Mounting old Proxmox HDD to new installation

Rollo · Jan 12, 2025

Hello all!

Let me explain my situation. I have a server with two spinning HDDs (hardware RAID, so they show as a single drive to the system) where I installed Proxmox. So this drive is a boot drive, it has root file system as well as all my virtual machines and containers.

Now I added a pair of SSDs. I unplugged the old drives, not to corrupt them. I installed Proxmox on these new SSDs and used ZFS RAID1 option during the installation. The installation went well and I can log into the web GUI of the new deployment. I connected back the old spinning drives and I want to access VMs from the old drives. However, I was not successful.

I used the solution provided by the original author of this reddit post https://www.reddit.com/r/Proxmox/comments/w8o7va/import_old_lvm_storage_drive_to_new_proxmox/
I got so far as to add the LVM, however, that's where my luck ended here:

(sda1 is the old drive I want to access)
Supporting outputs:

Code:

root@proxmox:~# lsblk
NAME               MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS
sda                  8:0    0   3.6T  0 disk
├─sda1               8:1    0  1007K  0 part
├─sda2               8:2    0   512M  0 part
└─sda3               8:3    0   3.6T  0 part
  ├─pve-swap       252:0    0     4G  0 lvm 
  ├─pve-root       252:1    0    96G  0 lvm 
  ├─pve-data_tmeta 252:2    0  15.8G  0 lvm 
  └─pve-data_tdata 252:3    0   3.5T  0 lvm 
sdb                  8:16   0 111.8G  0 disk
├─sdb1               8:17   0  1007K  0 part
├─sdb2               8:18   0     1G  0 part
└─sdb3               8:19   0 110.8G  0 part
sdc                  8:32   0 111.8G  0 disk
├─sdc1               8:33   0  1007K  0 part
├─sdc2               8:34   0     1G  0 part
└─sdc3               8:35   0 110.8G  0 part

root@proxmox:~# pvscan
  PV /dev/sda3   VG pve             lvm2 [<3.64 TiB / <16.38 GiB free]
  Total: 1 [<3.64 TiB] / in use: 1 [<3.64 TiB] / in no VG: 0 [0   ]
root@proxmox:~# lvs
  LV                                 VG  Attr       LSize   Pool Origin        Data%  Meta%  Move Log Cpy%Sync Convert
  base-100-disk-0                    pve Vri---tz-k   4.00g data                                                       
  base-110-disk-0                    pve Vri---tz-k 100.00g data                                                       
  data                               pve twi---tz--   3.49t                                                            
  root                               pve -wi-a-----  96.00g                                                            
  snap_vm-101-disk-0_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k 258.00g data vm-101-disk-0                                         
  snap_vm-101-disk-0_zakladni_config pve Vri---tz-k 258.00g data vm-101-disk-0                                         
  snap_vm-102-disk-0_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k   8.00g data vm-102-disk-0                                         
  snap_vm-102-disk-1_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k  <2.15t data vm-102-disk-1                                         
  snap_vm-103-disk-0_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k 178.00g data vm-103-disk-0                                         
  snap_vm-105-disk-0_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k  18.00g data vm-105-disk-0                                         
  swap                               pve -wi-a-----   4.00g                                                            
  vm-101-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz-- 258.00g data                                                       
  vm-102-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz--   8.00g data                                                       
  vm-102-disk-1                      pve Vwi---tz--  <2.15t data                                                       
  vm-103-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz-- 178.00g data                                                       
  vm-104-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz--   8.00g data                                                       
  vm-105-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz--  18.00g data                                                       
  vm-111-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz-- 100.00g data                                                       
root@proxmox:~# lvscan
  inactive          '/dev/pve/data' [3.49 TiB] inherit
  ACTIVE            '/dev/pve/swap' [4.00 GiB] inherit
  ACTIVE            '/dev/pve/root' [96.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/base-100-disk-0' [4.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/vm-101-disk-0' [258.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/snap_vm-101-disk-0_zakladni_config' [258.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/vm-102-disk-0' [8.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/vm-102-disk-1' [<2.15 TiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/vm-105-disk-0' [18.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/vm-103-disk-0' [178.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/vm-104-disk-0' [8.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/base-110-disk-0' [100.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/vm-111-disk-0' [100.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/snap_vm-102-disk-0_vzdump' [8.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/snap_vm-102-disk-1_vzdump' [<2.15 TiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/snap_vm-105-disk-0_vzdump' [18.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/snap_vm-101-disk-0_vzdump' [258.00 GiB] inherit
  inactive          '/dev/pve/snap_vm-103-disk-0_vzdump' [178.00 GiB] inherit

