3T -> 2T Possible? If so, how?

[bjp999]

I am wondering if it is possible to buy some 3Tb drives, downsize them to 2Tb (or 2.2Tb) for now, and then use them in my array.

To buy 3 2TB 7200 RPM Hitachi drives would cost $110 each = $330.

To buy 2 3TB 7200 RPM Hitachi drives would cost $180 each = $360.

Same capacity.  I would pay this $30 premium.  When unRAID 5.0 b5 comes out, I'd be able to help test out the 3Tb formatting.

Is this doable?  I remember reading that you could create an HPA "on purpose" to make the drive look smaller to unRAID, but with all of the HPA issues with the newer releases, I am unsure if this is viable.  If not, is there some other tricky way to fool unRAID into thinking these disks are smaller than their true capacity.

BTW, I plan to use these in a new "beta" build and will have all data 100% replicated on my current "production" array until the new build has been thoroughly tested.

Thanks!

[ohlwiler]

I believe Seatools for DOS has this capability. They specifically mention the ability to resize disks for creating equal size disks for RAID arrays so it sounds like it has the capability.

http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=201271

[Joe L.]

I am wondering if it is possible to buy some 3Tb drives, downsize them to 2Tb (or 2.2Tb) for now, and then use them in my array.

To buy 3 2TB 7200 RPM Hitachi drives would cost $110 each = $330.

To buy 2 3TB 7200 RPM Hitachi drives would cost $180 each = $360.

Same capacity.  I would pay this $30 premium.  When unRAID 5.0 b5 comes out, I'd be able to help test out the 3Tb formatting.

Is this doable?  I remember reading that you could create an HPA "on purpose" to make the drive look smaller to unRAID, but with all of the HPA issues with the newer releases, I am unsure if this is viable.  If not, is there some other tricky way to fool unRAID into thinking these disks are smaller than their true capacity.

BTW, I plan to use these in a new "beta" build and will have all data 100% replicated on my current "production" array until the new build has been thoroughly tested.

Thanks!

I think it will work... You can probably use hdparm -N pXXXXXXXXXX to do the re-size.  You'll get a big jump on all of us in knowing if your disk controller can handle the large disks, even before re-sizing and partitioning them.

[bjp999]

I am wondering if it is possible to buy some 3Tb drives, downsize them to 2Tb (or 2.2Tb) for now, and then use them in my array.

To buy 3 2TB 7200 RPM Hitachi drives would cost $110 each = $330.

To buy 2 3TB 7200 RPM Hitachi drives would cost $180 each = $360.

Same capacity.  I would pay this $30 premium.  When unRAID 5.0 b5 comes out, I'd be able to help test out the 3Tb formatting.

Is this doable?  I remember reading that you could create an HPA "on purpose" to make the drive look smaller to unRAID, but with all of the HPA issues with the newer releases, I am unsure if this is viable.  If not, is there some other tricky way to fool unRAID into thinking these disks are smaller than their true capacity.

BTW, I plan to use these in a new "beta" build and will have all data 100% replicated on my current "production" array until the new build has been thoroughly tested.

Thanks!

I think it will work... You can probably use hdparm -N pXXXXXXXXXX to do the re-size.  You'll get a big jump on all of us in knowing if your disk controller can handle the large disks, even before re-sizing and partitioning them.

Can you help with the xxxxxxxxxx?  I want to compute this for a 2TB partition (exact same size as normal 2TB drives), and for a near max 2.2TB MBR partition (don't have to get it to the exact sector, but something close but safely under).  How would I figure this out?

Yes, I would be able to test with a number of controllers that I have:

SuperMicro C2SEE-O MB
IBM Br10i controller
Hong Kong cheap PCIe x1 controller (if they ever get here)
Adaptec 1430sa controller
SuperMicro AOC-SASLP-MV8
SuperMicro AOC-SAT2-MV8
Promise TX2 controller (2 eSata ports)
ASUS P5B VM DO MB
JMicron JMB383 (on the ASUS MB)

[Joe L.]

