Windows trying to repair pool partition in startup - 25TB in the pool

[lammis]

Suddenly a few days ago, when restarting my computer it got stuck in windows automatic disc repair (drive O: that is my drivepool drive).

 

I have 9 hard-drives connected to my drivepool, with about 25TB total discspace in my pool. My C:\ drive (SSD disc), and my D:\ drive (that contains progamfiles and personal stuff) is NOT connected to the pool. I run windows 8.1 that is updated in every way, and F-Secure Internet Protection as antivirus (no Avast issues )

 

Why in the world windows is trying to repair my "virtual" (drivepool) disc is beond my understandings, but if I have to wait for windows to scan and repair the intire pool, I won't be able to use my computer until summer 2015 I belive, going trough 25TB in Windows-snail-speed.

 

So the big question is: How can I bypass the windows repair when I try to start my computer? I have gone through my bios, and all is good there (my SSD disc is 1. priority). I have also tried various tools under the F8 menu after the bios has started, but after trying the moast of the options there I still get the disc repair 0-1-2-3-4....% completed.

 

Any help would be highly appreticated 

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Iammis,

 

That is very unusual, as normally, CHKDSK fails on the pool drive immediately (as there is no actual media to check).

 

However, normally, when scanning during boot, there is an option to skip the check. Usually by hitting the "Esc" key.

This happens usually right after the system starts to boot from Windows.

[lammis]

Iammis,

 

That is very unusual, as normally, CHKDSK fails on the pool drive immediately (as there is no actual media to check).

 

However, normally, when scanning during boot, there is an option to skip the check. Usually by hitting the "Esc" key.

This happens usually right after the system starts to boot from Windows.

 

Thanks for your reply Christopher!

 

I'm afraid that the problem is much more complex than just hitting the ESC key when the scanning starts. The keyboard is for some reason also disabled (powerless) when the scan starts. I have been sitting for a few hours today trying to figure this out, but I'm lost I think. No matter what I do, the computer loops back to repairing my pool-drive.

 

I get the computer to run DOS, and via the "wmic logicaldisk get name" I get up all my connected hard-drives, but not the pool-drive (that is O:\). But you better believe it after disabeling repair on startup (bcdedit /set recoveryenabled NO) the computer tries to boot, but restarts again, and loops back into trying to recover the O: drive (see pictures below)

 

 

And after getting into command-prompt:

 

 

So "I" know that the volume is not there, and the computer think so too, but when booting after the Bios is done and in windows startup, it loops back to repairing my O: drive that just exist phsycially.

 

I have tried "computer recovery" too, but even if I have turned on recovery backup in my C: drive and my Programfiles drive D: it suddenly cant find that I have any images to recover from. Go figure...

 

With this said, it has happend before, but then I disconnect all my USB connections, and the computer boots normally again. But this time it seem to be problematic fix.

 

I got backup of all my data, som I'm wondering if the easiest thing to do is to format my C: drive and disconnect ALL other drives, and give the computer a clean install again. Damnit.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Disconnect the pooled drives. All of them.

 

This (hopefully) should let you boot into the system without running the disk check.

Once it's done that, use the "show disconnected devices" "feature" (?).

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315539

 

Open up Device Manager (run "devmgmt.msc") and find the "Covecube Virtual Disk" drive. (Should be under "disk drives"). Right click on it and select "Uninstall". DO NOT select the "delete drive files" option.

 

Reconnect the disks and reboot the system.

 

 

 

If this doesn't help, unseed the pool (on another system).

To "unseed" it, basically move the contents of the hidden "PoolPart" folders on each disk to the root of the disk. Then delete the now empty PoolPart folders.

Reconnect these folders to the system, and boot up. Then "seed" the pool.

http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_Q4142489

[lammis]

Ok, I had to unseed the pool. Then everything went OK here. I have disconnected the drive that was making trouble, and it's not reconnected yet.

 

The thing now is that the pool is gone. It's empty. Even if I have all my harddrives connected (and accessable trough file explorer) they don't come up in the pool.

I have 2 drives that can be added to the pool (create new pool), but that are my SSD (C:) drive, and my Program Files drive. I don't want them connected to the pool.

 

So what do I do to get the "old drives" back in the pool again? The poolpart folders are NOT empty on the drives.

 

There is how my file structure looks now. I have 3 harddrives that's not connected, but they will come back online later

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Do you still have the Poolpart folders on the drives? If so, try deleting those and then reboot.

 

If that doesn't help, then try resetting the DrivePool settings:

http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_Q2299585B

[lammis]

Just so I don't misunderstand you here. You want me to delete all the poolpart folders (hidden and unhidden) from my drives? They contain data from the pool I'm trying to restore! I won't loose any data from the drivepool?

 

I can't reset the drivepool settings, due to I don't have a "troubleshooting" option (or reset):

 

Should I still delete all the poolpart folders from my harddrives? When I wish to restore my pool, and all the data in it?

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Ah, you're using a "very" old version. Could you update to the newest version and see if that fixes the issue altogether.

