Hello,

I am currently running version 5.0 in ESXi and I have hit the point where I feel that I need to start considering upgrading the hard drives in my array.  Currently I have a cache drive but I use it for my plex files only.  Being that I have a large library in plex I don't want to lose the files, and I would like to upgrade the drive to an SSD or at least a drive with less age (I am using an old laptop HD and surprised its still running).  Is there a process some where on copying the old cache drive to the new one or any suggestions on making this a painless as possible?

 

Thanks for the help

I think it is as simple as it sounds.  Just copy the folders from your cache to the new disk and then swap the disks.

 

*edit*

See the proper procedure below.

To be honest its been some time since I set this up.  Can I just copy the Plax directory though Windows or would that mess with the access to the folder?

Actually not that simple....   But not difficult also.

Here are the wiki steps.

 

[*]Preclear the new cache drive.

[*]Log into your server as root. Run Midnight Commander ('mc' <enter>)

[*]Navigate to your current cache drive, should be at /mnt/cache

[*]Select all .folders you've got in there using the Insert button. (.sickbeard, .sabnzbd, etc...)

[*]Make a new folder on a specific drive on your array, like /mnt/drive7/cachebackup

[*]Copy all cache drive folders to the folder you just created.

[*]Stop array

[*]Go to the Main tab in the web GUI, and use the drop down for the cache drive, at the bottom, to reassign the cache drive.

[*]start array

[*]the new cache drive will show up as unformatted, go to the bottom of the Main tab, and format the drive. This should take two seconds as you already pre-cleared the drive.

[*]With array running, log into your server as root and run Midnight Commander

[*]Copy all .folders from the /mnt/disk7/cachebackup folder you created before

[*]Stop array (will stop all your additional programs)

[*]Start array. Bob's your uncle.

Don't preclear an SSD!

 

Also, those instructions assume you have application folders prefixed with '.'

 

If you are using cache-only shares then just copy the cache folders you want to backup and restore.

 

You might also stop plex or boot in safe mode while you do this. Not sure you should have plex running while its folders are missing.

Don't need to preclear a cache drive

Don't need to preclear a cache drive

 

True, but always good to preclear (or other burnin test) any new magnetic disk.