I've tried multiple times to do a repair of the backup database. It never seems to finish. I always end up with a message that I have been disconnected from the server.

I'm also getting failure notices on my new WD 2 TB drive. The older Seagate 1/2TB drives (2) that came with the original unit seem to still be OK.

So, I'm not sure what to do. I guess I need to get a new drive. If I get a new 2 TB drive (probably not a WD again), can I just add that as my 4th drive? Then tell the server to remove the failing drive? Will it then attempt to copy files off the failing drive to the new 4th drive?

Any suggestions or comments on my approach are welcome.

Thanks,
Leif

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Leif

Yes, I would install the new 2 TB drive in the empty 4th drive bay. Add that drive to the pool, then instruct the server to remove the failing drive from the pool. This will attempt to move the content off the drive you're removing from the pool. Once this is complete, you can try the backup database repair again. You may want to consider installing the Home Server SMART add-in (http://www.dojonorthsoftware.net/Freebi ... SMART.aspx), which can assess the health of the drives in the server and potentially identify the problem(s) with the drive.

My experience with WD drives has been awesome. My experience with HDDs as a whole is that the drive is going to either die in the first couple of months, or it'll last for many years. Some laptop drives are an exception--likely some rough handling or setting the laptop down too hard one too many times hastened a drive or two's demise.

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Matt Sawyer
Owner, Dojo North Software, LLC

HP EX490, 4GB, E5300, 15TB - Server 2012 - Sharing and Streaming
HP EX487, 4GB, E5300, 13TB - Server 2012 Essentials - Backups

Thanks 91.

Perhaps I'm just unlucky with the WD. It is about 1 year old.

I do have the HS SMART add-in. I just added it recently. I will also be adding the backup copy add-in. Any particular suggestions for a 2 TB drive? I've heard prices have gone up recently due the flooding in Thailand.

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Leif

I bought a 2 TB Samsung drive. I hope that works out better.

If I place the new drive in the 4th bay, and then remove the failing drive in the 3rd bay, should I move the new drive to the 3rd bay or just leave it in the 4th bay and leave the 3rd bay empty?

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Leif

Good news to report. The data was successfully transferred from the failing WD 2 TB to my new Samsung 2 TB drive. Not only that, the backup database repair, which I tried 3 or 4 times prior to adding the new dirve, this time it worked!

It's interesting that on the console, showing the drives, it was reporting the drive as healthy. However, in the alerts the console is reporting the drive as failing and it should be replaced ASAP!

So now I have the SMART add-in and I will be adding the backup database backup add-in.

I'm wondering what to do with the WD drive. I could call WD and see if I'm due a new drive or some refund since it has only been about 1 year since I installed it.

I wouldn't mind adding it back in as a backup drive, knowing that I would only use it for files that I currently do not duplicate today (a nice to have but not required to backup). However, I've read once you remove a drive you need to reformat before trying to add it back in to the MSS. Since I don't have a setup that allows me to do that type of operation perhaps keeping it is not a good idea.

NOTE: I just went back to reread the sticky note from yakuza. It appears that only applies to drive 1, the system drive. Can someone confirm that for me?

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Leif