I am wondering if it is possible to buy some 3Tb drives, downsize them to 2Tb (or 2.2Tb) for now, and then use them in my array.

To buy 3 2TB 7200 RPM Hitachi drives would cost $110 each = $330.

To buy 2 3TB 7200 RPM Hitachi drives would cost $180 each = $360.

Same capacity.  I would pay this $30 premium.  When unRAID 5.0 b5 comes out, I'd be able to help test out the 3Tb formatting.

Is this doable?  I remember reading that you could create an HPA "on purpose" to make the drive look smaller to unRAID, but with all of the HPA issues with the newer releases, I am unsure if this is viable.  If not, is there some other tricky way to fool unRAID into thinking these disks are smaller than their true capacity.

BTW, I plan to use these in a new "beta" build and will have all data 100% replicated on my current "production" array until the new build has been thoroughly tested.

Thanks!

I think it will work... You can probably use hdparm -N pXXXXXXXXXX to do the re-size.  You'll get a big jump on all of us in knowing if your disk controller can handle the large disks, even before re-sizing and partitioning them.

Can you help with the xxxxxxxxxx?  I want to compute this for a 2TB partition (exact same size as normal 2TB drives), and for a near max 2.2TB MBR partition (don't have to get it to the exact sector, but something close but safely under).  How would I figure this out?

Yes, I would be able to test with a number of controllers that I have:

SuperMicro C2SEE-O MB
IBM Br10i controller
Hong Kong cheap PCIe x1 controller (if they ever get here)
Adaptec 1430sa controller
SuperMicro AOC-SASLP-MV8
SuperMicro AOC-SAT2-MV8
Promise TX2 controller (2 eSata ports)
ASUS P5B VM DO MB
JMicron JMB383 (on the ASUS MB)

Use hdparm -N to get the drive's reported "max" number of sectors and divide by three?  It will be close.  Just make sure you use a number divisible by 4 otherwise unRAIDs math might get the usable size wrong.

If the disk is reporting 512 byte sectors to hdparm the 3TB drive with the HPA should end up at 3907029168  (that is what is reported on a 2TB drive with no HPA)

Joe L.

[bjp999]

Got 2 of them sitting in my hot little hands.

What should I do to test compatibility?

I think I have a handle on how to make them into 2.2T drives for temporary use until Tom has the 3T support ready, but want to run any tests people request before I do all that.

[Joe L.]

Got 2 of them sitting in my hot little hands.

What should I do to test compatibility?

I think I have a handle on how to make them into 2.2T drives for temporary use until Tom has the 3T support ready, but want to run any tests people request before I do all that.

fdisk -l -u /dev/sdX

hdparm -N /dev/sdX

smartctl -d ata -a /dev/sdX

[bjp999]

Ok - I have my new box partially assembled, and have installed the 2 3T drives.

The motherboard is the SuperMicro C2SEE-O.

I have hooked up one of the 3T drives to the BR10i controller, running 6.30 BIOS.

I have hooked up the other 3T drives to the Motherboard (ICH10).

A couple of interesting observations:

1. The BR10i drive is being recognized as 2.2T, but the one on the motherboard is showing as 3T.

2.  unRAID allows me to assign the disks to the "array" (it is a brand new box - disks are assigned as disk1 and disk2, no parity).  I did not try to start the array / format the disks.

Should I hook them both up to the motherboard and try to format them?

