Hello all, I just updated to Ver 6.  I added a new 3 TB disk that I want to make my new parity disk.  how do I format it?  It has a blue square next to it in the unassigned devices.  Di I assign it to the array?  Do I have to pre-clear it first?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Oscar

Parity is not formatted since it has no filesystem. Only a data disk that will be added to a new slot in a parity protected array is required to be clear so parity will remain valid. Most preclear all new disks anyway to test them. Every bit of every disk is needed for a rebuild if a drive fails.

 

After you have tested the disk with preclear, just stop the array and assign it to the parity slot. When you start unRAID will build parity to it.

Hello all, I just updated to Ver 6.  I added a new 3 TB disk that I want to make my new parity disk.  how do I format it?  It has a blue square next to it in the unassigned devices.  Di I assign it to the array?  Do I have to pre-clear it first?

All that is necessary is to assign the disk to parity and start the array which will cause unRAID to start building parity on the new drive.  No need to format or preclear it first.  When it completes you should then run a parity check to make sure it was built ok.

 

Having said that although it is not necessary you may want do a preclear to carry out a confidence check of the drive if it is a new drive.

Not pre-clearing is like putting money under your windshield wiper and believing it'll be there when you get back.

 

Like said you don't absolutely have to since you can rebuild your parity anytime but keep in mind in the event of that drive failing you will have an unprotected array until you pickup another parity drive and rebuild it. However then that question comes up again. Should I Pre-clear it?

thank you all for your responses.

 

I went ahead an assigned the drive and UnRaid is building parity now. 

 

For a 13TB array array, is 12 hours about tight?

 

Should I Preclear the old parity drive since it will be put into the array?

thank you all for your responses.

 

I went ahead an assigned the drive and UnRaid is building parity now. 

 

For a 13TB array array, is 12 hours about tight?

 

Should I Preclear the old parity drive since it will be put into the array?

Instead of the total size of your storage, a better indicator of how long parity build will take is the size of the parity disk. 12 hours seems OK.

 

If you will be adding the old parity to a new slot then if you don't preclear it unRAID will have to clear it so parity will remain valid. While unRAID clears a disk, it takes your server offline until finished.

 

If you will be using the old parity to rebuild another disk already in the array, perhaps for the purpose of replacing a smaller drive with a larger one, then the disk doesn't need to be clear.

Thanks Trurl  I won't do anything until I the 3TB drive has finished with parity process.  Then I will assign it to the array as a new drive.  Then I will be able to add 3TB Drives  Which is the reason for adding.

Thanks Trurl  I won't do anything until I the 3TB drive has finished with parity process.  Then I will assign it to the array as a new drive.  Then I will be able to add 3TB Drives  Which is the reason for adding.

If you assign it to a new slot then you should preclear it. Maybe you understood but you didn't mention preclear in this post. Since it is a drive you already trust you can probably skip the pre-read. If you don't preclear it unRAID will take your server offline while it clears it as I already said.

See the replace parity link in my sig.

See the replace parity link in my sig.

Sounds like he has already started the parity rebuild so too late for your method.