Hi

 

I built my Unraid system without actually checking the compatibility list and being a fan of Gigagyte boards used a GA-G31M-S21 that I already had. Obviously unaware of the HPA issue, that was a bad choice, and I first saw this from UnMenu. It affected one data drive (Disk2)and when I added a previously used cache drive that also shows as HPA, I guess from another boot from another GB board,  as it shouldn't have written the BIOS info again as my Disk2 already had it or at least that is how I understand it. I have searched and read up on the issue now and realise the drives can be fixed but unfortunately this board can't disable HPA by default so my question is can I just put another Mobo in and restart the array and fix the HPA issue using the hdparm -N -p(NATIVE_SIZE) /dev/sdX command? Alternatively for the short term can I just fix the HPA on my data drive and leave it on the cache drive so that the BIOS data won't be written again if Disk 2 fails and I replace and rebuild it.

 

I do actually have to upgrade anyway as this only has 4 SATA ports and currently have 2 data, I parity and a cache drive and will want to expand later.

 

Many thanks

 

Tony

 

The board need to be replaced. It will continue to corrupt the array with HPA.

Since you want to upgrade to a board with more ports anyway, NOW is the time to do that.    Get the new motherboard;  then follow the instructions on the forum for removing the HPA from your drives;  and then rebuild your array.

 

Easiest way to be SURE you avoid the HPA issue is to simply avoid Gigabyte motherboards 

 

Hi

 

Thanks for your advice. Just had a thought though. When I change the motherboard do I really need to bother about the HPA? As far as I can make out it is just a small amount of room at the end of the disk which makes no difference as it is not on my parity disk, and never will be if I change boards. Please correct me if wrong on that. I did try to remove it on my cache drive as that wouldn't matter if set to unformatted when I restarted the array but it failed. Do I need to remove the disk and do it in another machine?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Tony

Hi

 

Thanks for your advice. Just had a thought though. When I change the motherboard do I really need to bother about the HPA? As far as I can make out it is just a small amount of room at the end of the disk which makes no difference as it is not on my parity disk, and never will be if I change boards. Please correct me if wrong on that. I did try to remove it on my cache drive as that wouldn't matter if set to unformatted when I restarted the array but it failed. Do I need to remove the disk and do it in another machine?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Tony

If you change motherboards, and if the HPA is not on your parity disk, then you can leave it alone and just not worry about the few meg of space it occupies.

 

Joe L.

Hi Joe. That is great news, many thanks for your reply. I'll just replace the motherboard. Not such a fan of Gigabyte boards as I was

 

Cheers