Keep data when building new unRAID server

[no7boy]

Hi.

I'm going to build the very first unraid server. I currently have a 3GB hdd with data. Can add it to the fresh array without clearing->copy to temporary hdd-> transfer back the data.

My plan is:

- 1 3GB hdd with data

- Buy a new 3GB hdd, preclear

- Add both 2 hdds to the array

- set the newly bought hdd ( precleared) as the parity drive.

- Sync

 

Should it work ?

 

Btw, my build:

case : U-NAS nsc 400, 4 drive bay, built in 250W psu

cpu + mobo: G1610 + AsrockH61

Ram: 4GB , 1 piece

Is it enough to run all the addon ( torrent, sickbeard, couch potato, + transcoding 1080p to 1 device and 720p to another one ) ?

 

Thanks very much

[itimpi]

You cannot add a disk that already contains data to the array without losing its contents unless it was previously formatted as an unRAID data disk.

 

You could modify your process as follows:

- Pre-clear new 3GB data disk.  Not strictly necessary but a good idea to do an early stress test.

- Set up unRAID with new disk as a data disk.  At this point no parity disk.

- Plug the old disk in to the system but do NOT add it to the array at this point

- telnet in and mount the old disk, and then copy across the data to the new disk that is part of the array.

- Once you are happy all the data has been transferred OK, then you can make the old disk into the parity drive.

 

[no7boy]

Perfect. Thanks. Will update the progress

[myjpkl]

Where is the update

 

I'm having the same problem.

I have 4 x 2tb with data

 

and 2 x 2tb which is empty. Now I'm scratching my head how to do build unraid without losing data.. Help

 

[no7boy]

It works as itimpi suggested. I imagine yours can be done like this.

- add your empty 2x2tb to unraid, 1 as parity, 1 as data, pre clear both

For each of your 4 , 2tb disk

- Copy 1 to the data disk, then preclear that, and add it to the array

- repeat for  the rest

[SSD]

This is what I would do

 

1. Create new array with 2 new disks - one as disk1 and one as disk2 and format them

2. Copy data from 2 of your 4 disks with data. Use teracopy with verify option.

2.5 Run smart reports on the two drives in the array and look for signs of sector reallocations and other drive problems. Do not proceed unless the smart reports are clean

3. Put your 2 disks that you have just copied into the array as disk 3 and disk 4, and format them

4. Copy your data from the last two of your 4 disks. Again use the teracopy verify option.

5. Add final 2 drives to the array - one as parity and one as data5.

6. Start the array. Parity will build. Format final drive

7. After parity build do a parity check

 

Done. Much faster. Your data is not protected until step 6 completes - but hey it's not protected now. You can do what I suggest in an day or so (not counting the parity build and check).

 

Another thought - there is a way to mount an NTFS drive in a Linux box that could be used to make the copying much faster. If I had 8T of data to copy I'd look into it! I believe that Joe L. documented it long ago. Look at my best of the forums link. You will find links to the instructions in the How To section.

 

I wonder if it might be possible to create the array with the four existing drives and the 2 new ones (one as parity), not format the existing drives all at once, get parity to build at the very beginning, mount the NTFS disks one at a time and copy data over in a rolling fashion. That would be very cool. - don't attempt this without a Unix expert posting detailed instructions!!! This would be tricky and not faster than mounting the drives locally option.