Hi, I currently have a server consisting of a 4x10TB HDD array and a pool with 2x2TB SSDs with a basic license.

Right now, I have a faulty disk in the array (currently running as emulated content). This is not the first time this disk has given errors, which are solved with xfs_repair, but after a couple of days (or hours this list time), there are write errors again and in the end the disc disconnected and the same thing happens, so it's time to change it.

I'm not very happy with the disks I currently have, so I've bought three new 18TB disks. The idea is to create a new array and copy the data from the old one. Any suggestions or recommendations on how to do this? Another thing is that I have a basic license limited to six disks, so I'm not sure how I can do this migration.

Thanks

no expert here but maybe someone can backup my suggestion.

Unraid saves your data on your old disks readable just fine whereever you plug them in. It's Unraid after all ;)

so you need to:

1. poweroff your machine

2. install the new drives

3. unraid config > tools > new config

4. setup your array with the new drives

5. add your old drives through unassigned devices

6. create shares

7. copy your data

I don't think you need to create a new array, you can replace drives on the current array as is. The approach would be to replace the parity drive first, then start replacing the data drives one by one (preferably starting with the presumably faulty drive).

The issue here is that if that particular data drive keeps failing, it could fail during the parity rebuild and stop it. I would say that a good approach could be to use one of the 18TB drives as an unassigned device temporarily and back up any critical stuff there (surely it's less than 18TB). Once you manage to rebuild the parity to one of the new drives you are pretty much golden.

Edited October 26, 2025Oct 26 by itzfantasy

Considering that the array is working with emulated content because disk3 is failing, and the disks I have are larger and I cannot directly put them as disk3 and rebuild the array.

Could I put one of the new disks as parity 2 (18tb) even without having disk3? And when this is done, remove parity 1(10tb) and then replace disk3 with one of the new disks(18tb)?

Yes, but you can also use the parity swap procedure.