/boot gone - what to do now

[graywolf]

Went to update a script and found the /boot directory is empty. Unraid is still up and running.

 

I have the following in the syslog

Nov  1 08:28:14 Tower kernel: fat__get_entry: 6 callbacks suppressed

Nov  1 08:28:14 Tower kernel: FAT-fs (sda1): Directory bread(block 32768) failed

 

What info should I grab before trying to reboot unRaid in case the USB is gone?

 

Any suggestions on recovering the info on the USB?

 

 

[Squid]

Odds are that unRaid has just lost track of the stick (ie, it thinks it was pulled out then reinserted)

 

I used to have this ALL the time until I switched the port from a USB3 to a USB2.

 

When you reboot the system will wind up doing a parity check because it can't save the information that it was shut down correctly.

 

You'll find tons of info if you search the forums for "directory bread"

[trurl]

Since unRAID runs in RAM the flash isn't needed after boot unless it needs to write some settings to it so that is why unRAID is still running OK.

 

If the flash is OK, then like Squid said you will wind up with a parity check when you reboot. Probably a good idea to shutdown, remove the flash and run checkdisk on it before trying to boot with it again.

 

If you don't have a backup of your config folder, and the flash isn't OK, then the settings you made in the webGUI are stored on the flash, so screenshots would probably help you make those settings again in the event that you have to start over with a new flash. Make sure you know which disk is parity so you don't accidentally assign a data drive to the parity slot. Other than that you will have to add back any plugins you were using and set them up again. Screenshots would help with this too.

 

[graywolf]

Could I pull the Flash Drive while unRaid is still up, run checkdisk on it or see if the files remain prior to shutdown?

 

Collecting screenshots. Any way to pull the current SMB settings since can not see the config files?

 

#1 item after getting back to normal....set up regular backups/tars of /boot drive I guess. Found an old backup but I know there are scripts missing and made a SMB config change since then

[WeeboTech]

It's already offline, you can pull the drive and check it on another machine.

I would do as suggested, try moving it from a usb 3 port to a usb 2 port if that is how it's plugged in.

 

When you do come back online, do a quick rsync of /boot to some folder on your array, you'll be glad you did.

 

 

 

[graywolf]

ok. I can see the files in /boot now. Did the following (from other posts dealing with "directory bread" issues)

 

1. umount /boot -l

2. mount -o noatime,nodiratime,umask=0,shortname=mixed -t vfat /dev/sdv1 /boot

 

Able to see the files now.

 

Next steps:

1. Copy files to another location

2. Find my 2nd unRaid licensed flash drive

3. Copy config files to 2nd unRaid flash drive

4. Check motherboard docs to determine USB type I have it plugged into

5. Shutdown unRaid

6. Replace flash drive

7. Bring up unRaid and let Parity Check run

 

After that:

1. Run checkdisk on old flash drive

2. Get 2 other flash drives

3. Submit new guid to activate the 3rd license I had bought in the past

4. Request a replacement license for the failing flash drive (if checkdisk shows issues)