# [FreeNAS] geli cannot read metadata after inserting new drive in RAID5



## Roi (Oct 14, 2010)

Hello all,

I'm using FreeBSD with my FreeNAS box. I run this system on a Turion 64 processor with a amd64 version of FreeNAS. There are 4*1,5TB SATA drives (ad4, ad6, ad8, ad10) in one geom RAID5 array. The volume is encryted with geli.

Two days ago the first drive (ad4) failed. I removed it from the RAID5 array with the FreeNAS WebGUI and replaced it with a new drive. The RAID5 rebuilt and finished this morning.

I was very surprised to see the error


```
geli: Cannot read metadata from /dev/raid5/nasvolume1: Invalid argument.
```

when I try to attach the encrypted volume (during and after rebuild). :-(

I did not make any backup of the metadata as described in the man page of geli. When I set up the RAID5 array I either overread it or it wasn't in the documentation back then. Also the backup and restore feature of geli was not ever in the WebGUI of FreeNAS. Anyway, it is too late, as a matter of fact, I have the problem and it is also my fault anyway. 

I did some reading and stumpled upon the information that the metadata is stored in the last block of the "provider".

Is it right that the "provider" is just the RAID5 volume (or in a different configuration a RAID1 volume or maybe just a single disk drive)? So everything should be inside the RAID5. And not on the last block of any of the hard disks I use in this RAID array? So in my case, when the RAID5 array was degraded but functional and now complete again the metadata information should be there? Or shouldn't it?

What options do I have left? I still have the old disk (SMART complained about two unreadable sectors, so it is not completely fried), which I can put into the machine again if this makes any good. I removed it from the RAID5 array and inserted the new disk, so does this still make any sense?

Also was/is it a problem that the new disk has 2TB instead of 1,5TB? (I think a little bit about the "last block", but as I wrote above the metadata block should be inside the RAID5 array in my understanding.)

Kindest regards,
Roi


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## SirDice (Oct 14, 2010)

Roi said:
			
		

> I'm using FreeBSD with my FreeNAS box.


Please read [thread=7290]Topics about PC-BSD / FreeNAS / DesktopBSD / m0N0WALL / pfSense[/thread].


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## Roi (Oct 14, 2010)

Thank you for the link. I read and understand. I posted this here because in my case I'm in kind of a hurry and want to solve the problem as soon as possible - or recreate the array and restore as much data as possible and findable on my backups.

I can't change the thread title anymore as mentioned in the link, if mandatory, I kindly ask a mod to do that for me.


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## Roi (Oct 18, 2010)

Hello,

anybody anything? I'm thinking about recreating and formating the array because I have no more ideas... :-(

Regards,
Roi


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