I have builded up with 4x 4TB disks, and 2x2TB disks and 1x 1.5TB disk.

 

Now before i add the last 4TB disk and enable the parity, i was thinking to remove the smallest 1.5TB disk and spread it out on the other disks.

 

I am guessing this is quicker to do before i add the parity disk, so if anyone coul`d help me how to take it out of the raid.

 

Is it as easy as taking it offline in the raid, and then copy the things on it over the network back to the raid ?

 

Hopefully there is an easy solution to do it before i add the parity disk.

EDIT:

I looked at this guide:

http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/Shrink_array

But all the guides i have seen so far includes a parity disk

 

Thanks

Nortrek

I have builded up with 4x 4TB disks, and 2x2TB disks and 1x 1.5TB disk.

 

Now before i add the last 4TB disk and enable the parity, i was thinking to remove the smallest 1.5TB disk and spread it out on the other disks.

 

I am guessing this is quicker to do before i add the parity disk, so if anyone coul`d help me how to take it out of the raid.

 

Is it as easy as taking it offline in the raid, and then copy the things on it over the network back to the raid ?

 

Hopefully there is an easy solution to do it before i add the parity disk.

EDIT:

I looked at this guide:

http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/Shrink_array

But all the guides i have seen so far includes a parity disk

 

Thanks

Nortrek

The easy way is to use the 'New Config' option from the Tools menu to clear all the current disk assignments, and then assign the disks you want to keep.  UnRAID will recognise any assigned disks already have data and add them 'as is'.  Before doing this make sure you know the serial numbers of the disks you want to keep (a screen shot is useful).

You can simply copy everything off of the 1.5TB disk to another disk (or disks) while it's still in the array (no need to do this offline) ==> then just do a New Config and don't assign that disk to the array.

 

Done 

 

As long as you don't have a parity disk, you can simply add/remove disks as you see fit.  Once you add a parity disk, then it's more complex, as removing or adding a disk has an impact on parity, which requires that new disks be cleared (zeroed) before being used; and that parity be recomputed when you remove a disk.

 

Slightly on-topic here 

 

I am doing a new server build from 5 -> 6.  Am I right in thinking then that I can remove the parity drive from my 5 server, but still access the server (if necessary) to copy files off on to back-up disks etc...?  It just won't be "protected" right?

Yes, that's correct.    You should do a "New Config" and simply not assign a parity drive.

 

You can simply copy everything off of the 1.5TB disk to another disk (or disks) while it's still in the array (no need to do this offline) ==> then just do a New Config and don't assign that disk to the array.

 

Done 

 

As long as you don't have a parity disk, you can simply add/remove disks as you see fit.  Once you add a parity disk, then it's more complex, as removing or adding a disk has an impact on parity, which requires that new disks be cleared (zeroed) before being used; and that parity be recomputed when you remove a disk.

 

 

Where can i find the copy to new disk function in there ?

Edit:

When i look on the content in windows in disk 3, can i mark all that and paste it in to another disk in the array ?

 

 

Lotsa good info here

Yes, you can simply do the copies from Windows.

 

Thank you for the help.