Hello all

 

(My first post)

 

I'm trying to do a dummy run just to get the feel of unRAID (ver. 4.7) so as to be able to judge whether it's for me or not.  So far I'm liking what I see.  However, I've got stuck.

 

I followed the steps in Configuration Tutorial, except that despite the injunction not to do so I clumsily clicked on my drive in the drop-down list in 'Disk devices' thereby prematurely assigning the disk.  Not knowing what else to do, I then went ahead and (somehow) succeeded in running 'Preclear' but having done that I now have the same disk (there is only one installed at present) showing twice in 'Main' - once as "missing" and again with model and serial numbers correctly identified.  In the Command area appears "Stopped - Invalid configuration".

 

I must explain that I only have one spare hard disk with which to work, and that that disk showed-up as "failed" when I ran Preclear.  That came as no surprise because the disk died already, but was resurrected by Spinrite;  Spinrite declared it to be liable to failure at any time.  But meanwhile it functions, and it completed Preclear normally so far as I could tell. 

 

If the disk's condition is the reason why it's been stopped then obviously I'm going to have to abandon my dummy run (but if that's so how come Preclear ran?).  I'm wondering if the problem mightn't be that the disk got assigned twice by mistake.  If so, what can I do to get the process back on the right track, so as to be able to go on and format it?  Do I have to start all over again or is there a shorter way (if so, how do I correct the mistake first)?

Hello all

 

(My first post)

 

I'm trying to do a dummy run just to get the feel of unRAID (ver. 4.7) so as to be able to judge whether it's for me or not.  So far I'm liking what I see.  However, I've got stuck.

 

I followed the steps in Configuration Tutorial, except that despite the injunction not to do so I clumsily clicked on my drive in the drop-down list in 'Disk devices' thereby prematurely assigning the disk.  Not knowing what else to do, I then went ahead and (somehow) succeeded in running 'Preclear' but having done that I now have the same disk (there is only one installed at present) showing twice in 'Main' - once as "missing" and again with model and serial numbers correctly identified.  In the Command area appears "Stopped - Invalid configuration".

 

I must explain that I only have one spare hard disk with which to work, and that that disk showed-up as "failed" when I ran Preclear.  That came as no surprise because the disk died already, but was resurrected by Spinrite;  Spinrite declared it to be liable to failure at any time.  But meanwhile it functions, and it completed Preclear normally so far as I could tell. 

 

If the disk's condition is the reason why it's been stopped then obviously I'm going to have to abandon my dummy run (but if that's so how come Preclear ran?).  I'm wondering if the problem mightn't be that the disk got assigned twice by mistake.  If so, what can I do to get the process back on the right track, so as to be able to go on and format it?  Do I have to start all over again or is there a shorter way (if so, how do I correct the mistake first)?

On the 4.7 version... Un-assign the drive, then log in via telnet, or on the system console and type:

initconfig

Respond to its prompt with

Yes

(Capital "Y", lower case "es")

 

On the 4.7 version... Un-assign the drive, then log in via telnet, or on the system console and type:

initconfig

Respond to its prompt with

Yes

(Capital "Y", lower case "es")

 

Hello Joe L.

 

Thanks for replying, and so promptly.  Sorry to be slow responding.

 

No disks show as 'assigned'; I think I unassigned it before I ran Preclear.  Anyway, I've now tried to carry-out your instructions but I'm not getting the expected behaviour.  In response to 'initconfig' I get 'init' followed by a string of numeric and alpha characters (not a question requiring answer 'Yes' or 'No').  If I type 'Yes' I get the response 'command not found'

 

I'm attaching the Preclear log in case it's of any help

 

EDIT

 

HAVE JUST DISCOVERED I INVOKED TELNET INCORRECTLY.  HAVING REPEATED THE SAME STEPS (CORRECTLY THIS TIME) AM GETTING DIFFERENT BEHAVIOUR.  WILL REPORT RESULT SHORTLY.

preclear_results.zip

(continued...)

 

OK, thanks. that got me back to where I should have been.

 

However, my troubles are not over - in fact are only just beginning I suspect!  My one disk now shows, as Disk 1 (with a blue light) and with details now correct.  Under column 'Free' appears "mounting", and in the Command area "starting" - but there there's a red light showing, and nothing whatever appears to be happening.

 

Am I to conclude that unRAID is giving me the brush-off and refusing to have anything more to do with my (dodgy) disk, and that my attempt to use it for this try-out is not going to go any further?  (That's certainly the impression I'm getting).

 

EDIT

 

My mistake, having clicked on 'Refresh', all became clear.  The drive is  now formatted and appears with a green light in Disk status (as Disk 1), with all details correct.  So far so good.

(further continued...)

 

Have just successfully run a test file-transfer.  Using Windows Explorer I moved a video file from my client (desktop) PC (is "client" the correct term?) to the unRAID server machine over the network.  I've read that this can also be done without using the network, but all in good time...

 

But I'm puzzled that although all appears to be functioning as it should, the colour of the light which appears against 'Started' in the Command area is red (which the Manual says means 'disabled').  Is this contradictory indication to be expected because of the dodgy state of my disk, do you think?  If so I propose to ignore it: I already knew the disk can fail any time but until then I'll go on experimenting with it (of course I won't be putting anything on it I can't afford to lose).

(further continued...)

 

Have just successfully run a test file-transfer.  Using Windows Explorer I moved a video file from my client (desktop) PC (is "client" the correct term?) to the unRAID server machine over the network.  I've read that this can also be done without using the network, but all in good time...

 

But I'm puzzled that although all appears to be functioning as it should, the colour of the light which appears against 'Started' in the Command area is red (which the Manual says means 'disabled').  Is this contradictory indication to be expected because of the dodgy state of my disk, do you think?  If so I propose to ignore it: I already knew the disk can fail any time but until then I'll go on experimenting with it (of course I won't be putting anything on it I can't afford to lose).

If a "disk" indicator is "red" then a "write" to the disk occurred and it has been disabled.  It is being "simulated" by parity and the remaining data disks.

 

The write failure could be anything from a loose/bad cable to the drive, a bad disk controller port, or a a bad disk.

On earlier 5.0-beta versions it could be because the disk did not spin up fast enough after going asleep.  (fixed on later beta versions)

 

If the indicator that is red is in front of the "Started" label, then it indicates you are not protected by parity.

 

Joe L.