Parity Swap

[spinbot]

I'm just upgrading my array to handle 2TB drives, so my first 2TB drive will become my new parity drive.

I have precleared the drive with the -A  AF/4K switch and the drive is ready to be used.

I am just looking for confirmation on the next set of steps be correct and no steps missing:

1.  Run one last parity check with the original parity drive in place
2.  Set the "Default partition format" to "4K/Aligned" in the UnRaid Main "Settings" Tab
3.  Stop the Array
Here's were my steps could be a bit off
4.  Remove the original 1.5TB (sdk) parity drive completely from the array under the Devices tab
5.  Add the new new 2TB (sdf) parity drive, as the parity drive
6.  UnRaid should give me an option to format it, which shouldn't take too long as its been precleared
7.  Allow unraid to re-build the parity on the new 2TB drive
Once I am confident the new parity drive is working ok, I can then
8.  Pre-clear the old parity drive
9.  Stop the array
10.   Add original parity drive back to the array as a data drive
11.  Format

Should their be any issue with the Parity drive coming of the SUPERMICRO AOC-SASLP-MV8 SATA card , as my original one is off the motherboard and the new one is going to be off the SUPERMICRO AOC-SASLP-MV8 ?   If I knew which drive in the drive cages was the original drive, I would just swap cables, but sadly I am not sure which it is and I would have to slide each drive out to check serial numbers.

Anything else I should beware of or I might be missing?

I've got 5 hours before the parity check is completed 

thanks

[Joe L.]

I'm just upgrading my array to handle 2TB drives, so my first 2TB drive will become my new parity drive.

I have precleared the drive with the -A  AF/4K switch and the drive is ready to be used.

I am just looking for confirmation on the next set of steps be correct and no steps missing:

1.  Run one last parity check with the original parity drive in place
2.  Set the "Default partition format" to "4K/Aligned" in the UnRaid Main "Settings" Tab
3.  Stop the Array
Here's were my steps could be a bit off
4.  Remove the original 1.5TB (sdk) parity drive completely from the array under the Devices tab
5.  Add the new new 2TB (sdf) parity drive, as the parity drive
6.  UnRaid should give me an option to format it, which shouldn't take too long as its been precleared
7.  Allow unraid to re-build the parity on the new 2TB drive
Once I am confident the new parity drive is working ok, I can then
8.  Pre-clear the old parity drive
9.  Stop the array
10.   Add original parity drive back to the array as a data drive
11.  Format

Should their be any issue with the Parity drive coming of the SUPERMICRO AOC-SASLP-MV8 SATA card , as my original one is off the motherboard and the new one is going to be off the SUPERMICRO AOC-SASLP-MV8 ?   If I knew which drive in the drive cages was the original drive, I would just swap cables, but sadly I am not sure which it is and I would have to slide each drive out to check serial numbers.

Anything else I should beware of or I might be missing?

I've got 5 hours before the parity check is completed 

thanks

Parity drives have no file-system therefore, they are not formatted.  Other than that, you have it.  In the same way, if you are using the same disk controller port, and on the 4.X series of unRAID, it will notice the change in parity drive serial numbers so you so not need to un-assign the old and assign the new in most cases.  It will assign the new for you, after asking you to confirm the new configuration.

Joe L.

[spinbot]

Thanks for the confirmation of the steps.

I am not sure of the physical position of my original parity drive in my server, thus my reason for inquiring if running the parity off the SATA expansion card would be detrimental or not.   If it is, then is their a command line prompt I can run to force the spin-up of the parity drive only (then I can just poke my fingers around the back of each drive until I identify the one that vibrates)     If not, then I can just leave my new parity drive off the SATA card and just assign it to parity under Devices.