How to migrate the storagenode Windows to Linux

Node Operators
1

I have the storagenode in Windows and it runs on Docker. The disk filesystem is NTFS.

I need to migrate to Linux Debian and not to loose the node.

What should I do in this case?
Can I simply get the HDD from Windows PC and put the disk to a different machine on Linux or I should make a migration with some specific instrument on different machine with different disk via lan?

2

Linux can read NTFS, but can be safer to copy over network from windows host to linux host.

  1. NTFS is MS proprietary filesystem, and while linux can read and write it, if there is anything wrong with it, it may not be as well equipped to handle it as windows.
  2. If the disk is old – it is not unheard of (old) disks failing to spin up or developing bad sectors after years of flawless operation, due to some minor stresses during move. It has happened to me repeatedly – take old disk from a perfectly working array, 0 bad sectors, with monthly scrubs, just as part of maintenance, attach to another machine, scan – and bam, multiple bad sectors.

Alternatively, you can run chkdsk on a disk, to correct all possible inconsistencies in the filesystem and then move the disk to linux computer… but I would still feel safer letting the proprietary OS deal with its proprietary FS.

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3

I would add, if your Windows is Windows 10/11, it uses deduplication and encryption features of NTFS by default. You may have issues with this disk on Linux, because Linux doesn’t support these features out of the box, so your node may start to failing audits, because it cannot read deduplicated/encrypted data. NTFS working noticeable slower under Linux, so your node will start to use much more RAM. The integrated tools to check NTFS disk under Linux is not fully compatible, so to check and fix the filesystem you would need to reconnect this disk to the Windows PC and check it there.
So, either disable deduplication and encryption for this disk, check the filesystem and try to use it under Linux keeping in mind all limitations or migrate data to the ext4 disk.

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4

Got it. I have a small amount of HDDs for insurance on warehouse so I will go with migration to the ext4 disk.
Thanks to arrogantrabbit and Alexey for solving my questions.

PS please look for
problem-with-pulling-storagenode-image-to-docker
topic.
I’m trying to keep the nodes alive while I’m experimenting with migration and avoid silly moves in haste.

1 Like