 

https://stablebit.com/DrivePool/Download

 

The newest version is "2.1.1.561". and it has a lot of bug fixes.

 

If the issue persists, then there should be the "troubleshooting" option.

[lammis]

I have tried to update the software, but I get an setup fail every time. Setup says that the computer has to be restarted, then try again. I have done that countless times, but the error presists.

 

 

Here is a link to the .log file.

http://lammis.no/files/StableBit_DrivePool.log

 

Any ideas what to do?

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Reboot.

 

Generally, this error indicates that the system has a pending reboot.

 

 

Once you've done that, if the issue persists, then try uninstalling StableBit DrivePool and rebooting the server. Then install the newer version.

[lammis]

I still get the same error, even after reboot. I can't see how many times I have to reboot before the setup will go through, but after atleast 10 (over many days) I think I can say that it's no use to reboot anymore...

 

But for troubleshooting resons, I just rebooted, and here is the .log file:

 

http://lammis.no/files/StableBit_DrivePool_2.logfile.txt

[Ryo]

is your pool backed up ?

 

what brand hard drives are u using in pool?

[Christopher (Drashna)]

I still get the same error, even after reboot. I can't see how many times I have to reboot before the setup will go through, but after atleast 10 (over many days) I think I can say that it's no use to reboot anymore...

 

But for troubleshooting resons, I just rebooted, and here is the .log file:

 

http://lammis.no/files/StableBit_DrivePool_2.logfile.txt

In the folder with that log file, there should be other Drivepool logs. Could you grab those as well?

 

Additionally, have you tried uninstalling and then installing the newer version?

[Umfriend]

Just wondering, if there is a pending reboot issue here, would a regedit help? Much like the solution to Connector issues with clients?

[lammis]

is your pool backed up ?

 

what brand hard drives are u using in pool?

 

I have file duplication tuned on, in the pool. Otherwise I have no backup of the pool

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Just wondering, if there is a pending reboot issue here, would a regedit help? Much like the solution to Connector issues with clients?

Nope. This is an issue with installer packaging that we use. 

Normally, this error code indicates a pending reboot but not always. Usually, it does go away after rebooting, though.

 

I have file duplication tuned on, in the pool. Otherwise I have no backup of the pool

Uninstalling the software should be fine regardless. The software is designed to be very good about recovery. Especially if you're reinstalling, or moving the pool to a new system.

 

 

If you're still having issues, then try downloading the "managed deployment" installer (it's a .msi file).

StableBit.DrivePool_2.1.1.561_x64_Release.msi

 

First, uninstall any current version, if it's still installed. Reboot. Once you've done that, open up an elevated command prompt (hit the windows key, type "cmd" and find "Windows Command Prompt" or something similar, right click on it and select "Run as administrator"). Run "msiexec /i C:\path\to\StableBit.DrivePool_2.1.1.561_x64_Release.msi /lime C:\drivepool-install.log".

If it errors out, then grab the "C:\drivepool-install.log" file and upload it to us.

[lammis]

Ok. I've went trough my register and removed all the drivepool entrys. Then rebooted. Now I got to update Stablebit Scanner at least.

 

The Drivepool still got install failure issues. But when I tried to install Drivepool again, I got a box where I could "repair" my installation, so I chose that one, and it went right to "setup failed" again.

 

The [Run "msiexec /i C:\path\to\StableBit.DrivePool_2.1.1.561_x64_Release.msi /lime C:\drivepool-install.log".] went to an error about the package could not be opened. Check file access or contact the software manufacter and so on.... I runned CMD as an administrator.

 

The "C:\drivepool-install.log" file is empty here. It's not a singel line of text in it

 

The log file from the installation comes here:

http://lammis.no/files/StableBit_DrivePool_3.logfile.txt

[lammis]

Well, I have to admit defeat. I gave up yesterday after the electrical power went out in my building, and the computer just refused to start up normal ever again. It had too many issues I guess. So I did the unavoidable, and formated my SSD/ C:\ drive. And just for the fun of it, I took a clean install of Windows 10 (technical preview). Both the drivepool and scanner works very well in build 9926 of win10 I can report

 

 

I haven't connected some drives yet due to rebuilding my hard-drives and file structures/ backups and so on, so the pool is missing about 13TB, but I believe they will come back when I connect the drives again. As for now they are removed, and will be formatted before they go back in to the pool (I want clean drives)

 

So the problems is partly solved, even if it's a hell of a job every time I have to re-install all my software and such.

 

I'm waiting for a 4-bay dockingstation for some of my drives, and then I'll re-format, re-install Win8.1 again and start fresh. Then I'll also put in my activation code for the software. I'm using this OS just for a week or two, so the trial version will work fine for now

 

Thanks for the help along the way. Even if the problem did'nt get solved. Sort of.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Well, I'm sorry to hear about the power outage and the other issues....

 

BUt i'm glad to hear that the new installation seems to be working fine though!

 

As for reinstalling.... if Windows 10 system has the "create system image" option, you could use that. It would give you a clean point to restore to if something goes wrong.