For the life of me I can't figure out how to remove a drive from the array.  I want to permanently remove disk 8 from the array as I need it in another system.

 

I stopped the array and unassigned drive 8, then restarted the array.  All that did was tell me the drive was missing.  I couldn't do a parity check as the option was unavailable.  So I shut down the server, removed the drive and restarted.  I now get drive 8 is unassigned but I can't run a parity check.  What am I doing wrong?

 

What I would like to do is move drive 9 to where dirve 8 was but I'm just not sure how to do this.  Help!

For the life of me I can't figure out how to remove a drive from the array.  I want to permanently remove disk 8 from the array as I need it in another system.

 

I stopped the array and unassigned drive 8, then restarted the array.  All that did was tell me the drive was missing.  I couldn't do a parity check as the option was unavailable.  So I shut down the server, removed the drive and restarted.  I now get drive 8 is unassigned but I can't run a parity check.  What am I doing wrong?

 

What I would like to do is move drive 9 to where dirve 8 was but I'm just not sure how to do this.  Help!

The method is slightly different depending on the version of unRAID you are using.

 

The first two steps are identical regardless of the version

Step 1.  Stop the array

Step 2. Un-assign the drive on the devices page.  (You've already done this)

 

Step 3. With the array still stopped, if your version of unRAID has a button labeled as "restore" on the main management page, check the box under it and click on it.  This button was poorly labeled and was removed on recent versions of unRAID as users clicked it thinking it would restore their failed disks.  It has nothing to do with that at all.  It is actually an initialize new disk configuration button.  Pressing it with the disk un-assigned will immediately invalidate parity and will set a new disk configuration based on the remaining assigned and working disks.  All the disk indicators should turn BLUE after you press it.  When you next start the array it will begin the process of calculating a completely new set of parity data based on the remaining disks.

 

If your version of unRAID does not have a button labeled as "restore" you will need to perform the next step after logging in on the system console, or via telnet.

 

Log in as "root"

Then, with the array still stopped type:

initconfig

 

There are two different versions of initconfig.  The first version in unRAID 4.5.4 did not prompt you to be sure you wanted to initialize the disk configuration.  In version 4.5.5 onward, the initconfig command asks you to confirm  by typing "Yes"

 

If you have the newer version, type "Yes"  (capital "Y", lower case "es" ) and press return.  It must be exactly Yes.

( "Y", "YES", "y", "yeah" and nodding your head up and down are not equivalent.  .)

 

After invoking initconfig, open up the web-management page once more.  If you are already on it with your browser, refresh the page. All the disk indicators should be BLUE.  When you next press "Start" a full initial parity calculation will begin based on the new disk configuration.

 

Setting a new disk configuration does not erase any of the data on the disks. 

 

You will be without parity protection until the new parity calculation completes.

 

Joe L.

For the life of me I can't figure out how to remove a drive from the array.  I want to permanently remove disk 8 from the array as I need it in another system.

 

I stopped the array and unassigned drive 8, then restarted the array.  All that did was tell me the drive was missing.  I couldn't do a parity check as the option was unavailable.  So I shut down the server, removed the drive and restarted.  I now get drive 8 is unassigned but I can't run a parity check.  What am I doing wrong?

 

What I would like to do is move drive 9 to where dirve 8 was but I'm just not sure how to do this.  Help!

After un-assigning disk8, you can at the same time re-assign disk9 to the disk8 slot. (or leave it as it is, is does no harm to have it empty... your choice)

 

Do this disk re-assignment BEFORE initializing the new disk configuration by either pressing "restore" or typing "initconfig" on the linux command line.

It is best to do a parity check a day or two before removing a disk. It will make sure the array is healthy and all drives are fully readable while parity is still intact.

Thanks!  Much appreciated!  I don't have the Restore version.

Oops one other question.  Once I type initconfig, can I powerdown to remove the drive before Starting the array and doing a parity check?  I need the drive for another system and don't want to wait 5hrs or so until the parity is done.

 

I was think I would power down, remove the drive, move disk 9 where disk 8 was, power up, click Start and do a parity check.  Will that work?

While I was doing a parity check, I accidentally copied a file to the array.  Totally forgot a parity check was in progress.  Does that invalidate the parity check or will the parity check take the copied file into account?

While I was doing a parity check, I accidentally copied a file to the array.  Totally forgot a parity check was in progress.  Does that invalidate the parity check or will the parity check take the copied file into account?

It will work just fine.  Parity is automatically calculated.  You can use the array while the parity calculation is occurring.

Thanks Joe! 

Oops one other question.  Once I type initconfig, can I powerdown to remove the drive before Starting the array and doing a parity check?  I need the drive for another system and don't want to wait 5hrs or so until the parity is done.

 

I was think I would power down, remove the drive, move disk 9 where disk 8 was, power up, click Start and do a parity check.  Will that work?

Yes, you can.  Actually, after you run initconfig you will be doing a parity sync, not a parity check.  After the sync completes, you should then run a parity check.  Once both complete without errors, your data is protected again.