'Chances of future disk failure : 100%'

Joe L. idea makes a lot of sense. I too believe this should be added to core functionality. I dont believe this would be a thing that would make unraid bulky or slugish.

helping keeping the server online especial with 4TB and bigger drives on the horizon is highly desirable.

 

 

on a side note maybe it deserves a own thread

i'd love to see something like cache_dirs or similar functionality added to core features too. it makes so much sense not to spinup drives that are not realy needed.

+1 for core functionality. It took me 6 months and one instant disk failure to understand the difference between the preclear script and just zeroing. This would improve the reliability of a "default" unraid install.

I'm not sure that it's really very important for it to be "core" IE distributed with unRAID or an after the fact "plug in."

 

What would be nice is for it to show up in the GUI so you aren't having to telnet in to your server to do it, and need "screen" running to prevent it from dropping with the telnet session.  It could be a separate tab in the GUI or even a separate address like unMENU is.

 

I think the process of going to a "preclear" TAB where you can run multiple pre-clears on any drive not in the array, and then going to the "main" TAB where you incorporate a pre-cleared drive into the array still serves all purposes and makes it easy to use.  The preclear TAB could display the output.  It also makes integration a lot more simple because you aren't rewriting what is already part of the "core" just adding a GUI tab to manage the script.

I'm not sure that it's really very important for it to be "core" IE distributed with unRAID or an after the fact "plug in."

 

What would be nice is for it to show up in the GUI so you aren't having to telnet in to your server to do it, and need "screen" running to prevent it from dropping with the telnet session.  It could be a separate tab in the GUI or even a separate address like unMENU is.

 

I think the process of going to a "preclear" TAB where you can run multiple pre-clears on any drive not in the array, and then going to the "main" TAB where you incorporate a pre-cleared drive into the array still serves all purposes and makes it easy to use.  The preclear TAB could display the output.  It also makes integration a lot more simple because you aren't rewriting what is already part of the "core" just adding a GUI tab to manage the script.

 

+1

I'm not sure that it's really very important for it to be "core" IE distributed with unRAID or an after the fact "plug in."

 

What would be nice is for it to show up in the GUI so you aren't having to telnet in to your server to do it, and need "screen" running to prevent it from dropping with the telnet session.  It could be a separate tab in the GUI or even a separate address like unMENU is.

 

I think the process of going to a "preclear" TAB where you can run multiple pre-clears on any drive not in the array, and then going to the "main" TAB where you incorporate a pre-cleared drive into the array still serves all purposes and makes it easy to use.  The preclear TAB could display the output.  It also makes integration a lot more simple because you aren't rewriting what is already part of the "core" just adding a GUI tab to manage the script.

 

Good idea.

Maybe that could be Joe's first V5 plugin. Hopefully the first of many 

 

Come on Joe, you know you want to!

Not to heap on here, but I also think that the preclear tab is a great idea.

 

Now, as for the heaping on, wasn't there some talk a while ago about adding a 'badblocks' routine into the preclear script? Maybe that could be added to the preclear tab, too.

 

<ducks and runs for cover>

I'm not sure that it's really very important for it to be "core" IE distributed with unRAID or an after the fact "plug in."

 

What would be nice is for it to show up in the GUI so you aren't having to telnet in to your server to do it, and need "screen" running to prevent it from dropping with the telnet session.  It could be a separate tab in the GUI or even a separate address like unMENU is.

 

I think the process of going to a "preclear" TAB where you can run multiple pre-clears on any drive not in the array, and then going to the "main" TAB where you incorporate a pre-cleared drive into the array still serves all purposes and makes it easy to use.  The preclear TAB could display the output.  It also makes integration a lot more simple because you aren't rewriting what is already part of the "core" just adding a GUI tab to manage the script.

 

Good idea.

 

5.1 maybe?  Seems like it would be pretty straight forward integration. 

 

However like many others here I am a firm believer in a "stable" 5.0  with the kinks all worked out before anything additional is done.

