Failed to import external (USB) 3TB NTFS hard drive on 8.0.4 release. Help!

[hazeline]

Hi,

I just upgraded my NAS box to 8.0.4 release. Everything works just fine. However, today I was trying to add an external USB WD HHD (3TB) onto my NAS box. When I went into the web GUI, I can see the new HHD. However, when I tried "import volume" and clicked okay, I got an error, saying "some error occurs when labeling the volume" (may not exactly the wording, but similar).

My box is based on an old DELL Dimension 4700 PC and 32 bit OS, 2GB SDRAM. I'm wondering: could it be either my hardware system or FreeNAS 8 32-bit doesn't support 3TB hard drive (no partition, just one drive)? Do I have to partition my 3TB drive to 2 or more partitions for it to be able to import?

Any suggestion or advice will be appreciated!
thanks.
Hazeline

 

[ProtoSD]

The NTFS support in FreeBSD in general is not the best. My guess is it is size related, but I don't think partitioning will help. I think FreeNAS is only able to import single partition NTFS disks. You could try running chkdsk with the disk connected to windows, sometimes if the disk wasn't "Safely Removed" from Windows it can leave the disk in an "unclean" state and FreeNAS won't import it.

 

[hazeline]

Hey, ProtoSD, I knew it would be you to comment first.

Yeah, I thought it's size related too. I actually did hook it up to a Window machine and hoped that upon boot up, window will check/scan the disk automatically. I had similar problem 2 days ago with my other NTFS partitioned SATA drive and that was what I did to get this problem fixed. But not this time tho.

I think FreeNAS is only able to import single partition NTFS disks.

I'd like to provide my data point against this statement. The other NTFS partitioned hard dirve (2 partitions) was imported through webGUI successfully. Therefore, it seems that FreeNAS is able to import multiple-partitioned NTFS disk.

I would try "chkdsk" that you suggested.

Thanks.

 

[krissprolls]

I have sometimes this problem, but " You could try running chkdsk with the disk connected to windows, sometimes if the disk wasn't "Safely Removed" from Windows it can leave the disk in an "unclean" state and FreeNAS won't import it. " It often works for me.

I have 2 sata's disks with NTFS partition, but i format one of them in Freenas Format type. The rate and the stability are increased. Freenas doesn't like NTFS....

 

[hazeline]

thanks for the suggestion, Krissprolls. I'll try chkdsk in Windows. I think I did but I'll try again and force check disk.

BTW, the NTFS disk that you had same problem with, what's the size? Larger than 1TB? Mine is 3TB, one partition. I had smaller disk (320GB) and I had no problem importing in FreeNAS.