Now on the Download page.

 

Please post system log if you encounter the 'all disks show unformatted' bug with this release.  In addition if you are able to work with me, please do not Stop/Start array, post here and/or send email to [email protected].

 

Thanks!

Just in case people wonder...

 

This release is exactly the same as 4.5.3 except for:

 

   * Extra messages are written to the system log when data disks are mounted.

   * The Format functionality has been disabled - the Format button will still appear on the Main page of the webGui, but it will not actually initiate a Format operation.

 

 

It is a good idea for everybody to upgrade to "4.5.3-TEST" immediately, before getting accidentally struck by the format bug.

Should you need to add a disk and format it, you can still do it the way Joe L. described in this post:

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=6186.msg59893#msg59893

 

Thinking of getting a new drive this weekend. Should be a good time to upgrade then?

Yes, just understand that formatting the drive for use in unRAID will require a bit of command line work (see the link above, in Purko's post), instead of the normal push-button approach.  Still, that is a much better option than risking formatting all of your good data drives because of the bug.

The point of this release is to catch this problem in state where I can figure out what's going on; it is not meant for general use.

LimeTech, is there a version of unRAID that you recommend that doesn't have the format bug?  Users have reported it in various forms in all 4.5 releases.  If there isn't, then the safest course to me seems to be to upgrade to this version and format new drives manually based on Joe L.'s instructions.

While Tom is being cautious and providing good advice (the test release is not for general use) The only way he can get enough documented instances of the problem is if many of us are using the test version. 

 

From what I observed you have to be adding a disk to the array for it to manifest itself.  I just do not do that too often, although with 2TB disks costing under $129 I am tempted but feel the price will keep dropping.

While Tom is being cautious and providing good advice (the test release is not for general use) The only way he can get enough documented instances of the problem is if many of us are using the test version. 

 

From what I observed you have to be adding a disk to the array for it to manifest itself.

 

It happened to me without adding a disk. I just rebooted and the situation occurred when I started up.

I happen to save the syslog and it's the same as others with the mount error.

The point of this release is to catch this problem in state where I can figure out what's going on; it is not meant for general use.

You're more likely to catch it if people move to "4.5.3-TEST" en mass.

 

Besides, if "4.5.3-TEST" is really exactly the same as "4.5.3-FINAL" sans the formatting function,

then I think that moving to "4.5.3-TEST" is the responsible thing to advise for the general public.

 

The point of this release is to catch this problem in state where I can figure out what's going on; it is not meant for general use.

You're more likely to catch it if people move to "4.5.3-TEST" en mass.

 

Besides, if "4.5.3-TEST" is really exactly the same as "4.5.3-FINAL" sans the formatting function,

then I think that moving to "4.5.3-TEST" is the responsible thing to advise for the general public.

 

Except for all the support calls saying the "Format" button doesn't work, and their array can't start.

(He probably should have changed the text adjacent to say it was disabled in the test version)

Except for all the support calls saying the "Format" button doesn't work, and their array can't start.

Well, if they can read, they should easily understand what it's all about.

It's all here in plain sight.

 

holly crap batman!  I'm still running 4.4.2 with bubbaraid 1.17 and have no issues.  I was just thinking it was time to upgrade to the final release of 4.5.3, until I read this.

 

If I were to do any upgrade, I would go with this test (format disabled) release, although not final and meant for general public??

 

I also don't really want to loose the nice features of bubbaraid.  All of my apcups stuff and notify are working great, and there is no bubbaraid upgrade yet.  I'm not good with the command line stuff, so having webgui is awesome!

 

Recommendations at this point?

 

Oh, can anyone tell me if 4.5.3 supports having a online spare drive?  I hate to waste a drive as a online spare, but I'm starting to get Smart errors for 4 of my drives, saying POWER ON Threshold exceeded. Being with Parity, I can only loose one disk at a time, I thought having a hot spare would lower risk of loosing data.

 

 

If I were to do any upgrade, I would go with this test (format disabled) release, although not final and meant for general public??

If it was me, I'd do exactly that.  Apart from that format issue, 4.5.3 has some nice speed improvements.

 

I also don't really want to loose the nice features of bubbaraid.  All of my apcups stuff and notify are working great, and there is no bubbaraid upgrade yet.  I'm not good with the command line stuff, so having webgui is awesome!

You can easily get all that stuff working with the unmenu addon.

 

You can easily get all that stuff working with the unmenu addon....

 

Easy for who?  LOL  Llike I said, I'm not that good at this stuff and I had a friend help me with the bubbaraid stuff.  Is the new unraid menu all webgui now for this stuff, or would I still have to install addons, packages, and configure with command line?

 

BTW, I don't see a unmenu addon, where is that on the download page?

I found the unmenu thread started by Joe here http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=5568.0

 

Looks easy, although I didn't read all the thread pages, too many.  I downloaded it and the instructions, again looks easy.

