Newbie question: Is preclearing necessary for fresh new installs?

[AgentLame]

My understanding here(correct me if I am wrong) is that Unraid will do the same when adding a new drive to the array but will also take the array offline while doing it. This shouldn't be a problem with new installs right?

 

 

I saw this video for setup and initial config. Has anything changed since then?

Any help is appreciated, Thanks.

 

[tdallen]

Pre clearing a new drive is never necessary but always recommended.  Pre clearing writes zeros and a special signature to the drive so that it can quickly be added to the array.  It also exercises the drive extensively - "infant mortality" or early failure is a proven concern with hard drives.  The benefits of pre clearing outweigh the costs in most situations.

[exist2resist]

I never do it, but I do have at any given time at least 2 hot spares in the array.

If you are adding a drive to an array and you have no hot spares I would highly recommend it.

But it is not necessary.

 

[bally12345]

I have started to do it to all new drives or replacements drives, takes a bit of time but as one member said if you value your data pre-clear your drives.

 

 

[AgentLame]

Thanks everyone, I should have all the hardware by tomorrow.

 

I have one more question, I am still on the fence if I should virtualize Windows 10 and go through the hassle of passing USB ports, hotplugging issues but the concept of NAS and gaming in one machine is very attractive.

 

I guess my question is, I want to do a test run like this:

 

Boot up Unraid - > Format and Assign a SSD as cache without assigning any other drives -> Install Windows 10 and do everything necessary with and test some games and other applications I need.

 

Can I do this or do I should I have a precleared drive as a data drive assigned to run the test?

 

[JorgeB]

You need to have at least one data disk assigned, no need to preclear it just for that.

[testdasi]

Take note that for a live array, you always want to preclear.

 

Formating a drive in array without preclear take hours, in which time your array is not available. The array is a available during pre clear and formating time after preclear is reduced to a few minutes so your array down time is a lot lower.

 

As johnnie said, you need 1 data disk assigned. But you dont have to format it.

[itimpi]

Take note that for a live array, you always want to preclear.

 

Formating a drive in array without preclear take hours, in which time your array is not available. The array is a available during pre clear and formating time after preclear is reduced to a few minutes so your array down time is a lot lower.

This is definitely no longer true for the 6.2 beta as clearing does not take the array offline.  Not sure about the 6.1.9 release.  Having said that preclear is still a good idea as the standard clear process does no checks on whether it worked without errors.

 

[AgentLame]

I don't want to waste another thread but I have a small question.

 

I got the Asus Z170 PRO Motherboard. Asus is advertising Realtek ALC1150 motherboard audio. Do I get to take advantage of this within the VM?

 

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

 

 

[SpaceInvaderOne]

I don't want to waste another thread but I have a small question.

 

I got the Asus Z170 PRO Motherboard. Asus is advertising Realtek ALC1150 motherboard audio. Do I get to take advantage of this within the VM?

 

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

 

You really need to post your questions in the right place. The only people who are going to read your question is people reading a post about a totally different subject and as such its not reaching the right people to answer.