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How to Run Chkdsk /f on a storage space that's read-only?

Anonymous
2018-02-02T03:30:26+00:00

Hey all,

I am posting here in the hopes Microsoft might take action against this issue that's been happening to users since mid December to my knowledge. It might be coincidence and be unrelated to those cases but here we go (and fyi: I am a home user):

I added several drives to my storage pool and started optimizing. At 27% the pool went offline due to critical writing errors.

I tried to run these commands as stated in the event viewer:

Get-virtualdisk -friendlyname "Opslagruimte" | Get disk | set-disk -isoffline $False

Get-virtualdisk -friendlyname "Opslagruimte" | Get disk | set-disk -isreadonly $False

This simply doesn't work. The only way I can view my storage space is if I first set readonlystate to $true. Otherwise i just won't happen, no matter the input sequence. I have another storage space in the same storage pool that works fine btw.

FriendlyName   Usage MediaType   ResiliencySettingName PhysicalDiskRedundancy OperationalStatus HealthStatus IsManualAt
                                                                                                             tach
------------   ----- ---------   --------------------- ---------------------- ----------------- ------------ ----------
Opslagruimte   Data  Unspecified Parity                1                      OK                Healthy      False
Opslagruimte 2 Data  Unspecified Parity                1                      OK                Healthy      False

Opslagruimte is the VD that's read-only, Opslagruimte 2 has no problems so I can use it for new files. I do need write access to my old files as well though. When using

Connect-VirtualDisk -Friendlyname "Opslagruimte"

get-virtualdisk | fl

It returns 

Access                            : Read/Write

which I find strange tbh, because everywhere else it appears as read-only.

Chkdsk with no parameters on the drive returns several incorrect index entries (strangely enough from files I deleted yesterday before the optimalisation even started). chkdsk /f (/r /x) doesn't work since the drive is read-only so I see no way to fix the index errors that are discovered which are probably the reason the drive doesn't want to go online when -isreadonly is set to False. 

Anyone has any advice regarding this matter?

Thanks in advance

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Greg Carmack 24,770 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2018-02-02T03:39:52+00:00

    Hi Ingmar. I'm Greg, an installation specialist and 8 year Windows MVP, here to help you.

    Are you using created pool Storage spaces? This is a type of RAID which I do not recommend because after 10 years daily in forums, I have never seen anything but problems with RAID. I believe you may be putting your data at risk so be sure to have it backed up.

    There is more information about optimizing and managing these drives here: https://www.howtogeek.com/109380/how-to-use-win...

    What I would do is copy the data out of the drivers externally, then remove them from the RAID, run Disk Check on them individually and if persistent problems add Drive Diagnostics: http://blog.nowherelan.com/2013/04/04/boot-seat...

    Then manage them individually as storage hard drives without the problematic RAID which in my experience is inviting problems. If I'd seen a single case that wasn't a near- or full disaster I would be happy to give you better news, but this is what I've seen.

    I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

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  1. Greg Carmack 24,770 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2018-02-02T15:08:33+00:00

    Ingmar, I do not recommend using any type of RAID if you have no backup as I've seen it fail many times with data loss.

    Why do you need such a huge storage space when it involves risks that having individual hard drives -backed up externally or to the cloud (or even to another internal hard drive) - would not? The only good reason I've ever heard for this is for managing huge video files for editing, and even these have large enough hard drives now.

    Your files should always be backed up because the hard drive can die at any time. Some suggestions to help ease into this habit:

    You can drag 5gb for free into OneDrive app to store in the cloud where they are safe from fire and theft.

    If you install Google Drive, you can use their new Backup to choose User folders (Documents, Pictures, etc.) to sync up to 15g for free to their cloud.

    Or you can drag or copy them to a USB external or flash drive.

    Here's how to drag, copy or move large groups of files: https://www.pcworld.com/article/2086566/the-man...

    A better file backup to external disk is free Macrium which is the choice of the experts:

    http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/B...

    Besides your files you should back up a System Image to use in place of reinstall in 20 minutes. The best free alternative is Macrium: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-ref...

    I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-02-02T14:57:33+00:00

    I will try to get some Hard disks out of the storage space to back-up my data. I will let you know how that goes ;)

    Assuming it will work would stablebit drivepool combined with snapraid be a viable alternative to windows Storage Spaces? (Disks are different sizes, so a RAID 5 or RAID 6 seems out of the question.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-02-02T12:06:57+00:00

    Hey Greg,

    Firstly I want to thank you for your advice. And Yes, I am using Storage Spaces :s

    Thank you for the links. What concerns the first link I know everything they have to say there. The second link might prove usefull further along, thanks.

    The problem is I have about 15TB of data in the Storage Space. The only way for me to copy them out is by either spending a ridiculous amount of money on Extra HD'S I don't really need or by trying to get some HD's (I have 35TB Total in the storage space) out of the storage space, which will probably don't work since one of the Storage Pools (ofc the biggest one) is marked as read-only.

    What I was wondering is if it's possible to copy the data over to the still working Storage Pool, then delete the faulty one. Followed by removing some disks from the storage space and then copy the data out? I hope you understand what I am talking about. If not, excuse me but English is not my mother tongue ;)

    Ofc the main reason I used Storage Spaces is to have some sort of back-up. Apparently that was a mistake from my part. I guess I better use some sort of software rendered mirrorring/back-up solution in the future.

    All files I tested so far have no issues. This might change, but it is consistent with chkdsk only giving index errors on files that were recently removed. I guess the writing errors must have happened during the removal process.

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