unraid - trail USB drives not spinning up

[faxfan2002]

Hi All,

 

New to unraid and migrating from freenas.

 

On my new unraid server I've attached a USB drive to test the moving of data between systems and backups etc. However I can't get the drive to spin up, it gives the graphic of spinning but doesn't turn green. I've tried this with different USB drive enclosures on different ports. From what I've read spinning up is the first thing that needs to happen unless I've missed something obvious. Any ideas?

 

Thanks! 

[Squid]

Assuming that your not assigning the USB to the array, have you installed the Unassigned Devices Plugin & Unassigned Devices Plus and mounted the drive?

[faxfan2002]

5 minutes ago, Squid said:

Assuming that your not assigning the USB to the array, have you installed the Unassigned Devices Plugin & Unassigned Devices Plus and mounted the drive?

That's the cookie! I can see the drives now and it looks like I can mount them as well.

 

If I wanted to put a USB drive into an array how is this done?

[trurl]

3 hours ago, faxfan2002 said:

If I wanted to put a USB drive into an array

You don't. USB connections are to unreliable for the parity array. 

[faxfan2002]

2 hours ago, trurl said:

You don't. USE connections and too unreliable for the parity array. 

That wasn't the question, but thank you. It looks like some people use them no problem others hate them. Since it's actually a feature of unraid - I managed to see the option and potential add a drive, I haven't though - I'll consider it an option under advisement.

[landS]

I would not assign a USB drive to the array long term as the risks to the data integrity are higher than my comfort level.  You can shuck the drive and use sata connector (which many here have done).  

. 

Alternatively you can use the USB device outside of the array (unassigned devices is the easiest).   This can then be used for transferring data, backing up data on the array, etc.  User scripts plug helps. 

. 

Unraid provides parity protected data.  This is not the same as a backup. 

 

[faxfan2002]

12 minutes ago, landS said:

I would not assign a USB drive to the array long term as the risks to the data integrity are higher than my comfort level.  You can shuck the drive and use sata connector (which many here have done).  

. 

Alternatively you can use the USB device outside of the array (unassigned devices is the easiest).   This can then be used for transferring data, backing up data on the array, etc.  User scripts plug helps. 

. 

Unraid provides parity protected data.  This is not the same as a backup. 

 

 

I understand drives can be connected via sata etc. I'm fine with that. But USB drive in the array is a supported feature of unraid and as far as I can tell people do use it without any issues. Is there case somewhere this is has failed and USB is directly to blame?

 

So here's the question what is the risk? A physical connection between two devices, just like SATA. Does SATA hold something over and above USB? Error corrections? or?

[trurl]

2 hours ago, trurl said:

You don't. USE connections and to unreliable for the parity array. 

That will teach me to reply from my phone without my glasses on. Of course I meant

2 hours ago, trurl said:

You don't. USB connections are too unreliable for the parity array. 

 

41 minutes ago, faxfan2002 said:

So here's the question what is the risk? A physical connection between two devices, just like SATA. Does SATA hold something over and above USB? Error corrections? or?

If USB disconnects, which may happen more often than many realize in 24/7 operation, the disk will likely get disabled and so rebuilds will be a frequent occurrence.

 

If you want an array with USB then don't use parity and accept that you have no redundancy.