Tardas-Zib

Christopher / Alex,
 
Please comment on the portability aspects of moving a Pool from WHS 2011 to Windows Server 2012 Essentials and back.  I'm posting this question here rather than in a support contact because the general information and guidance can also apply to what other users might want to do.  Basically, for testing or trial purposes, what steps and precautions should be followed to move a full pool of pass-through disks from a VM with one OS to another VM with a different OS and back again without risking data loss on the pool?  I think this would also apply to moving the pool intact between different computers or motherboards or upgrading then reverting OSs.
 
Scenario: As you know from my previous support tickets (640360 & 8209559), I've been having trouble with freezes of my WHS2011 VM (Hyper-V) when the DrivePool service is manually enabled (even running minimal msconfig settings and without the Scanner service). This occurred with the latest v 1.3 and also after I upgraded to the latest release of v 2.  Usually the hang will occur at some point during the measuring stage; for some boots, though, the DrivePool service enters a steady state and presumably executes its management tasks okay.  I know that I can operate this way indefinitely without data risk if I keep in mind what Alex told me that I've pasted into the end of this post for the benefit of all.  
 
But after exhausting much of my hardware and software troubleshooting resources, I'd like to move the full single pool of 7 HDDs (16.7TB) to a VM with Windows Server 2012 Essentials to see if the problem disappears.  If it still exists, the root of the problem will probably by the host hardware or software.  However, I'm not prepared to commit to that server upgrade change from WHS2011 yet, so I want to be able to reattach the hard drives to the WHS2011 VM.  Naturally, I don't want WS2012E to massage the Client Computer Backups folder on the pool and declare the backups corrupt.  (The current native WS2012E Client Computer Backups folder is with its other default server folders on the system C: drive now, so I'm thinking that WS2012E won't automatically try to connect to the similar folder on the DrivePool pool.  Still, . . . . . .)  Here's what I think I need to do.  Please correct me where wrong and let me know what pitfalls are in store:
 
Steps:
 
1. Install DrivePool 2 into WS2012E VM and shut down.
 
2. In Windows Explorer, rename (slightly) Client Computer Backups folder in the DrivePool drive's \ServerFolders in the WHS2011 VM (will cause a pre-defined server folder missing error and stop the Windows Server Client Computer Backup Service) and shut down.  (?? - Not sure this is necessary as a safeguard to keep WS2012E from playing with it after the pool is moved.)
 
3. Remove the physical hard disks from the WHS2011 VM using Hyper-V Manager.
 
4. Add the physical hard disks to the WS2012E VM.
 
5. Start the WS2012E VM.  DrivePool should find the full pool intact.
 
6. Run the WSS Troubleshooter Reset NTSF Permissions on the Pool and Restore DrivePool Shares.  (?? - Not sure this is necessary unless the intent is to keep the pool on the new server, particularly if the plan is to return to the old server.)
 
To return the pool to the previous server:
 
1. Shut down both VMs.
 
2. Remove the physical hard disks from the WS2012E VM.
 
3. Add the physical hard disks to the WHS2011 VM.
 
4. Using Windows Explorer, reverse renaming of Client Computer Backups folder in Step 2 of first move above.
 
5. Run WSS Troubleshooter Reset NTSF Permissions on the Pool if it was done for Step 6 above. 
 
6. You should be back to where you started.
 
__________________________________________________________
 
Using DrivePool without the service: In reference to my statement above that the DrivePool service doesn't have to be run in order to use DrivePool (provided you have sufficient free space on all pool disks), I thought I'd include this clarification that Alex provided me in a support contact concerning data risk  --
 
Q. "What are the risks for regular use (of DrivePool with the DrivePool.Service.exe service disabled) until the service is re-enabled?":
 
A.  •Risks to data integrity:

◦If you have real-time duplication enabled: NONE.
◦Background (or nightly) duplication will not function.
 
      •No pool management.

◦You will not be able to add / remove disks from the pool or perform any kind of pool management.
 
      •Risks to running out of disk space:

◦There is a complicated mathematical model that we use to re-balance your pool to provide maximum available disk space for duplicated files. This will not function with the service disabled.
 
