USB HDDs no longer showing in DrivePool UI

[gtaus]

Newbi to DrivePool, just started my 30 day trial. Currently running Storage Spaces on Windows 8.1 but considering other options. Installed DP and built a pool of 3 USB HDDs. Transfered 50GB of test files on and off pool, everything worked fine.

 

Deleted all the files in the pool but discovered there was 38GB of duplicated data still remaining. Could not understand how any duplicates could be taking up space if all files in the pool had been deleted. Tried to find the files on two of the drives showing file space used. Could not figure out how to delete the files within DP. Decided to reformat those two drives to reclaim that space. Everything seemed to be working fine and DP recognized the reformatted drives after remeasure.

 

Rebooted the computer and now DP no longer sees these drives in the pool and also does not list them for add to pool. Windows explorer, Scanner, etc... all see these two drives. Working fine in every other program except for DP. Thinking that formatting the drives while a member of DP caused this problem. No hidden metadata or folders on either of the two reformatted drives that I can see. The one USB HDD that is still seen in the DP list does have the DP folder.

 

Questions: 1) When I reformatted the HDDs, while members in DP, did I fubar the setup and cause this problem?  2) How do I reset these drives to get DP to see them again so I can add them back to the pool.

[gtaus]

Lots of views on this question, but no replies yet. Don't understand why DP no longer sees the HDDs after rebooting the system. I would think that if you reformat a HDD, then DP would recognize it as a new drive. For some reason, it does not. Now I am thinking that DP must read and save the HDD name/number thinking that it is still part of the pool, but since the data has been wiped clean, it does not know what to do with it? All my other programs see the HDDs as freshly formatted drives, with a drive letter, etc... I can read/write files to them as you would with any new drive. Only thing, DP does not recognize these drives anymore and I cannot add them back into the pool. It's like these drives are dead to DP, for some reason.

 

I was hoping that I could fix this problem within DP itself, but should I just delete the entire test pool and start over again with a new build? Would really like to give DP a workout during this trial period. Any suggestions or help appreciated.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Could you do this:

http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_2.x_Log_Collection

But only steps #6-8.

 

After doing that, please reset your settings:

http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_Q2299585B

[gtaus]

I had a friend over this weekend and he did a "low level format" from a command box on the 2 drives in question. DP then recognized them immediately and I added them back to the pool. Evidently, a "standard" format from the windows explorer did not delete whatever info DP was using and/or getting all confused about. At any rate, I am back up and evaluating the program. Thanks for the response.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

I'm guessing that he used "diskpart" to do this (and the "clean" command). If so, then it may be that he partition information for the disks got screwed up. That could definitely cause the issue.

[gtaus]

Yes, he used the diskpart and clean commands. After that, DP recognized the drives as new drives and I was able to add them back to the pool.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Yup, that is what I thought. This would definitely correct any "partitions issues", as well as force VDS to update the disk info.