I'm selling my media server and want to delete out all the information I have on the array, is there any command I can use that will clear the data but keep the array intake?  Pretty much I just want to reset the array as if I'm just starting out.... I'm running 5.0 beta 10.

What's the point of keeping an intact array with no data? Just preclear all the drives and do a New Config.

Time.... and in all honesty effort.  The guy is looking to pick it up tomorrow and I just fired it up for the first time in over a year yesterday to do some other checks.

 

Preclearing and new config if I recall right took forever on initial setup, and as for the effort part I'd have to go back and remember how to do all of it which considering I'm getting out of the server hobby I'd rather not.

 

I was reading up about at the command line being able to delete out folders, but if it was a share I'd need to have the array turned off...... If I went this route would I delete the shares out first then go back and delete the actual folders?  And if that doesn't make sense it's because I haven't a clue on how everything works together 

Just deleting the data doesn't really destroy the data. It's all still there and can easily be resurrected by someone with a little skill. To actually destroy the data you need to overwrite it with something else, which preclear does. Depending on how many drives and the sizes this could take several weeks, but it's the only safe way if you want to protect yourself.

 

If you really don't care who sees whatever is on the shares (very bad idea IMO) then here's some fairly good instructions- http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/FAQ#How_do_I_remove_a_User_Share.3F

You basically delete all the folders/files including hidden and then delete the name of the user share in the webgui and select save.

There is a preclear option (-W) to skip the preread. That would immediately beginning the zeroing operation. The more you zero the better.

It's a 15TB array (Five 3TB drives, a parity, and a cache)..... if I'm looking at it right, it's only taken up a few TBs on disk 1.  Would that mean I'd only need to preclear disk 1, and if I did that would the parity drive try and rebuild it?  Sorry if all this sounds ignorant, it's been a long time messing with it.

No reason to maintain parity, is there?

 

I'd recommend doing a new config (which will remove all array configuration) and preclear each data disk that has content that you do not want to disclose in a separate screen session. Use the "-W" option to skip the prereads.

So doing new config will delete everything out and then set everything back up?  I guess my fear is I'll do new config and then for some reason not be able to access the array through my browser or something.  I have add on scripts like for my UPS power supply and unMENU.... would those be deleted out doing a new config?

So doing new config will delete everything out and then set everything back up?  I guess my fear is I'll do new config and then for some reason not be able to access the array through my browser or something.  I have add on scripts like for my UPS power supply and unMENU.... would those be deleted out doing a new config?

 

If you do a new config, access to your array would be lost, but not access to the unRAID server. Are the scripts you are concerned about loosing on your flash drive, or on the array? ANYTHING you want to salvage from the array drives you plan to preclear should be saved before doing the new config.

Damn it, it's starting to look like I'll need to put the brain power into this    All I have on there is movies and music, I'd need to confirm but I didn't see any sensitive data relating to myself...... I don't get the vibe that the guy I'm dealing with would have the knowledge nor intent to try and recover my data, and ultimately if he did then there isn't anything there that I'd care about.

 

With that said, see just deleting the folders an option?

Why not just let him have it as is and let him worry about the "brain power" then?

Why not just let him have it as is and let him worry about the "brain power" then?

 

He should at least delete the files IMO.

On the slim chance word got around, I wouldn't want it viewed as me selling a media server already stocked with movies and music..... I feel like I should do my due diligence, but to me just deleting the folders is enough.  If he wanted to try and recover that would be on him. 

 

I was just hoping there would be a quick way to delete data, I don't even know the process to delete a file from the array.... all I could do yesterday was view and open files stored on the array

In the 19 hours you have been responding to this thread, you could have certainly cleared the drives with a pre-clear by now!

Industrial strength magnets. 

 

 

quick and dirty method  from console    rm -rf /mnt/user/*.*    rm -rf /mnt/cache/*.* 

quick and dirty method  from console    rm -rf /mnt/user/*.*    rm -rf /mnt/cache/*.*

 

What do those two lines do for me?

The quickest way to delete a disk full of files is to reformat the drive. Especially with RFS - deleting takes a VERY long time! With 6.0 you can just change the filesystem and force a format. With 5.0, you'd have to run preclear with the "-z" option (to zero the very beginning of the disk). Then the disk will apear unformatted and unRAID will offer to format it. Or not - you can just leave it unformatted is fine too.

quick and dirty method  from console    rm -rf /mnt/user/*.*    rm -rf /mnt/cache/*.*

 

What do those two lines do for me?

 

ReMove Recursively Forced items under /mnt/user/ and /mnt/cache.

 

That deletes files on your data and cache drive.

However one could do a directory rebuild on the drives and possibly regain the files.

If you're not concerned with any "unerase" actions the buyer might attempt, all you need to do is delete all of the files.    They won't be recoverable via rebuilding a drive, since parity will be updated to reflect the new state of the drive after the deletions.    [They COULD be recovered via Reiserfsck or other recovery tools -- but it's very unlikely a novice buy is going to attempt that ... and as you've noted there's no personal data to be concerned about anyway)

 

If you're not concerned with any "unerase" actions the buyer might attempt, all you need to do is delete all of the files.    They won't be recoverable via rebuilding a drive, since parity will be updated to reflect the new state of the drive after the deletions.    [They COULD be recovered via Reiserfsck or other recovery tools -- but it's very unlikely a novice buy is going to attempt that ... and as you've noted there's no personal data to be concerned about anyway)

 

I appreciate all the input, this is sounding like the route I might want to take..... can I also delete out an entire folder containing files or would I need delete each file one by one?  Also could I ask what the command would look like to do this?

You can simply delete the folders from Windows Explorer, or from the Mac finder.

 

Or you can do it from the Linux command line on your server with

 

rm -r /mnt/diskxx/<foldername>

 

[substituting the correct disk # and foldername of course]

 

Be careful with that command -- Tom has described it as a "machine gun" ... i.e. it deletes everything with no confirmation, so if you use the wrong foldername you'll regret it !!

 

But since your goal is to simply delete everything it will work just fine.

 

If you're not concerned with any "unerase" actions the buyer might attempt, all you need to do is delete all of the files.    They won't be recoverable via rebuilding a drive, since parity will be updated to reflect the new state of the drive after the deletions.    [They COULD be recovered via Reiserfsck or other recovery tools -- but it's very unlikely a novice buy is going to attempt that ... and as you've noted there's no personal data to be concerned about anyway)

 

I appreciate all the input, this is sounding like the route I might want to take..... can I also delete out an entire folder containing files or would I need delete each file one by one?  Also could I ask what the command would look like to do this?

 

To delete an entire share:

 

rm -rf /mnt/user/share

 

To delete an entire folder on a share:

 

rm -rf /mnt/user/share/folder

Awesome I think this is what I'm looking for..... I had mentioned before from what I can see I only have files on disk 1.  If I delete all the folders (and files within) on disk 1 will the shares just be empty then?  I'm trying to recall how shares and actually files/folders relate

Yes, if you delete all the data on the disks, the shares will be empty 

 

You can also simply go to the shares tab on the Web GUI and delete your shares (they have to be empty or it won't work -- but after you delete the data they will be).