Print Page - Ghost array; can't format or use drive

Title: Ghost array; can't format or use drive
Post by: Mr.Lmnop on February 28, 2015, 11:59:23 AM

I'm new to the NAS/Linkstation, so forgive any ignorance. My Quad is up and running, but I want to change from two arrays, to a single array and two individual drives. Array 1 is working great and is loaded with data. The problem is with the other two drives.

Disk 3 shows as "Normal (RMM Available)" -- which is what I want.
Disk 4 shows as Array 2. But I can neither access nor format the drive.

Under System/Storage/RAID Array, RAID 1 is listed as normal; RAID 2 is listed as "Not Configured" -- and I cannot delete it.

How can I get rid of this phantom Array 2 and get Disk 4 to "Normal"?

I suspect I should have deleted Array 2 while the original Array 2 disks were in the Quad. Those disks have now been reformatted and repurposed, so that is not an option.

Any help warmly welcomed!

Title: Re: Ghost array; can't format or use drive
Post by: Texturtle on March 03, 2015, 09:34:31 AM

Try taking that drive and connecting it to a PC and cleaning it per this article:

http://buffalotech.com/support-and-downloads/faqs/cleaning-a-disk-in-windows-7-using-diskpartexe (http://buffalotech.com/support-and-downloads/faqs/cleaning-a-disk-in-windows-7-using-diskpartexe)

Title: Re: Ghost array; can't format or use drive
Post by: Mr.Lmnop on March 03, 2015, 11:37:11 AM

Thanks -- that sounds promising. I'm on a Mac, so your suggestion led me to this page

http://superuser.com/questions/884183/how-to-do-a-diskpart-clean-on-os-x

Unfortunately, I'm still getting the same result from the Linkstation. Will try the cleaning on a PC next, and hope that will work.

Title: Solved: Ghost array; can't format or use drive
Post by: Mr.Lmnop on March 08, 2015, 11:06:08 PM

Got it! You were right... and then a couple more steps were needed to remove the phantom Array 2 and use the disk in "normal" mode. In case anyone else has this issued, here's what worked:

1. "Clean" the disk using a PC
2. Format the disk using a PC
3. Re-install in Linkstation
4. Format in Linkstation
5. It works!

Not sure why a disk erased using a Mac isn't erased enough, but I'm happy to have my full Quad functioning.

Title: Re: Ghost array; can't format or use drive
Post by: Texturtle on March 09, 2015, 01:09:14 PM

I'm glad we were able to help.

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Products => Storage => Topic started by: Mr.Lmnop on February 28, 2015, 11:59:23 AM