Hi,

Grateful for any help here.

 

I have the following configuration:

Parity: 3TB

Disk1: 1TB

Disk2: 2TB

Disk3: 3TB

 

There are only 4 slots on the MOBO.

I bought a new 3TB drive to replace the 1TB.

 

Question: How do I pre-clear the new drive, without a spare sata slot ?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

I can think of a few ways -

 

1. Buy a SATA card and install, you'll get more SATA ports.  You will be able to keep the array up, while you Preclear the new drive.

 

2. Remove 1TB and add new 3TB.  Preclear 3TB.  Once Preclear finished, start array without Disk 1, then stop it, assign the new disk to Disk 1, start array again and rebuild old Disk 1 onto new disk.  You may be able to start and run the array, but it will be emulating Disk 1, a degraded state, no parity protection.

 

3. Prepare a second flash drive with unRAID (running in Trial mode), and install Preclear plugin and scripts to it.  Pull any drive (might as well be the old Disk 1), and add the new drive.  Boot system (no drives will be assigned), Preclear new drive.  Once it has been Precleared, shut down and put your licensed flash drive back in.  Boot it, start and stop the array without Disk 1, then assign the new drive and start the array and rebuild Disk 1.  Array will be unavailable until Preclear is finished, and original boot drive reinstalled.

 

Without more SATA ports, you'll have to either take the array down, or run the array in a degraded state, emulating Disk 1.

Hi RobJ,

Thanks for this.

When you say "start array without Disk 1, then stop it, assign the new disk to Disk 1, "

? How long do you stop it for ?

 

Thanks.

 

Could also buy a USB to Sata dock. I used this method once when I couldn't fit another drive in my case (also didn't have a sata slot open either).

 

Keeps all the data safe on the array, and gets the job done.

 

I have one of these already. So... I take it that my Unraid server will recognize it... and I can easily address it in the preclear routine ?

When you say "start array without Disk 1, then stop it, assign the new disk to Disk 1, "

? How long do you stop it for ?

No special time, you just stop it then assign the new drive.

I have one of these already. So... I take it that my Unraid server will recognize it... and I can easily address it in the preclear routine ?

 

If you don't already have it installed, you will need to add the Unassigned Devices plugin. It will appear automagically on the tab that plugin creates on the main pane/page of the control panel. If you also install the preclear plugin, you can start the process from that tab to without going to command line. I use this now even though I am plugging in to sata cards just for ease of use.

2. Remove 1TB and add new 3TB.  Preclear 3TB.  Once Preclear finished, start array without Disk 1, then stop it, assign the new disk to Disk 1, start array again and rebuild old Disk 1 onto new disk.  You may be able to start and run the array, but it will be emulating Disk 1, a degraded state, no parity protection.

 

Question to clarify the above:

When you state 'rebuild old Disk 1 onto new disk'... does this happen automatically when I start the array having "assign(ed) the new disk to Disk 1, start(ed) array again"...

or is there a function I have to run ?

 

2. Remove 1TB and add new 3TB.  Preclear 3TB.  Once Preclear finished, start array without Disk 1, then stop it, assign the new disk to Disk 1, start array again and rebuild old Disk 1 onto new disk.  You may be able to start and run the array, but it will be emulating Disk 1, a degraded state, no parity protection.

 

Question to clarify the above:

When you state 'rebuild old Disk 1 onto new disk'... does this happen automatically when I start the array having "assign(ed) the new disk to Disk 1, start(ed) array again"...

or is there a function I have to run ?

It's relatively automatic, nothing special to do.  And if I recall correctly, before you click the Start button, it clearly states what it will do.  It should say that it will bring the array online and rebuild Disk 1.