A simple example of this (but it can get much more complicated):
 
◾You add a 100 GB disk (#1) to the pool.
◾You fill that disk up to 90 GB.
◾Then you decide to add another 100 GB disk (#2) to the pool.
◾Your pool is now 200 GB in size with 90 GB used.
BUT, you can only copy 10 GB of new duplicated data onto it because disk #1 only has 10 GB free.

◦So if the service is not running, you risk running out of disk space.
 
      In short, the service is not involved in reading or writing data to or from the pool. But maintenance and administrative tasks will not function.

I have Scanner v.2.4.0.2928, and it seems to be ignoring the scanning schedule.  I have it set to only scan between 3am and 6am ('Server' defaults), but it keeps scanning throughout the day.  The oldest scan date on the drives is one month ago, and I have the 'Unless disk scans are past due...' unchecked.
 
Thoughts?

I was running the trial for about a month.  Not sure why it got flagged today.
 
Scanner.Service.exe is version 2.4.0.2928, dated 6/18/2013
 
While I suspect it is a false positive, I just wanted to pass it along

Just downloaded and installed version 1....  Would like to try version 2.X, but all the download links take me back to here http://stablebit.com/DrivePool which only shows version 1. 
 
Do I need to be a Beta tester to get 2.1.0.432 ?
 
Thanks,
Larry

Hi there,
 
got drivepool and scanner running on my server with some HDD´s. So one big HDD got some Bad Blocks. Not many at all, only 64K of unreadable Sectors and 240 unstable sectors. This state has been for some month now and everything was fine.
 
Anyway I started backing up my Data on other Disks. Figured out that some Pictures are broken and mentioned in Scanner.
I started File Recovery and set time to retry to "1" and started the magic.
 
The Server was running for a couple of hours, until I Received an email of an broken HDD. Great,,, looked SMART Data up and discovered that the File Recovery boosted the "read error rate" from zero  to "40659" and a value of "0.4%". Than I cancelled the Recovery Process.
 
"SMART is predicting imminent failure of this disc. code (0)"

OS is freaking out too. so i have to disable smart. that is not funny at all.  

https://bitflock.com/BLYRMBZZ

After some misadventures with my WHS2011 attached USB drive enclosure, I find I now have a separate (empty) pool (original "H" pool and a new (unwanted) "S" pool - empty of content, using a single HDD.
 
How do I get rid of this intruder and give back the drive to my original pool?

Hi,
 
I'm a new user and I need help.  Every time I attempt to add a Seagate 3TB drive to my pool, the GUI hangs and has to be killed in Task Manager.  Then the server must be rebooted because the GUI can not be correctly restarted... just spawns multiple background processes.  The issue is not the hdd.  I know it's good as tested w/ SpinRite 6.  I think somehow I screwed up DrivePool by changing a drive letter for one of the hdd's already in the pool.
 
 
my config.
 
OS: Server 2012 Essentials R2
running the latest release version of DrivePool (2.xxx ) x64
 
hdds in pool:
  E:  - Toshiba 3tb
  F:  - Toshiba 3tb
  G:  - Hitachi 2tb
  H:  - WD 2tb 
  I:   - WD 1tb
 
 P:  "virtual" pooled drive
 
I don't know if this level of detail is necessary, but these are steps I took before the problem happened
.
My aim was to add a new Seagate 3tb drive to pool, remove the WD 1tb drive, let DP evacuate the drive, then extract the WD 1tb from the server.
 
This is what I did.
 
Added Seagate 3tb drive as a non-pooled drive, D:\
Manually copied data off Seagate 3tb drive to the pool (P:)
Used diskpart to clean the Seagate 3tb.  Drive reinitialized as GPT disk, formatted, & given a drive letter of D:\
Used Disk Management to change drive letter of WD 1TB drive from I:\ to J:\
    (got standard warning that some apps my stop functioning properly if they use drive letters...)
Rebooted the server
Used Disk Management  to change drive letter of Seagate 3TB drive from D:\ to I:\
    (got standard warning that some apps my stop functioning.....)
Rebooted the server
Opened DrivePool gui and ran "Re-measure" successfully. (just in-case the drive letter change to the WD 1TB wasn't recognized)
 
Now....
Attempted to add the Seagate 3tb via the gui's "ADD" button.
Press the button the gui hangs.  Must reboot.
Tried multiple times.  Even let server sit overnight hoping the add process would complete.  Nothing...
Checked the Seagate hdd and saw that no "poolpartxxxxxx.xxxxx" was created.  The drive is completely untouched.
Tried multiple reformats anyways without luck.  Gui hangs every time.
 
