I need to swap controllers in my array and I want to know if I will have to rebuild parity and ALSO if I will have trouble swapping out drives in the future.  My guess would be no, but I wanted to ask to be sure.

 

I have this controller currently installed:  PROMISE Sata300 TX2 Plus PCI SATA Controller Card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16816102061

 

It has 2 SATA and 1 IDE connectors.  I am using only the SATA connectors currently.  I need this card for my new tower so I was going to replace it with a 4 port SATA card like so -  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16816102062

 

With a straight swap I would imagine that my disk order would be ok.  I have 4 SATA drives in the array altogether 2 on the MOBO and 2 on the controller.  I think unraid "letters" the mobo drives first and as long as I use ports 1 and 2 I should be fine no?  If something goes wrong though can't I just assign the drives to their proper spaces and unraid will still see the parity as ok?

 

Next question is along the same lines.  If I yank an IDE later on and replace it with a SATA on one of the 2 new ports I gained with the new card will unraid let me rebuild the data on the SATA drive or will I have to import the drives, rebuild parity and then copy of the data from the IDE I removed?

 

Make sense?

 

Thanks.

Good questions.  The TX4 will certainly work.  I'll get back to you tomorrow about the scenario of changing the device assignments.

Thanks Tom.

Got my new controller today.  Any idea on this yet Tom?

There are two subjects here:

1. Changing which controller a disk is on, and still retain parity data.

2. Changing the type of controller assigned to a disk.

Both of these are possible...

 

First, before changing anything, backup your 'config/super.dat' and 'config/disk.cfg' files.  These two files combine to completely capture the disk configuration.  (The 'disk.cfg' file defines which controller ports correspond to each data disk; and the 'super.dat' file contains the model numbers and serial numbers of the disks.)

 

To backup the files, simply copy them to another location, e.g., your windows desktop.

 

Second, before changing anything, jot down the model/serial numbers of your disks as displayed on the Main page (or select/copy/paste).  This will help you keep the disk assignments straight later.

 

Now power down, replace your controller & cable up the hard drives, and power back up.  Before starting the array, go to the Devices page and review/modify the device assignments so that the model/serial numbers for parity and each data disk are the same as before.  Then go back to Main and you should see all green indicators & you should be good to go.

 

To change the controller port type of a disk a bit trickier.  First take the same precautions as before: backup super.dat and disk.cfg and note the model/serial numbers.

 

Next what you have to do is first 'disable' the disk that you are changing, replace with disk of different type, and the rebuild:

1. Stop/power down.

2. Remove the disk you are changing (in your case one of the IDE drives).

3. Power up - system will notice disk is missing - Start array.  This will disable the missing disk.

4. Stop/power down, and install the new disk (in your case a SATA drive).

5. Power up, go to Devices menu and assign the new hard drive to the missing disk.

6. Main page should now show the new disk as a replacement for the previously disabled disk.  When you Start the array, system will rebuild the contents of the old (IDE) disk on your new (SATA) disk.

 

Of course the new SATA disk must be as large or larger than the old IDE disk, as well as smaller than or same size as parity.

 

Make sense?

Make sense?

 

Indeed. 

 

I will do the controller swap tomorrow perhaps.  If that goes well then I will do the IDE for SATA swap.  Thank you very much for the info.

Well, for various reasons, I never got around to this when I planned.  In a month or so I am going overseas for 3 months for work so I thought I better take care of this and get my system stable before I put it into storage. (storage for my storage so to speak) 

 

I followed the directions and using a great firefox plugin called Scrapbook I saved the "Devices" page and was able to sort everything out using that data.  I am currently rebuilding on the SATA drive and all seems well.  The controller swap caused the drive order to change even though the cables were plugged into the same ports.  I was able to get that corrected and as soon as I re-ordered the drives the array was cool.  Thanks for the help Tom.

 

Needless to say I will not be around much but I hope to follow unRAID's progress from afar and look forward to what 2007 will bring.

Good luck overseas and stay safe