Question Storage Spaces issue, need help. How to disassemble Storage Spaces without losing data. After upgrade HDD still same size and need format.

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
AlanMattano

AlanMattano

Honorable
Jun 25, 2015
71
1
10,535
Hello,

I'm in my first experience two-way mirror to protect my data
Storage Spaces in Windows 10.

I need a bigger drive than my 4TB so I purchase two 12TB (WD Element). I shock them into Storage Spaces and take out the two old 4TB


94029-groupd.jpg.a6963f348ed0909f6978828f394cde96.jpg





Now looking in Windows, my drive D: is still only 4TB



94086-ddisk.jpg.4f87b4a18641d7004b0d47c4d5542038.jpg




So is not using the full 12TB space. Nonsense
I wish to change the volume from 4TB to 12TB

I ask explaining the issue in Microsoft forum and turns out the volume hasn't been formatted.
Or at least is missing the "Change" option as it should be shown in this pic

94331-image.png.6d8cdd936510a3ba8346c7611c91b15b.png




NOW at this point, what I should do?

How to disassemble Storage Spaces without losing data?
I can't use the stupid "Delete" option because will delete all my info (I presume).
I can't use the "Format" option because will delete as well.
I do not have a second PC to take out and look at what's inside the HDD (all my memories)
I can't just move (copy past) almost 4TB of data because is ridiculous and I lose info like created data.
I still have my old two 4TB. In a pandemic, I can't go out. Only one computer. Also two 12TB.
Can I build a RAID1 to clone? How? Storage Spaces will allow that.

Question
How do I proceed at this point to get out? What is The best option?
Disassemble and rebuild, format, or if possible creating a new pool and merge or other?
How do I backup the data at this point? Do I need to use Powershell to change the volume?

Thanks
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Exactly, the Storage Spaces UI is the trap bomb to my data and now the "OneDrive" is a payment option that is selling badly... HDD with a 1% fail rate is convenient for the manufacture because sells more drives for RAID and cloud services.

USAFRet said:
If you put the system back together as original, without the new drives...does everything work?
Click to expand...

I hit the "remove" option to remove the 4TB drives. I presume there is nothing in it and removes the data from the old disk.

I guess that if I put the 4TB back replacing the 12TB it will still be unformatted and the change option will be not available.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
AlanMattano said:
I hit the "remove" option to remove the 4TB drives. I presume there is nothing in it and removes the data from the old disk.
Click to expand...
Did you use correct procedure for drive removal from Storage spaces?

How do I remove a drive from a pool?
If you created a pool in Windows 10 or upgraded an existing pool, you'll be able to remove a drive from it. The data stored on that drive will be moved to other drives in the pool, and you'll be free to use the drive for something else.
  1. Go to the taskbar, type Storage Spaces in the search box, and select Storage Spaces from the list of search results.
  2. Select Change settings > Physical drives to see all the drives in your pool.
  3. Find the drive you want to remove and select Prepare for removal > Prepare for removal. Leave your PC plugged in until the drive is ready to be removed. This could take several hours, depending on how much data you have stored there.
  4. (Optional) To speed up drive preparation, prevent your PC from going to sleep. Type Power and sleep in the search box on the taskbar, then select Power & sleep settings. Under When plugged in, PC goes to sleep after, select Never.
  5. When the drive is listed as Ready to remove, select Remove > Remove drive. Now, you can disconnect the drive from your PC.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ndows-10-b6c8b540-b8d8-fb8a-e7ab-4a75ba11f9f2
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SkyNetRising said:
How do I remove a drive from a pool?
Click to expand...
I have done that to remove properly the 4TB drives.
And as shown in the first screenshot, there is no "remove" option for my 12TB.

There is no StorageSpaces Documentation Manual.

What I need is disposable Storage Spaces to get the data intact in one of the drives without the Storage Spaces layer. In other words, I wish to keep my data. To migrate to a RAID.
How do I migrate from Storage Spaces to RAID1?

Notice that there also no "change" option to expand the actual since from 4 TB to 12TB
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
So - 4TB drives are disconnected now?
Yes.

Ok, so I connect back 4TB drive and formated.
I "Add Drive" to the pool
I untangle the "Optimize Drive" option [OFF]
and I'm at this stage:

AfterAddingTheThreeDrives.png.b11bb657ec194cad0e1f7706d24d8516.png



OPTIONS
  1. Do I "Optimize drive usage"? this will spread the data across the three drives (20% 20% 20%) and is not what I want.
  2. Do I "Prepare for removal" one of the 12TB drives? This second option will move data 30% 0% 0% and then I can take it out but there will be no data in it.
  3. I just unplugged one of the 12TB drives? I assume that there will be data in it, is my presumption correct or later is not possible to recover the data?
  4. "Format" presume will delete data
  5. "Delete" presume delete data
Looks like there is no option to take the data out. What @SkyNetRising is the next step
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet said:
Bite the bullet and copy/paste. Why would you lose the folder structure?
Click to expand...


I will lose all My files and my folders setup and "Date Created" proof that I eventually use to remember when I made what. Each folder displays a particular picture or an icon simple to recognize or a specific setup that was configured manually for years.
Each time you copy and past Windows is not capable of passing the folder option and configuration setup and created data.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SkyNetRising said:
If you move files (not copy), then creation and modification info gets preserved.

Or you can copy using robocopy /copyall
Click to expand...

Moving the files, if a file is in use, or array full or any other issue stops and creates a big disaster. It often fails to move a folder that will take more than 24Hs. After that, it is impossible to check folder by folder which files were moved or not. Is catastrophic. Is not possible to move a folder with a big amount of info. Was not possible to move a 2TB folder in Windows 7. It fails for me and I lose data. I presume Windows 10 is still the same.

Yes, I have never try robocopy /copyall
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
AlanMattano said:
I will lose all My files and my folders setup and "Date Created" proof that I eventually use to remember when I made what. Each folder displays a particular picture or an icon simple to recognize or a specific setup that was configured manually for years.
Each time you copy and past Windows is not capable of passing the folder option and configuration setup and created data.
Click to expand...
Well, yes.
Copy/paste does change the Created date.

But it does NOT mess up the folder structure in any way.
If I select one top level folder, Copy...select the other drive...paste. The entire structure, incl all subfolders, is copied exactly as it is.

Or, the above mentioned robocopy.
Or FreeFileSync, SyncBackFree, or the older SyncToy from microsoft.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlanMattano
Upvote 0 Downvote
AlanMattano said:
Moving the files, if a file is in use, or array full or any other issue stops and creates a big disaster. It often fails to move a folder that will take more than 24Hs. After that, it is impossible to check folder by folder which files were moved or not. Is catastrophic. Is not possible to move a folder with a big amount of info. Was not possible to move a 2TB folder in Windows 7. It fails for me and I lose data. I presume Windows 10 is still the same.

Yes, I have never try robocopy /copyall
Click to expand...
Why would these files be "in use"?

Copy/paste, and accept the new creation date.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SkyNetRising said:
If you move files (not copy), then creation and modification info gets preserved.

Or you can copy using robocopy /copyall
Click to expand...

Is it possible that moving does not move the older user data as for example created in windows 98, XP etc? Sometimes folders look empty but were actually containing content in size and number. I lose so much 90s data like this in the past.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom