Creating My First Unraid Server With Used HDD

[matthewmalek]

Hi,

 

I currently have a 1.5TB drive in my desktop that I use to host all of my media, but it seems that I'm running out of space (I don't like settling for lossy content =/ ). So, naturally, I decided that it would be great to build an unraid server with 2TB parity so that I can continually take care of my space problems as they arise. My main question is, can I simply add this 1.5TB drive to the array with all the data on it and not have the server format over it? If not, what is the best way to get this data onto the server? I recall that a few years ago I moved a good bit of data to a laptop from a desktop via a home network, but the data all got corrupted (the mp3 files were all choppy/skippy and otherwise ruined in the transfer process), so I'd hate for that to happen again.

 

If anyone has any answers, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

Also, I have an external usb hard drive that I could probably to use to move the data over a little bit at a time (assuming I add a new 1.5TB drive to the server before doing so). Can the unraid server even view external drives?

 

Thanks.

[kizer]

Yes you will have to format your drive in order for it to run on the unRAID system. Personally and I do mean personally I would grab a second 1.5TB drive since you said you are running out of space and install your 2TB drive and your new 1.5TB drive together and then copy over your data then when complete add your old drive into the array so you would have future expansion.

 

On NewEgg drives seem to be pretty cheap right now and depending on what you plan on running you could pickup a drive pretty cheap. The only thing I wouldn't want to do if I was you is try and scrape up space here and there and transfer just to transfer back. I'm sure many have done that, but like you said you take the chances of loosing data or corrupting data.

 

As for external drives I've not tried it and can't field that question, but I'm sure somebody will.

[theone]

You can add the new 2TB disk to the unraid (after preclearing) as DATA disk and copy over the data from the 1.5TB disk.

 

Then add the used 1.5TB disk (also after preclearing) as DATA disk to the unraid as a second data disk.

 

Copy over all data from 2TB disk to 1.5TB disk - using midnight commander (mc)

 

Define the 2TB disk as PARITY disk and let parity build.

 

[lionelhutz]

You say you are almost out of space so the easiest is to just buy 2 x 2T drives. Set-up the server and copy the data over the network to the new data drive and then assign the parity drive. Once parity build is completed and you have also done a successful parity check then you can stick the 1.5T into the server as another data drive. Allow unRAID to format it and you will have that space to use too.

 

I believe Terracopy can confirm the data was properly copied to the server.

 

Peter

 

[Joe L.]

You can add the new 2TB disk to the unraid (after preclearing) as DATA disk and copy over the data from the 1.5TB disk.

 

Then add the used 1.5TB disk (also after preclearing) as DATA disk to the unraid as a second data disk.

 

Copy over all data from 2TB disk to 1.5TB disk - using midnight commander (mc)

 

Define the 2TB disk as PARITY disk and let parity build.

 

To me, this scenario is risky.

 

You are trusting a new 2TB drive to all your data.  It is far more likely to fail than a drive that has been in service for a while.

 

Instead, I would define a data drive AND a parity drive initially.  At least that way, if one were to fail, you still can recover your data.

 

Only if you have the luxury of not re-using any of your old disks in the new server would I do any copying without parity.

 

Joe L.

[theone]

You can add the new 2TB disk to the unraid (after preclearing) as DATA disk and copy over the data from the 1.5TB disk.

 

Then add the used 1.5TB disk (also after preclearing) as DATA disk to the unraid as a second data disk.

 

Copy over all data from 2TB disk to 1.5TB disk - using midnight commander (mc)

 

Define the 2TB disk as PARITY disk and let parity build.

 

To me, this scenario is risky.

 

You are trusting a new 2TB drive to all your data.  It is far more likely to fail than a drive that has been in service for a while.

 

Instead, I would define a data drive AND a parity drive initially.  At least that way, if one were to fail, you still can recover your data.

 

Only if you have the luxury of not re-using any of your old disks in the new server would I do any copying without parity.

 

Joe L.

 

That of course is the preferred way (and the way I did it), but that would mean buying another drive.

 

[matthewmalek]

Alright, perfect. Thanks guys. I believe the method of buying two new drives and building parity after the transfer is the road I'll go. It was my plan B just in case there wasn't a way to do it without so much data movement. Although creating/verifying a checksum file will actually ease my mind a little bit.

 

Sidenote: Is there a way to allow only one pc to write to the server? I'm sharing a network with a few other people and I would like my desktop to be the only device that can add/remove files from the server. Although, I would like for everyone to be able to read from it. This is mainly as a precautionary way to keep anyone who jumps on the network from changing data on the server.

 

Thanks again.

[lionelhutz]

Yup, you set up user accounts on the server.

 

I don't do it, but I have read that if you set-up the same user name's as the Windows machines use with the same login passwords that those computers will automatically log-in using the same creditials. Saves having to type the user name and password every time each user wants to access the server.

 

You have to put a password on the root account too.

 

Peter

 

[Compass]

 

To me, this scenario is risky.

 

You are trusting a new 2TB drive to all your data.  It is far more likely to fail than a drive that has been in service for a while.

 

Instead, I would define a data drive AND a parity drive initially.  At least that way, if one were to fail, you still can recover your data.

 

Only if you have the luxury of not re-using any of your old disks in the new server would I do any copying without parity.

 

Joe L.

 

Joe, I'm in the same position as the original poster, I have a 1TB WD Elements USB Hdd, nearly full, of movies/pics etc.

 

I want to purchase 2 new 2TB hdd's for my new build, then add the Elements 1TB hdd to the array after transferring the data to the new Hdd's, using your method of assigning a data AND a parity drive initially. 

 

Question(finally he says!), do the new 2TB drives have to be the same, make/model? Or can they and should they be different?

 

I've read a few times that drives should not be bought together to avoid any problems.

 

I am looking at these,

 

Western Digital Caviar Green Power 2TB 7200RPM 64MB Sata3 - for parity

 

Western Digital WD20EARS 2TB 64M IntelliPower SATA2 Caviar Green Advanced Format 4K Sector - for data

 

Or am I just being too anal about it?

 

Cheers

[WeeboTech]

I've read a few times that drives should not be bought together to avoid any problems.

 

You'll probably be OK with two of the same drives. I would not buy more then that at one time if I did not have to.

When people buy 4-10 or more drives at the same time, they can be subject to the potential of multiple drive failure within a close time frame.