Decided to "undo" the drive letter change of the WD 1TB.  Changed it back from J:\ to I:\
Reformatted Seagate 3tb as J:
Rebooted server
Re-ran Re-measure successfully.
Attempted to "ADD" the Seagate via the Gui.  Gui hangs.  Must reboot server.
 
I'm out of ideas.
 
Do I have to rebuild my server from scratch???  That would suck!
Any HELP!!! would be appreciated.
 
thx,
-ep
 
 
 


LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WTH ?????????????????????????????????????????
 
On  whim, I just tried adding that drive for the MILLION-th time and it worked!!!  IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!
I've been at this for 3 freaking DAYS!
I have no idea what changed, but it worked.
 
I'm happy now but also a bit worried.  Up until now, DP has been rock solid.
 
Any ideas why this happened????
 
thanks,
-ep

Tonight DrivePool.Service start use of my CPU. There is no disk usage at all, just CPU loading
In the dashboard at bottom i'am seeing "Calculating".
 
Reinstalling DrivePool does not help - same CPU loading after reinstall and reboots.
 
I am using last version: 2.0.0.420
 
It seems that service just not answering - can't stop&restart service
 

I've tried looking for it, but couldn't really find anything.
 
I've got a pool of 8x3TB drives (well, 10x3TB but 2 of those are parity with flexraid snapshot raid) and those drives go to sleep after 10 minutes of not being used.
 
Before trying Drivepool I was using FlexRAID and even though the developer said 'It only wakes up  the drive that has the file', my personal tests have shown this is not the case. It would spin up drive 1 to x until it found the required file.
 
So my question is, how does DrivePool handle this?
 
If I access a file will it spin up all drives, or does it know on which drive a file resides and just access that drive?
 

Not sure where I'm going wrong.  I have 14.6GB free on my pool, can't move a single file to it.  the first drive in the pool is maxed out, free space is on 2nd.  I can add data to the 2nd, but not to the pool.  What am I missing?

Alex, I know its a shot in the dark, but can you make a personal cloud app for whs2011?  Something to act like dropbox.   Instant camera uploads and all.  Just a thought, or maybe a dream.

Wow, imagine a bank of these all on DrivePool lol
 
http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/367061,samsung-launches-1tb-ssd-for-ultrabooks-and-tablets.aspx
 

 
Samsung brings 1TB of storage to the mSATA form factor for the first time.
  Samsung is pushing SSD capacities to new heights with the launch of a 1TB drive in the compact mSATA form factor.
Samsung claims it's the first company to offer a terabyte of storage in this form factor, which is normally deployed in devices such as ultra-slim laptops and tablets. The drive is around a quarter of the size of a regular 2.5in SSD drive, and at 3.85mm it's less than half the thickness. It weighs a mere 8.5g.
The drive, which forms part of the company's 840 EVO mSATA SSD line-up, will be launched later this month. Samsung is keeping mum on the price for now, but one thing is certain: it won't be cheap.
The drive will also be available in 120GB, 250GB and 500GB versions and is capable of sequential read and write speeds of 540MB/sec and 520MB/sec respectively, according to the company.
Furthermore, Samsung claims its bundled Magician 4.3 software can push read speeds past the 1,000MB/sec mark, although we'll wait until we see one in the Labs before endorsing such lofty claims.
This article originally appeared at pcpro.co.uk
 

Hi,
 
I've been using a competing product for sometime, but I like the cleaness of DrivePool.  I appear to have come unstuck though with migrating across.  I've added a drive (with existing data) to a new pool and I was a) expecting this data to be in the pool and b ) for the individual drive to disappear from explorer.  At present, the drive still exists in explorer and the data is not visible in the new drivepool pool.  Is this expected behaviour?
 
Also, are there any advanced settings as my dashboard does not show anything at all.  I've attached a screengrab to show what options I have available.  Is there anyway to rename the pool as well?
 
