From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Jon Hardcastle Subject: Software, Raid 5, Different Size Drives. Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:54:13 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: <914153.25662.qm@web51308.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Reply-To: Jon@eHardcastle.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT Return-path: Sender: linux-raid-owner@vger.kernel.org To: linux-raid@vger.kernel.org List-Id: linux-raid.ids Hi quick Q.. I have a 6 drive array made up of 4 500GB's and 2 750GB's. I know the array will only take on a size based on the smallest drive. To that end as I phase drives out based on usage etc I replace them with the best value drive I can lay my hands on (upto 1TB~ as i have read a raid 5 array of drives over that size approx start to cause problems with read failures on re-builds - but that is for another thread) So my array is currently ~2.5GB with 2x250GB currently not in use and I am about to phase out a 500GB and replace with a 1TB. Now i have read that you are better of creating a auto detect raid partition on the drive and adding that rather than adding the entire drive (so sda1 not sda). This is where my question comes in. I have read that 2 1TB(or whatever size) can be different block sizes and hence adding a partition that is the entire drive can cause problems as these sizes will differ. Can anyone tell me what truth there is in this? Should I actually create a partition that is always going to be a nice multiple size smaller so i can smooth over the bumps? (also anyone know if raid5 to raid 6 native support is anywhere near?) ----------------------- N: Jon Hardcastle E: Jon@eHardcastle.com 'Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.' ----------------------- Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com