Copying files to XFS disks when *not* in the array OK?

[TDD]

HI all.

 

For a myriad of reasons, I needed to do some file recovery.

 

As I am moving recovered files off a drive which has been removed from the array (hence UR is down) and to secondary storage, am I ok to then move those files back onto the same array drive?

 

I don't believe there is anything special about the XFS that UR uses.  I know this invalidates parity but I will worry about regenerating that later.

I could network copy but that will be slower.  I could also attach the drive and copy via unassigned devices but then it will be a bit slower as the parity drive writes.  My thought is since I am regenerating anyways, why do it twice?

 

I really just want to bring all the XFS disks with their new data back into the array, create a new disk/array config, have the drives settle then rebuild parity in one shot.

 

Is this workable?

 

Kev.

[trurl]

If the disks were partitioned and formatted by Unraid then I think it will work. As you know, you will be working without parity protection. Do you have backups of any important and irreplaceable data? You should even when you do have parity protection.

[TDD]

Backups are another story - let's say in this instance that I will be revisiting my backup strategy once I have everything back together and at least disk protected via parity.

 

I've never tried bringing an outside disk, let's say an XFS one, into the array and not zeroing it.  Is that possible even to make the system accept it as-is?  As long as you rebuilt parity later, what would it really matter what was/is on the disk?

 

Kev.

[trurl]

New Config will let you assign disks any way you want, but I don't think Unraid will accept just any old XFS disk. If Unraid (or a recent version of Unassigned Devices) formatted the disk then it should be possible to New Config an array with that disk and its data intact.

 

But, I can't just let the question of backups go. I am not suggesting that you must backup every little TV episode or whatever you might have. But you absolutely must have another copy of anything that is important and irreplaceable. Just take some time to consider which files those are and copy them to your PC or somewhere. Before doing anything else.

 

If you are concerned that you might make a mistake then you should be concerned about your important and irreplaceable data. And even if you are very sure you won't make a mistake, things could still go wrong in some way.