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Does OpenZFS support external hard disk enclosures?

PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 1:36 pm
by seanm
I have a ZFS formatted hard disk (created on a FreeNAS) that I'm trying to access from my Mac. If I connect the disk internally (it's a MacPro5,1) then all is well. But I've tried two different disk enclosures now and via them 'zpool list' shows 'no pools available'. Both enclosures support FireWire 800 and USB 3 and I've tried both interfaces, so that's 4 combinations total, and in no case can I see the disk.

Am I just unlucky with my enclosures, or...?

Re: Does OpenZFS support external hard disk enclosures?

PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 3:56 pm
by lundman
You should run "zpool import" to list the importable pools. The "zpool list" command only work after the pools have been imported.

Re: Does OpenZFS support external hard disk enclosures?

PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:11 pm
by seanm
Ah, that worked, thanks! Why is in not necessary when the disk in added internally?

Re: Does OpenZFS support external hard disk enclosures?

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2019 3:53 pm
by lundman
It could be the auto-import script runs before any external disks are probed? I'm unsure, you'd have to debug it further - as a quick check, you could put in a "sleep 10" or something in the auto-import script and see if it helps.

Re: Does OpenZFS support external hard disk enclosures?

PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2020 6:35 am
by nik
I've created and used intensive an external USB Disk as backup disk with OpenZFS on Linux. Now I wanted to use this disk also on my new MacBook.
Installing OpenZFS on OS X worked, diskutil listFilesystems listed ZFS, zpool cmd worked, but I can't import the disk with "zpool import" (no pools available to import).
I've also changed the Partition Type from Linux to ZFS as stated in this wiki post https://openzfsonosx.org/wiki/Suppressing_the_annoying_pop-upcode

With diskutil list the disk is seen:

Code: Select all
/dev/disk5 (external, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *4.0 TB     disk5
   1:                        ZFS PortablePool02          4.0 TB     disk5s1

Can anyone give me an additional hint howto import this external hard disk ?

Re: Does OpenZFS support external hard disk enclosures?

PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2020 3:43 pm
by lundman
Try "zpool import -d /dev/"

Re: Does OpenZFS support external hard disk enclosures?

PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2020 7:22 am
by nik
Thanks - but the pool is now unavailable because of not supported features:

Code: Select all
sh-3.2# zpool import -d /dev/
   pool: PortablePool02
     id: 1523801463309308416
  state: UNAVAIL
status: The pool can only be accessed in read-only mode on this system. It
   cannot be accessed in read-write mode because it uses the following
   feature(s) not supported on this system:
   org.zfsonlinux:userobj_accounting
action: The pool cannot be imported in read-write mode. Import the pool with
   "-o readonly=on", access the pool on a system that supports the
   required feature(s), or recreate the pool from backup.
 config:

   PortablePool02  UNAVAIL  unsupported feature(s)
     disk6s1   ONLINE


and also the hint to use -o readonly=on doesn't help:

Code: Select all
sh-3.2# zpool import -d /dev/ -o readonly=on
   pool: PortablePool02
     id: 1523801463309308416
  state: UNAVAIL
status: The pool can only be accessed in read-only mode on this system. It
   cannot be accessed in read-write mode because it uses the following
   feature(s) not supported on this system:
   org.zfsonlinux:userobj_accounting
action: The pool cannot be imported in read-write mode. Import the pool with
   "-o readonly=on", access the pool on a system that supports the
   required feature(s), or recreate the pool from backup.
 config:

   PortablePool02  UNAVAIL  unsupported feature(s)
     disk6s1   ONLINE
sh-3.2#


Can you help me again ?

Re: Does OpenZFS support external hard disk enclosures?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:53 am
by sean
This piece is the problem.

Code: Select all
org.zfsonlinux:userobj_accounting

Unfortunately it looks to be enabled by default with ZoL and not possible to disable once set, which is highly annoying.