Over the years I have lost track of which drive in the server is which in the array.

 

Any ideas on how I can remap them without having to take them all out of the 4-in-3 cages and reading the serial numbers?  I don't think drives have LEDs to look for.

 

Can you hear drives spinning up?

 

I bought 3 new drives and want to swap out smaller ones instead of just adding more to the array. 

 

thanks,

david

This is just a little better than guesswork, but I find that unRAID assigns the sda/sdb device designations in a pretty logical order.  sda is the flash, the next 4 are my motherboard ports (and they are assigned in physical order on the board), and then it moves over to my SATA controller.  My SATA controller has two connectors with breakout cables and the SATA connectors on my breakout cables are numbered 1-4.  So assuming I filled my motherboard ports before starting on the SATA controller I'd start looking for sdg on the second port of the first connector on my SATA controller, if that makes sense.

 

For the future, I use a label maker and stick the last four digits of the drive serial number somewhere where I can still see it while the drive is in its bay.  I've pledged to do hot swap bays in my next buildout to help with situations like this, though  .

I am not sure your logic is correct and consistent.

 

Anyway, after you do map them you can use my serverlayout plugin to keep track of the location instead of stickers/labels.

I am not sure your logic is correct and consistent.

 

Anyway, after you do map them you can use my serverlayout plugin to keep track of the location instead of stickers/labels.

 

I'm pretty sure it's neither one of those  .  It's a starting point for the OP, though, and in my experience it might help him narrow down the failing drive faster than randomly pulling connections.  I'll have to give your serverlayout plugin a try, I haven't used it yet .

I made a word doc that list the drive model, serial number, size, slot & date added. Put it in a manila envelope taped to the side of the server. Maybe take the couple minutes to document your setup? Makes changes a breeze.

 

BTW, unRaid shows the drives' serial number in the "Identifier" column of the webgui.

 

ps. using only a plug-in assumes you can connect to your server

 

pss. yes labeling the drives would help too. I have drive cages and label each slot.

...Can you hear drives spinning up?...

Screwdriver "stethoscope". Handle of screwdriver in ear, tip of screwdriver touching drive.

Took it all apart the wrote down all the data, entered it into the serverlayout plugin. 

 

When I put hooked it all up, I decided to leave a port on the motherboard open, and use the last IBM1015 port instead.  Bad idea as it would not boot.  After dragging a monitor up to the server, fussing with it, I finally figure out that when there is a port open on the motherboard, the BIOS will not boot off the flash drive.  It doesn't even list it as an option. ARGS!!

 

Anyway up and running, doing a parity check prior to upgrading the parity drive and two other drives.

 

thanks for all the suggestions,

david