Making the Hot Spare Kick In in Storage Spaces

By +Fahim S.
in Microsoft (Windows)

 Share

Recommended Posts

Grand Master

+Fahim S. MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted

Playing with Storage Spaces to work out if it is the tech for me.

This is what I did:

1) I created a Storage Space containing 4 250GB disks, of which 3 were set as data stores and 1 as a hot spare.

2) I created a parity fixed virtual disk (500GB or so) which spanned the 3 data store disks.

3) I created a volume in the virtual disk, formatted and made it my 'D' drive.

4) I copied my entire collection of FLAC files into the volume.

5) I pulled one of the disks, Server Manager reported the virtual disk with a 'warning: incomplete' - the volume itself reports itself as 'healthy'

I would now expect the hot spare to kick in to replace the disk I pulled to put myself back in a consistent state (albeit without a hot spare).

However, nothing has happened, so questions:

1) How long before the hot spare kicks in?

2) Is it meant to kick in automatically or am I meant to do something? If I am meant to do something, what is it?

This is on Server 2012 RC, so if this is a bug, do let me know...

Thanks to anyone that can help....

Grand Master

+Fahim S. MVC

Posted
  • Author
  • MVC
Posted

That's what I thought too, and that the kick off would be pretty quick. However, it has been sitting there like that for about 2 hours.

There doesn't seem to be any disk activity on the machine either - so it doesn't seem to be doing it in the background...

Grand Master

+Fahim S. MVC

Posted
  • Author
  • MVC
Posted

By any chance did you pull the hot spare out?

Nope - definitely did not pull out the hot spare as the disk is still showing as being online, whereas the one I did pull, marked as a Data Store is marked with a comms error.

I did not get a chance to check this morning if it had decided to resync - will check when I get home from work tonight - by which time it would have been a good 20 hours...

I know there are commands that can be run, but they don't appear to do anything - or when doing the same thing from the Server Manager.

Will report back later...

Grand Master

+Fahim S. MVC

Posted
  • Author
  • MVC
Posted

Over 24 hours later and still no rebuild!

What's the point of a hot spare if it doesn't automatically use it :-(

Anyone have any ideas?

Grand Master

ToneKnee

Posted
Posted

Over 24 hours later and still no rebuild!

What's the point of a hot spare if it doesn't automatically use it :-(

Anyone have any ideas?

There must be a reason why it didn't happen. :s Erm, try doing it manually and try again?

Grand Master

+Fahim S. MVC

Posted
  • Author
  • MVC
Posted

There must be a reason why it didn't happen. :s Erm, try doing it manually and try again?

I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that it may be my only choice.

Can you still access any/all the data on the drive? If not then it's not rebuilding because the array is completely dead.

Have absolutely no problems accessing any of the data on the volume.

  • 7 months later...
Mentor

cybertimber2008

Posted
Posted

This topic might get closed, but here goes:

It seems from the TechNet article (http://technet.micro...y/jj899886.aspx) that it might be in the "disabled" state under Disconnected Disks.

Setting | Behavior

Auto | If a hot spare is available in the storage pool follow the Enabled logic. Otherwise, follow the Disabled logic.

Enabled | Mark the disk as Failed, replace it with a hot spare, and then retry the operation

Disabled | Wait for the disk to reconnect or for an administrator to take action (do not use any available hot spares) clear.gif

Note

If an entire enclosure is disconnected, no action is taken even when set to Auto or Enabled because the system has likely lost more disks than can be replaced by hot spares.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • Samsung, Amazon extend 990 PRO 2TB NVMe SSD deal beyond Prime Day 2026

      By seeprime · Posted

      I like to reminisce about the good old days, way back in autumn 2025 when building a gaming machine was fun and the drives were about $150 when you caught a deal. Yes duh, back in the day we had it gone. Then baby Skynet came along, hiding in AI datacenters demanding more processing power until it reached singularity. End of a not totally fictional story.
    • Bypassed Windows 11 shows surprising stability on ancient, completely unsupported hardware

      By +Spark99 · Posted

      My experience in the past with older Windows 11 builds was not great on unsupported machines but I recently used Rufus to put the latest build on a older 5th Gen Core Thinkpad T that we upgraded with a SATA SSD and 8GB of RAM four years ago when hardware was reasonable and it seemed pretty fast and solid. Customer is very happy with the performance and will probably get four more years out of that venerable laptop that he loves so much. Another customer just retired his Dell Studio laptop from 2009 running Windows 10. It got an SSD over 10 years ago and did everything he needed it to for 17 years but he also retired last year and is happy doing everything on his iPad now.
    • Apple's newest AirTag 2 gets first big discount

      By TarasBuria · Posted

      Apple's newest AirTag 2 gets first big discount by Taras Buria In late January 2026, Apple introduced its second-generation AirTag trackers, bringing a refresh to the old model that has been on the market for half a decade. Now, you can get these new trackers at an all-time low price, thanks to the first big discount that brought the price down by 17% on Amazon. While the second-generation AirTag looks identical to its predecessor, it packs meaningful upgrades inside. The second-gen ultrawideband chip works 50% farther than the original AirTag, allowing you to detect lost items in a wider range. In addition, the second-generation AirTag features an upgraded Bluetooth chip for extended range and a significantly louder speaker (up to 50%) so that you can hear it better when locating a lost item. Note that the second-gen AirTag only works with iPhones and iPads that run iOS/iPadOS 26 and newer, so you need a compatible device to use the tracker. Like the original AirTag, the AirTag 2 is available in two packs: one and four pieces. Both are now available at a notable discount on Amazon, and you can purchase them using the links below. Apple AirTag 2 tracker - $24 | 17% off on Amazon Apple AirTag 2 tracker (four-pack) - $89 | 10% off on Amazon Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S.- specific and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • Tidal won't monetize AI slop music, company says

      By monterxz · Posted

      I've been on Deezer for over a decade, but glad that Tidal joined them in fighting AI slop. Can't stand such takes as Spotify's: "Spotify's CEO recently pushed back against listeners who call AI music "slop," urging people to stop using the term and instead embrace the creative potential of AI music."
    • Why it's almost impossible to produce a smartphone in the United States

      By Cosmocronos · Posted

      “Could” … in the IS the healthcare is run by insurance companies that make indecent profits denying basic treatments to people that are paying money for nothing. Besides, where are all the Trump epigones who were stating that the tariffs were going to paid by foreign companies and not the US citizens? …

  • Recent Achievements

    • Reacting Well
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • Week One Done
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Year In
      BA the Curmudgeon earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Conversation Starter
      rosiecharles earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • First Post
      KMilenkoski1202 earned a badge
      First Post

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      538
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      266
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      151
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      98
    5. 5
      macoman
      66
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!