 

I've looked at the instructions for installing 4.5.3 as well, for a new flash drive and setup.  However, I'm a little worried about doing the actual upgrade.  I have 4.4.2 with bubbaraid and of course have user accounts and user shares all setup.  

 

Is it really that easy that I install the new version on a new flash, power down my existing setup, install the new flash drive, and boot up?  Do I have to recreate all of my shares and users?

 

I didn't see (although most likely on this forum somewhere) detailed instructions for migrating/upgrading, only new setups.  Can somebody point me to a thread or provide instructions for me?

 

I'd still like to know if online spare drive is supported in the new version as well.

 

Thanks!

I've looked at the instructions for installing 4.5.3 as well, for a new flash drive and setup.  However, I'm a little worried about doing the actual upgrade...

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=6315.msg61345#msg61345

 

You can easily get all that stuff working with the unmenu addon....

 

Easy for who?  LOL  Llike I said, I'm not that good at this stuff and I had a friend help me with the bubbaraid stuff.  Is the new unraid menu all webgui now for this stuff, or would I still have to install addons, packages, and configure with command line?

 

BTW, I don't see a unmenu addon, where is that on the download page?

You don't see bubbaraid either.  Do you?

 

Which functions of "bubbaraid" are you using?   By telling us that, we can then know if easy to install alternatives are available under unMENU.

 

Bubbaraid will not work on subsequent releases of unRAID.  You are missing out on some substaintail performance improvements.

 

You said you are using "apcupsd" and "email-notifications"  What else under bubbaraid are you using that does not exist in the stock unRAID.

 

unMENU is a alternative web-interface.  It is on port 8080, so when it is in place you get to it at //tower:8080

 

It is described here: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2595.0

and the newest version is described here: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=5568.0

 

And you can download it from here: http://code.google.com/p/unraid-unmenu/

 

Basic instructions and a few sample screen-shots showing how it allows you to manage apcupsd and put into place e-mail notifications are illustrated here: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=5568.0

 

Joe L.

I've looked at the instructions for installing 4.5.3 as well, for a new flash drive and setup.  However, I'm a little worried about doing the actual upgrade...

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=6315.msg61345#msg61345

 

 

OMG, replace two files and that's it!  Can't wait to try it.  Thanks!

Thanks Joe!  Yup, that is the same link I posted, in my other reply.  I found it and again, it looks easy.

 

I'll have to ask my friend who helped me.  Maybe I can get him to post here.    I remember him installing several packages and doing a bunch of config work, but I don't know the details.

 

What I see is emails and apc stuff workiing, but nothing else special.  So, I think unmenu can easily replace bubbaraid for me.

 

Can't wait to try it!

OMG ,this was too easy!  I followed the instructions and I'm now running 4.5.3 TEST.  Even unmenu install was a joke.  I'm a newbie and this was easy.

 

I'm off to use the unmenu Package manger to add the ups and email stuff.

 

For the other newbies, all I did was this....

-ran Check Parity yesterday...just to make sure everything was cool.

-shutdown my server

-removed the flash and put it in my Win7pc.

-ran disable Bubba..bat file

-copied the two main files, bzimage and bzroot to the root of my flash drive

-created a dir at the root of my flash drive called /unmenu

-unzipped the unmenu file and copied it to that dir above.

-put the flash back in my server and booted up.

Confirmed that I'm now on 4.5.3 TEST

using Putty, connected to my server and ran the unmenu install command  Then just edit the Gofile so unmenu starts on reboots, all done.

Again, wow this was cool

Thanks for all of the help guys!

 

Here's my syslog file. I downgraded to 4.5.1 and everything is fine. I got the "unformatted" message several times with 4.5.3, which was scary.

syslog.txt

Here's my syslog file. I downgraded to 4.5.1 and everything is fine. I got the "unformatted" message several times with 4.5.3, which was scary.

 

Please try 4.5.3-TEST & if you encounter this issue, post the system log.  Thanks.

The copy of bizimage and bizroot to the flash drive can be done from a windows machine while the unraid system is running with no problem.  The Test version will then be active on the next and subsequent reboots.

The problem I've got here is kinda different: sometimes, when the server is shutdown uncleanly, the "format issue" appears because of the filesystem verification. After the fs check, the disk is mounted, but the files on that disk aren't included at "/mnt/user" folder, so no samba access to these files. I have to reboot the server to get this solved.

 

The format button shouldn't affect the drives assigned to the array; the format process should be done prior to the addiction, and only with selected non-array disks.

The copy of bizimage and bizroot to the flash drive can be done from a windows machine while the unraid system is running with no problem.  The Test version will then be active on the next and subsequent reboots.

 

To do this from another machine (Windows or other), you just need to access the share for the flash (normally \\tower\flash) and copy over the two files.  DO NOT pull the USB from your unRAID box.

 

I recommend renaming the existing two files before copying over the new ones.  That way you can go back to the prior version easily.