ep-CCforums

Thank you for your detailed responses. I'll be using option #2 (move HDD to secondary pc and attempt manual file copy). I'm in the middle of a bunch of things at the moment, but I'll be attempting a file recovery when time allows. Regarding duplication status, unfortunately I only have "critical" data being duplicated. While it'll be heartbreaking if I lose all my media, my world won't end if all 15TB outta the 20TB goes up in flames. Thanks again.

Running DrivePool 2.1.558 on Windows Server 2012 R2. Don't own Scanner. 20TB DrivePool, 6 Drives, 6 SATA ports (all full) One (1) of these six drives, a 3TB Toshiba, is in the process of failing BADLY. Symptoms… whenever I attempt to copy data from the Pool, ONLY files being read off the failing disk slows to a craw of around 50-80Kb… then stops and chugs… then reads another 40-80kb… stops forever while the HDD churns. I'm assuming the drive's built-in ECC algorithms are working overtime to recover the bits and the SMART system is reallocating sectors (but the drive is nearly 100% full… maybe 60-70GB free out of 3TB. The files I'm copying off DO eventually get read though. And so far, the files I've copied off the Pool and spot checked seem to be error free, but it can take up to 1-2hrs to read back a single 1GB file from the damaged sectors! Anyways, it's OBVIOUS this 3TB Toshiba will die any SECOND now. So my options: Option #1 Buy a PCI-e SATA III controller card. Buy a new 3TB+ disk. Add new controller & disk to server then use the built-in "remove drive from Pool" function to empty all data off the failing Toshiba hdd. Q: Will the "remove drive from Pool" function timeout/error out? As noted above, I HAVE been able to successfully copy files off this damaged HDD using plain old File Explorer… it just takes a LONG TIME. How patient is the DrivePool evacuation function? Just as patient as File Explorer? I know there's a "force removal of damaged disk" checkbox, but frankly I'm wary of that option. Nearly all this data is multi-part .RAR files without parity (music, movies, audiobooks). If a single file from a multi-part .RaR-ed folder gets skipped b/c DrivePool decides it's taking too long to read, then I effectively lose 100% of the data in that folder even if 99% of those .Rar's are safely residing on the other 5 functioning HDD's in the Pool. Q2: Does the "remove drive from Pool" function actually DELETE all the contents off the removed HDD after the removal process completes successfully or even errors out??? What if the process finishes but with errors?? Does DrivePool delete all files off the removed drive? If so, that's bad… gives me no opportunities to use a data recovery tool like SpinRite after the fact to recover those files. Option #2 Physically remove the failing Toshiba 3TB drive from the server. Place the failing drive into a 2nd PC running Windows 10 x64. Place a new 3TB+ replacement drive the 2nd PC and then manually copy contents to the new hdd using File Explorer. Finally, move new disk back to server and run some command to reintroduce the "new" HDD containing the old/existing files to DrivePool??? Q1. There is a total filename/file path length limit in Windows I don't know the exact number, 127 chars?, but somehow you guys seem to get around this issue inside DrivePool. But I've encountered this problem when coping highly nested file trees using File Explorer (which my DrivePool contains (ie.. Media\Video\HighDef\TV\ShowName\Season\xxxxx.xxxxxx.xxxxxx.xxxxxx.xxxxx\yyyyy.yyyyyy.yyyyyy.yyyyyyy.yyyyyy.part99.rar). Am I going to get thousands of "filename/file path too long, please rename file or shorten file path" errors when I attempt this manual file copy using Win10 x64? Should I try using a disk cloning tool like Macrium Reflect Free Edition to clone the disk instead of using a manual file copy with File Explorer to get around such issues? Q2. If I'm successful copying my disk over, I know there's a manual command to force DrivePool to notice the replacement disk and make it reindex/remeasure/re-integrated the data back into the DrivePool. Is there a URL to this FAQ? Sorry for the really long post.

Thx for the prompt reply! Looked over the change log... That's a lot of fixes! I guess I'll perform the upgrade after I finish my data migration. No sense in taking chances upgrading beforehand since I know build 240 handled my 1st data migration correctly.

Thx. I thought so but I wasn't sure. If you read the FAQ, it reads as if it applies specifically to 2.0.x - 2.1.x because step #2 specifically calls out an exception for, "If you're using version 2.2 or higher...", then follow these other steps... meaning the overall FAQ applies to 2.0.0.240. Regarding upgrading to the current release, are there ANY known stability issues that were introduced? I haven't had a single error, exception, or problem with build 420 in over a yr of 24/7 use. I generally find that upgrading to current builds when you don't have any issues usually RESULTS in issues. Just scanning the forums, I see multiple posts regarding BSOD's, shutdown/startup errors, etc... with the current version. So, does 420 have any CRITICAL flaws that were addressed in the later builds, like data corruption issues, or is it just new features & "nice-to-haves" & non-critical bug fixes (ie.. UI bug fixes)? I don't need new features. I just need reliable storage. Just want to avoid introducing new problems if I upgrade.

DUDE! You write a FREAKING TOMB and ask a BILLION questions which the support guy is patient enough to answer... and you can't even be bothered to drop by and read his replies, much less say THANK YOU? Jeeze! Some people! In the future, I'd recommend just ignoring ppl who write THIS MUCH! It's pretty obvious they're more interested in hearing THEMSELVES talk than actually hearing your support answers.

Hi, I'm investigating using the suggested shortcut method for migrating already fulled drives into the pool. But regarding step #3 on this FAQ: http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_Q2299585B ...when I click the gear icon, the only options I see are: Notifications, Allow Remote Control, Check for New Versions, and Manage License... I do not see an option for, "Troubleshooting" menu, and select "Reset all settings..." I also don't have a Start Menu item since that's for v2.2 users. Am I forced to use the "Alternative Steps" which are intended for when the UI has crashed and/or is completely inaccessible? Running DrivePool v2.0.0.420 on Server2012R2 Essentials.

drasha, Yes a clean server except for SQL Server & Visual Studio Team Foundation running in VMs. I've since done a bare metal restore and recreated my DP just incase I screwed something up with all the drive letter/partition renaming. The sever seems to operating just fine. I think I'll leave it alone from now on. Thx.

Hey Otis. No, I am not running Scanner. Just running DrivePool release version. I wanted to keep my server as clean possible. Plus I already use Spinrite twice a year for disk maintenance. The idea of running Scanner in the background continually thrashing my hdd's didn't sound like a good idea. So are you saying this Add-Disk issue is common/known problem? I must say your reports of other problems are not reassuring. Up until now, I've had ZERO problems with DP and was very happy with my purchase. Adding drives, removing drives, relocating drives, renaming drives, etc..... So far it's been bulletproof. Now I'm a bit worried. It sounds like DP still has teething problems I've yet to encounter. I decided against using the built in Storage Spaces technology for the exact same fears.. plus its horrible write performance (~ 3-5mb/s). Is there something SPECIFIC I need to avoid to prevent future problems? And what FIXED THIS problem? thx, -ep

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