At the moment, the other product is far more configurable but its dashboard integration is still quite poor; however I do like how it appears in the storage tab as another sub tab... Quite neat I think.
 
Anyway, thanks  in advance for a response.
 
Chris


Ah hah!  So it appears that in order for my new pooled drive to work I have to move the data from the existing drive number to the new pooled drive.
 
Another question; How does DrivePool deal with drive removal?  For example the other program allows the removal of a drive at any time (and will use the SMART indicators to potentially shift data from a drive before it packs in) so that you remove it from the system blank... I presume that when you click remove from the pool Drivepool will do this automatically?  does it tell you if you don't have any free space to do this operation?

Hi,
 
purchased the combo DrivePool and Scanner for my Windows Home Server 2011, which I setup this weekend. Right after the boot everything works and I get an overview in the Dashboard. However after a day of operation (and a couple of hibernations) the dasboard page of scanner displays only the message initializing and never shows the drive overview.
 
What can I do?
 
Andreas

Hello,
 
I am using StableBit for my Windows Server, and I love it. It simply works and is easy to use. Now I am planing on setting up a MacMini. Unfortunatly StabelBit does not support OSX. Will it ever be or are there any plans for supporting OSX?
 
Thanks.

I wasn't sure if this was more of a general WHS2011 or DrivePool question! I am running Windows Home Server 2011 and when I did the original install/setup, it appears the C: drive was set up with 60GB as the system disk (I don't recall an option to select this). Does this sound right?

Anyway, now the C: drive shows full - I went to do a Windows update and realized there wasn't enough room to install them.

The server has 4x2TB drives, I'm using StableBit Drive Pool and there is still 488GB free on my 4 drives (or, 122 per drive).

How can I increase the system drive or at least be able to install further updates?? I suspect, it wouldn't need to be much larger, just enough to accommodate future updates.

Any suggestions/advice/help would be greatly appreciated - or, perhaps I didn't provide enough info, if so let me know!

Thank you, greatly!!  

Hi,
I just added two Seagate Expansion Desk Drives to my Home Server via a 4-port Anker USB 3.0 Hub.
Performance looks fine but StableBit Scanner does not recieve any SMARt data.
Is there anything I can do about that?

I have a somewhat-damaged disk, and I inserted it into the box where I have Stablebit Scanner installed.
 
It tool *forever* to actually scan the whole surface (not a big deal, it's damaged!) ... but now the scanner UI is REAAALY slow and it pins one of the CPU cores completely. Every click takes nearly 30 seconds to register. 
 
The Scanner Service rockets along still tho'. 
 
FYI:
 
the 1.5 TB disk has 62053 sectors damaged on the disk -- is this causing some sort of UI paint issue?
 
the disk in question is not part of the drive pool
 
I'm logged in remotely to the box via RDP.
 
Is there any way to turn on some logging for the UI that can help?
 
 

Anyone else using ESET Smart Security and StableBit Scanner?
 
ESET Smart Security won't allow it to run and quarantines the Scanner.UI.exe as well as the files in the attachment.
 
 
 
 

So I am getting real near to adding a couple more hard drives to my desktop and I am running out of sata ports to plug into and was hoping someone can offer a little advice or opinions about some products.
 
My desktop is a little bit of everything. I use it mainly as a server. I host all my media content that serves two TVS in my apartment, I also use it as a Web, Database server, a little gaming here and there and lastly I do a little bit of programming. 
 
1) SATA Controller Card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124064
 
A) Any speed penalty if I go with a PCI-E Controller card?
Is there any cons at all going this route?
C) Anything more reliable or better then this?
D) What if I have multiple Controller cards?
 
2) More Power Connectors - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812400127&Tpk=PYO4SATA
 
A) Any drawback having multiple drives on a strand? 
 

I've been trying to figure out today why my "Other" category had 46 gb specified after I did a couple of backups from different machines to a pool (via the network).  I tried looking at all the hidden system folders etc to no avail.  I almost gave up when I found the re-measure menu item, sure enough after it did what it did the "Other" category went down to 780 mb or so.  So I guess there are two questions here, why does the "Other" category increase when you're writing to the pool, and what does the re-measure menu item do?
 
Thanks.