My first server was a total disaster. Lost 6TB of data. Two data recovery shops said they are unrecoverable.

 

Starting from scratch and this time I'll implement a backup day 1. I just want to use an external USB, HDD (like a 10TB Easystore drive), plug in to my server and update my backup once a week or so. Manually.

 

What is a good method for local backup to an external enclosure HDD? Is there a method that will only backup changes? Is there a way to do snapshots like on ESXi or Windows?

 

 

(I kept putting off backup since nearly every thread discussing backup options ends up with users reporting failures, errors etc. While all drives failing simultaneously is extremely rare I'm still surprised that with this massive community and the ongoing development of unRAID that a simple backup solution isn't a cornerstone of the base unRAID software / OS.)

 

 

See first script here:

 

Thanks, i'll take a look at this.

 

I had some containers set up before the meltdown. PiHole and Plex. I'd like to keep these (i understand Plex library is gone) as well as my network setting and other plugins etc. I don't remember if I stored these on the cache drives (which are still working) or on the array (all gone). Will I be able to keep these settings and the containers?

 

And how do I remove the old disks from the Array Devices in unRAID? I'm hoping I can do this rather than starting from scratch on everything.

 

 

Plugins are on flash, container settings are on flash and they can be reinstalled with those same settings using the Previous Apps feature on the Apps page, but container working data such as plex library are normally in appdata which is normally on cache.

 

What happened to your array?

 

Tools - New Config will let you assign any disks any way you want and then it will build parity when you start the array.

40 minutes ago, trurl said:

Plugins are on flash, container settings are on flash and they can be reinstalled with those same settings using the Previous Apps feature on the Apps page, but container working data such as plex library are normally in appdata which is normally on cache.

 

What happened to your array?

 

Tools - New Config will let you assign any disks any way you want and then it will build parity when you start the array.

 

One day after running great for 5 months I got alert message: Alert [TOWER] - Disk 1/2/Parity in error state (disk missing)

 

All three array disks were not responding and would not initialize. SMART would not initialize on all 3. Tried on multiple PCs to check the SMART. I think it may have been the PC PSU I was using to power the disk enclosure. Although a new 80 + Gold supply on a UPS I had the ground pins jumped to keep it on. Maybe that caused it? No idea. That PSU was only being used to power those 3 drives. The Cache is fine as they were on my motherboard and running off a separate PSU.

 

So basically I need to:

 

1) Use: Tools > New Config   to remove the old data and parity drives. I will select the Cache under "Preserve current assignments:" to keep those as is?  (Will this erase my cache drives?)

 

2) add the new array disks (2 X data 1 X parity) and assign them as Disk 1, Disk 2 and parity

 

When I click on previous apps it says "no matching applications found."  Maybe I need to start the new array first? 

 

 

Edited December 3, 20205 yr by adminmat

You can't install any dockers unless the docker service is started, and the docker service won't start until the array is started. The fact you have the Apps page suggests your plugins are still there.

1 hour ago, trurl said:

You can't install any dockers unless the docker service is started, and the docker service won't start until the array is started. The fact you have the Apps page suggests your plugins are still there.

 

Ok. The apps are running.

 

But what is the process to remove the old data and parity drives from the unRAID OS? The actual drives (hardware) are already removed. I just need to remove them from the OS. And then add in the new drives. Without accidentally erasing the cache drives.

 

There are many forum posts on how to add or remove one drive. But not many occurrences where an entire array of drives have gone bad.

37 minutes ago, adminmat said:

what is the process to remove the old data and parity drives from the unRAID OS?

2 hours ago, trurl said:

Tools - New Config will let you assign any disks any way you want and then it will build parity when you start the array.