Finding free disk to use with pvcreate

[Jerry M]

When I try to use pvcreate on some disks I want to use, I get:

 #pvcreate /dev/rdsk/c2t1d1
pvcreate: The physical volume already belongs to a volume group

I was told to not use pvcreate -f  in case it is being used by another server. How can I really tell if it's being used

by another server for data.  The disk in not in the /etc/lvmtab of any VG also.

[Jeff_Traigle]

The VG name can be determined with pvdisplay:

pvdisplay /dev/dsk/c2t1d1

If you want to additionall see what extentss are allocated to which LVs, you can use the -v option:

pvdisplay -v /dev/dsk/c2t1d1

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

:smileysurprised:

If the disk is already part of a volume group:

vgdisplay -v vg_name

pvdisplay -v is a good idea before using pvcreate -f

The advice not to use -f which stands for force is very good advice.

You may need to post the output to see if any logical volumes are current.

SEP

[Jerry M]

Don't forget in my post:    The disk in not in the /etc/lvmtab of any VG also.

I had our sr. admin here show me how to look at the EMC, etc... , was not easy, and look at what is being used by what host.

[Jerry M]

All the disks are free. Does anyone know how to make the really free so when someone does a pvcreate in the

future it will not bark about it being in use?

Hello Steven, it's been a while since I was on. Good to see you are still around on the forums.

[Karol_84]

If those LUNs were used under LVM, then pvremove on character device should make the header clean.

[jerrym]

pvremove does not clear disk. I know for sure c2t1d5 is not being used anywhere. Any other ideas.

 #pvremove  /dev/rdsk/c2t1d5
pvremove: The physical volume "/dev/rdsk/c2t1d5" belongs to an exported volume group.
pvremove: Couldn't remove physical volume "/dev/rdsk/c2t1d5".

[Pete Randall]

I believe you need to use vgreduce -f once you know which vg it originally belonged to.  The fact that it says the vg is exported makes me wonder if you have to import it first.  Sounds potentially messy but it might be the only way.

[Karol_84]

If you're sure the PV doesn't belong to VG, then do: # pvcreate -f /dev/rdsk/c2t1d5 # pvremove /dev/rdsk/c2t1d5 ... this should cleanup the header and next time when assigning this LUN to VG it won't be necessary to use force option.

[jerrym]

Karol, pvcreate -f and pvremove works. Thanks

[Pete Randall]

Well of course pvcreate -f works!  But you said you didn't want to use it!!

[jerrym]

No Pete. I was told not to use -f by the guys here.  Not that I did not want to use it.

But since we identified that the disks the server sees is not being used by another server.

They are free to be cleaned.  And so they were.  Never more, never more.