Here are the requested commands.  Anything else?

fdisk -lu /dev/sda (motherboard drive)

Disk /dev/sda: 3000.6 GB, 3000592982016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 364801 cylinders, total 5860533168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/sda doesn't contain a valid partition table

fdisk -lu /dev/sdh (BR10i drive)

Disk /dev/sdh: 2199.0 GB, 2199023254528 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 267349 cylinders, total 4294967294 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/sdh doesn't contain a valid partition table

hdparm -N /dev/sda (motherboard)

/dev/sda:
 max sectors   = 5860533168/5860533168, HPA is disabled

hdparm -N /dev/sdh (BR10i)

/dev/sdh:
 max sectors   = 5860533168/5860533168, HPA is disabled

smartctl on /dev/sda (motherboard)

smartctl 5.39.1 2010-01-28 r3054 [i486-slackware-linux-gnu] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-10 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     Hitachi HDS723030ALA640
Serial Number:    MK0311YHG2Xxxx
Firmware Version: MKAOA3B0
User Capacity:    3,000,592,982,016 bytes
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is:    Sat Feb 26 22:03:18 2011 Local time zone must be set--see zic m
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x80) Offline data collection activity
                                        was never started.
                                        Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0) The previous self-test routine completed
                                        without error or no self-test has ever
                                        been run.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection:                 (28319) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:                    (0x5b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
                                        Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
                                        Suspend Offline collection upon new
                                        command.
                                        Offline surface scan supported.
                                        Self-test supported.
                                        No Conveyance Self-test supported.
                                        Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering
                                        power-saving mode.
                                        Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01) Error logging supported.
                                        General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (   1) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:        ( 255) minutes.
SCT capabilities:              (0x003d) SCT Status supported.
                                        SCT Feature Control supported.
                                        SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000b   100   100   016    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  2 Throughput_Performance  0x0005   100   100   054    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0007   100   100   024    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       3
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   005    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   100   100   067    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0005   100   100   020    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   060    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       3
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       3
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       3
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0002   240   240   000    Old_age   Always       -       25 (Lifetime Min/Max 23/32)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0022   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0008   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x000a   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
No self-tests have been logged.  [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]


SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

[Joe L.]

Interesting...

Tom did say he changed some of the values types in the config/super.dat file to be able to handle the larger disks.  You won;t know how it reacts until you assign the disks to the array.  You are treading on new ground...   Obviously, your add-on controller is not compatible... not without a firmware update of its own.

Joe L.

[BRiT]

I'm curious how they show up on the BR10i with the 1.32.00 firmware with 6.34.00 BIOS combo.

[Joe L.]

We know for certain the bytes in the MBR that define the partition size are insufficient to handle a partition greater than 2.2TB.

I expect the preclear script to choke on the task of creating the partition.

[lionelhutz]

It would be curious to know it unRAID would just create a 2.2T partition and use it. I assume you'll just try assigning and starting at some point?

Peter

[bjp999]

I'm curious how they show up on the BR10i with the 1.32.00 firmware with 6.34.00 BIOS combo.

It is interesting that the BR10i mounted drive is showing the same sectors (look at my two hdparm commands) as the ICH10, but in fdisk is showing only 2.2T.  I am wondering if the BR10i Linux driver, and not the controller itself, is limiting drives to 2.2T.  I will try and update the BIOS.

It would be curious to know it unRAID would just create a 2.2T partition and use it. I assume you'll just try assigning and starting at some point?

Peter

Yes - that is the plan.  Although was hoping to see 5.0b5 posted to see if the 3T feature was added.

In order to do what you suggest, I would need to hook them both to the MB and run this command on each one:

hdparm -N pXXXXXXXXXX /dev/sdX

and I believe that xxxxxxxxxx should be 4294963168.

Joe L., can you help me confirm that's a good number?  I tried to come up with something that ends with 168, and that unRAID would end its count with 552.

[lionelhutz]

No, I was meaning to just assign the disks and  start the array. No hdparam commands. If you get working 2.2T partitions then you would just clear the mbr and rebuild the disk to 3T in a future version of unRAID.

I would think the chances of them just working at 2.2T when connected to the BR10i are fairly high but you might end up with something like a 700gig partition when connected to the motherboard.

Peter

[bjp999]

Joe L. already said that preclear wouldn't like it.  And I don't want to depend on the oddities of the way one controller works.  I think the hdparm command would be the smart way to do this.  Creating my own HPA.

You are right, after 3T support is in place, I should be able to rebuild parity and then rebuild the data drive.