I do not know your specific hardware, but there are some cards that can use EITHER the external port, OR an internal SATA port depending on installed jumpers.  In other words, the external connector is not an additional port, just an externally accessible connector that you can use in place of an internal connector.  If the external connector is enabled, the internal connector would not be usable.

Cheers Joe but the port is additional - i have tried and external caddy before i went the internal route and that was seen as another drive without problem. Then i saw the thred by neilt0 who has similar hardware and a neat solution so now going that route - but thanks for the heads up

 

will set this to closed as it now looks like a dodgy cable - will seek out and alternative and only come back if that does not work

 

thanks again

Cheers Joe but the port is additional - i have tried and external caddy before i went the internal route and that was seen as another drive without problem. Then i saw the thred by neilt0 who has similar hardware and a neat solution so now going that route - but thanks for the heads up

 

will set this to closed as it now looks like a dodgy cable - will seek out and alternative and only come back if that does not work

 

thanks again

Glad you got it figured out.  At the time, I knew nothing of your hardware.  since then I see there are patches to get all the SATA/eSATA ports to work at the higher speed.