Files transfered to FreeNAS being filled with NULLS ?

[Tiretz]

Hi All,

I am transferring my data across to a new FreeNas 8.0 (6x2tb raidz2) using Teracopy.

This program tests the files after copy (chksum). I have had a few files that copy across and fail the checksum test. When i open the file (plain text files) on the NAS, it is filled with NULL characters. I can manually recopy the files and all is ok.

So far this has only happened with an iSCSI drive. I dont know if it is Teracopy or Windows 7 or FreeNAS at this point.

Has anyone else experienced this?

regards

Justin.

 

[Tiretz]

I have since found out that Microsoft iSCSI initiator(?) potentially has some problems. I have started getting BSOD with BAD_POOL_HEADER since starting to use the iSCSI device from the NAS.

They offer a hotfix, but it wont install on my system (says it doesn't apply) so I guess I will go back to windows shares.

 

[matthewowen01]

can we get some more information? the layout of everything involved. hardware, software etc.

 

[Tekkie]

Also the link to the MSDN article describing the iSCSI initiator issue?

 

[Tiretz]

This is where I ended up. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976443. The problem started just after I got the iSCSI connected and started transfering files.

The FREENAS is a gigabyte 880g-ud3h with AMD 640 processor. 4 Gig ram and 6 x WD 2TB EARS drives in one raid-z2 volume. My machine is a windows 7 64 bit, gigabyte p55a-ud3r i7-860 16G.

The iscsi is a 500gb file extent with chap authentication. I have the Enable LUC settign enabled with the CHAP auth set in this part. The Discovery Auth and Group were set to none. Everything else is default.

I was able to connect ok and copy a couple of gigabytes of files (120,000?).

It is possible that the NULL filled files may have been generated when my machine had a BSOD whilst copying. The problem showed up when I did the compare later on. I thought I copied the files again which should have overwritten them, but a later compare showed the problem again. I didn't make notes though and cant remember the exact details now.

After a couple more BSOD's I looked up the BAD POOL error and after a while found a mention of the Microsoft iSCSI possible problem. I didn't know if this was my problem or just a coincidence. I read about another iSCSI initiator (someone else had a similar problem cant find the link now) and tried that (StarWind Software iSCSI). I had trouble getting this to connect to the freenas until I removed the CHAP authentication. Then I got another BSOD, but this could have been Microsofts iSCSI again because when I rebooted, it was still connected to the freenas iscsi target. I disabled the MS iSCSI again and setup the starwind iscsi and its been working fine for the last couple of hours. It seems to be a bit slower.

in short, I dont have enough information or the skills to really work out what the problem was.

I didn't seem to have any problems when using the CIFS shares. I am still having problems with it not showing up in the workgroup though. Thats another post though!

I wasn't sure what information you wanted so i put in as much as I could.

 

[Tiretz]

An update using the Starwind SCSI initiator.

I have noticed a second time that files I have copied dissapear. Files that I created last night were still there but the rest from a few days ago were gone. The folders remain but all files are gone. I rebooted and the files appeared again. This is the second time I have noticed it but the first time I thought I had made a mistake copying.

Now I have the sneaking suspicion that the first time it happenned was whilst using the MS iSCSI initiator.

I can't imagine that FreeNas could have anything to do with this since it is only providing a virtual hard drive? Could it?