I have a 3 disk array using the unlicensed basic version. I'm Currently running version 4.0. The three drives are a seagate 400gig sata (parity), seagate 400 gig pata (disk1), and a WD 160 pata (disk2). I recently took the 160 gig out to use in a new computer build, and tried to replace it with a 120 gig WD pata. Too my surprise, when I went to restart the array, I got the message that the replacement disk is too small and that the replacement disk must be as big or bigger than the original. This hadn't occurred to me before, but now that I think about it it makes sense. Luckily, I had copied all the data from the 160 gig drive over to the 400 gig drive before starting all this, so I'm not completely hosed. I have no intention of putting the 160 gig back in the array, as the new computer is up and running nicely. I guess what I'm looking for here (in the absence of some unlikely secret method of forcing the array to rebuild the data on the 120 gig drive) is what to do next to get the array restarted with the 120 gig drive. The only thing I'm worried about is losing what is on the 400 gig drive. Do I just hit Refresh and the array will format and start using the new 120 gig drive? That seems to me the only logical option, but I want to be sure before I proceed that the data on the 400 gig is not jeopardized.

 

Thanks In advance for your help.

Fran

In this case you have to click Restore (after first checking "I'm sure I want to do this" box).  If the new smaller drive does not have a reiserfs file sytem, it will show up as unformatted.  In no case will you lose any data on the other data drives.

Tom,

 

Thanks for the help. Everything is running fine now.

 

Fran