I am confused. I love what Joe L. has created and shared, I preclear drives before i use them in a windows or any other box. But this is not something you get with any product out there. It would not hurt the least bit to incorporate. But from all the request, better GUI, built it email support, etc. None have been... My understanding was a plugin manager should have been finalized with 5.0, and the contributers plugin there works within that. So if we're saying no plugin manager, then we need more than just preclear built in. I dropped Tom a note long while back, he agreed and mentioned that many of the items were requested as well and a good idea, but just never go around to add them. Quick example is you get email support from any software/hardware solution out there (your choice to use it or not), but none offer to run a disk througth a set off tests such as preclear. The thought is, time spent on a plugin manager GUI would offer a greater benefit to all versus spending the time to just add this single one. As fat as u remember the plugin manager was roadmapped for this release.

 

Again, I love the preclear script, greatly appreciate Joe L. sharing this, do hope this is not taken the wrong way.

 

As the Pre Clear script is Joe's domain, it should be a plugin made by Joe. It can then be Limetechs initiative to include it in unRAID by default if they so wish. There should be a decent plugin manager / environment to make Joe want to develop such a plugin.

 

Currently unMenu is a far better system for plugins, why would Joe want to move to V5 plugin system when it's poorly documented and featured?

[quote author=speeding_ant

why would Joe want to move to V5 plugin system when it's poorly documented and featured?

 

My understand was Tom was reaching out and having conversation with members on how to design a plugin manager that would work well. Since its not completed, I would guess that's why its lite on the documentation and not fully featured because it's not completed. If it has been reconsidered not to finish the plugin manager and/or drop it, I (am sure others as well) would then just want to hear that, so we know.

My understand was Tom was reaching out and having conversation with members on how to design a plugin manager that would work well. Since its not completed, I would guess that's why its lite on the documentation and not fully featured because it's not completed. If it has been reconsidered not to finish the plugin manager and/or drop it, I (am sure others as well) would then just want to hear that, so we know.

 

Fully aware of that    Just pointing out why some of the V4 developers aren't developing yet.

Oh I completely understand that. When I read the thread, I just wanted to point out IF time is to be spent, it would be of a greater benefit to have that plugin manager completeted. Tom decides at the end of the day. No one would be upset if preclear were incorporated... It just a case could be made for several items as well, were I guess a plugin manager would allow more than one item.

100% in agreement! Keep fighting the good fight 

100% in agreement! Keep fighting the good fight 

I've not wanted to spend time on 5.x plugins until such time the plugin-architecture was more mature/stable.

I was basically waiting on the event system to stop changing.    (half of the issues lately seem to be "my array will not start/stop properly with my add-ons)

 

I agree that it (the plugin-manager) should be its own tab in unRAID.  I would also agree the pre-clear would qualify to be prominent in the interface when installing a new drive.    Both need attention.

100% in agreement! Keep fighting the good fight 

I've not wanted to spend time on 5.x plugins until such time the plugin-architecture was more mature/stable.

I was basically waiting on the event system to stop changing.    (half of the issues lately seem to be "my array will not start/stop properly with my add-ons)

 

I agree that it (the plugin-manager) should be its own tab in unRAID.  I would also agree the pre-clear would qualify to be prominent in the interface when installing a new drive.    Both need attention.

I echo the above

The current preclear tool could be triggered via emhttp and run in the background "if".

It logged it's output into some status table rather then using the screen for it's output log.

 

In fact it could log it's output via syslog(logger), then the plugin could grep specific messages from the syslog to determine step and status.

 

Furthermore, the use of dd isn't as good as using badblocks to determine if the disk is viable.

 

badblocks in write mode writes and then reads 4 patterns (with the last pattern being x00).

It takes longer (4 passes) but that can be altered or programmed to use specific patterns for speed or even more i.e. higher spec pattern writing.

 

100% in agreement! Keep fighting the good fight 

I've not wanted to spend time on 5.x plugins until such time the plugin-architecture was more mature/stable.

I was basically waiting on the event system to stop changing.    (half of the issues lately seem to be "my array will not start/stop properly with my add-ons)

 

I agree that it (the plugin-manager) should be its own tab in unRAID.  I would also agree the pre-clear would qualify to be prominent in the interface when installing a new drive.    Both need attention.

I echo the above

 

Im in 100% agreement here i also am a software dev and have been tinkering around with my own plugins (non have been public) but once the system is mature & documented officially. i would love to start working on some plugins. Unraid V5 very much needs  a plugin system like unmenu but more capable as unmenu is limited by AWK. And an official google code repo for plugins with a easy to use update system. And preclear without a question should be core functionality.

+1 for core functionality