SMART advice sought

Hi

 

Following some great advice from BJP999 in this thread;

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=33277.msg306310#msg306310

 

I installed unMENU on my unRAID6b5a production server for the purposes of getting SMART reports via myMain  in advance of parity drive upgrade.

 

I have my new 4TB parity drive cooking at gas mark preclear in my backup server but before I transfer, I thought I'd check my SMART report here (attached).

 

While all these 1TB drives will eventually be replaced, it really looks to me like Disk 6 is in bad shape. Should I be replacing this before I do my Parity replacement?

 

Thanks

 

Peter

 

 

 

 

 

 

It looks bad. I would have already replaced it.

 

Also keep an eye on disk3 with the reallocated sectors it has.

My instructions said to get the smart reports in steps 1 and 3 (before and after a parity check). Is this the before or the after? Can we see both?

 

It matters quite a bit whether the concerning smart values are holding steady or getting worse, and by how much.  I'd like to see both to fully advise you.

 

But clearly disk6 is a disaster. You'd need to replace it

My instructions said to get the smart reports in steps 1 and 3 (before and after a parity check). Is this the before or the after? Can we see both?

 

It matters quite a bit whether the concerning smart values are holding steady or getting worse, and by how much.  I'd like to see both to fully advise you.

 

But clearly disk6 is a disaster. You'd need to replace it

 

Nothing changed between before & after.

 

Ideally, I'd like to swap disk 6 with a 4TB drive I have pre-cleared but I'd need to upgrade parity first so I guess my steps are;

 

-replace disk 6 with another 1TB and rebuild it

-replace Parity with 4TB

-replace disk 3 with 4TB

 

Thanks

 

 

 

There is a special process called parity swap disable that handles this situation. Read up on it and seek recent successful uses. I have never done it myself and seem to remember a recent post of a user that tried and was not successful.

 

What I often do is add a new disk to my server and mount it outside the array. I copy a failing disk (or just one I want to upsize) to the new disk, and if successful follow instructions similar to what I provided to set a new config and assign the disks with the new parity. Only difference is you would exclude disk6 but include instead the new disk containing the disk6 contents.

 

This is also helpful if upsizing several disk and/or trying to copy several smaller disks to larger one(s). It is much faster as the destination is not in the array when the copies are done and only after all the copies are done do you do one parity build.

 

Works for me.

We'll I've already gone ahead and swapped out Disk6 for another much fresher 1TB that's just been through a pre clear without issue so that's rebuilding now.

 

Next up I'll swap the parity and then once that's done, swap Disk3 for the 4TB. I have the time as y new 4TB parity just arrived today and is preclearing which will take a while.

 

I guess I need to go back now an re-read that thread about what to do with failing disks!

 

Thanks all

 

Peter

 

There is a special process called parity swap disable that handles this situation. Read up on it and seek recent successful uses. I have never done it myself and seem to remember a recent post of a user that tried and was not successful.

The "swap-disabled" procedure ONLY works if the disk being replace is DISABLED.

Since your disk had not been disabled by unRAID, the process would not have been possible. (unless you disconnected the disk with the high failing sector count, and purposely started the array with it disconnected, causing unRAID to mark it as failed)

 

Your replacement of the data disk first was a good decision.

I guess I need to go back now an re-read that thread about what to do with failing disks!

You can always place them behind the wheel of your car and see if it will impend the backward motion of the car. (this is the wheel-chock-test  )

If you are able to drive over it, try several times more.  At that point, even if still able to be pre-cleared, I'd throw it away.  A 1TB drive is just not worth it these days to lose hair over.