root@proxmox:~# lvdisplay  
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Name                data
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                iV8GQF-hZZc-1OfI-KN28-0x57-DexZ-5kfVkd
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time proxmox, 2022-03-05 21:34:04 +0100
  LV Pool metadata       data_tmeta
  LV Pool data           data_tdata
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                3.49 TiB
  Current LE             915583
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/swap
  LV Name                swap
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                hdg7oU-T1tY-7SNS-BlTZ-Cns9-T1W5-UcNlPH
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time proxmox, 2022-03-05 21:31:44 +0100
  LV Status              available
  # open                 0
  LV Size                4.00 GiB
  Current LE             1024
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
  - currently set to     256
  Block device           252:0
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/root
  LV Name                root
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                Hcbnwe-lzlF-nMXc-eInI-Wxku-hJVK-7e1x9A
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time proxmox, 2022-03-05 21:31:45 +0100
  LV Status              available
  # open                 0
  LV Size                96.00 GiB
  Current LE             24576
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
  - currently set to     256
  Block device           252:1
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/base-100-disk-0
  LV Name                base-100-disk-0
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                VtcVcj-pJdG-OeFk-2rDQ-qkta-CMuw-v56B4t
  LV Write Access        read only
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2022-03-05 22:23:13 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                4.00 GiB
  Current LE             1024
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/vm-101-disk-0
  LV Name                vm-101-disk-0
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                LnVsYt-nlVq-fbGL-9QsX-T6mt-8QDO-4JnGG2
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2022-03-20 22:25:21 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                258.00 GiB
  Current LE             66048
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/snap_vm-101-disk-0_zakladni_config
  LV Name                snap_vm-101-disk-0_zakladni_config
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                iJ30Oi-hfrf-wzjH-PD3Q-sHEw-f0Xe-lvhgcg
  LV Write Access        read only
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2022-03-21 10:27:04 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Thin origin name    vm-101-disk-0
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                258.00 GiB
  Current LE             66048
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/vm-102-disk-0
  LV Name                vm-102-disk-0
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                f6Z80S-3R0X-zgxp-Q2MZ-QBiT-BmIq-ihe3kr
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2022-03-21 11:15:41 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                8.00 GiB
  Current LE             2048
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/vm-102-disk-1
  LV Name                vm-102-disk-1
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                uLeRMg-nIdT-Vc15-cYfp-vOWO-aimD-d0Ka0G
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2022-03-21 11:15:42 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                <2.15 TiB
  Current LE             563200
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/vm-105-disk-0
  LV Name                vm-105-disk-0
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                m1HuRG-mrXD-cLzB-cHDj-0sPz-wcwf-i2VlRn
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2022-03-26 21:06:59 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                18.00 GiB
  Current LE             4608
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/vm-103-disk-0
  LV Name                vm-103-disk-0
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                i7PBNZ-FJeH-z3ET-AGVB-98Um-RvNI-lLHIxD
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2023-07-30 21:14:03 +0200
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                178.00 GiB
  Current LE             45568
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/vm-104-disk-0
  LV Name                vm-104-disk-0
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                YHpfMP-d3nW-odbS-hF2Y-hx6m-pzAr-SBc2DX
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2023-07-30 23:22:32 +0200
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                8.00 GiB
  Current LE             2048
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/base-110-disk-0
  LV Name                base-110-disk-0
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                iJvBxi-ewc8-051V-WuYW-ZuRQ-bhwL-g3zcir
  LV Write Access        read only
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2024-03-22 17:39:47 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                100.00 GiB
  Current LE             25600
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/vm-111-disk-0
  LV Name                vm-111-disk-0
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                YGkIBc-MOqf-Wgm3-v8an-AVCq-jgqP-Be2BxH
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2024-03-22 17:59:39 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                100.00 GiB
  Current LE             25600
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/snap_vm-102-disk-0_vzdump
  LV Name                snap_vm-102-disk-0_vzdump
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                DLWSS1-YZue-9Ym5-GUVe-0Ovp-RJt6-K1HOLW
  LV Write Access        read only
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2025-01-09 20:26:55 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Thin origin name    vm-102-disk-0
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                8.00 GiB
  Current LE             2048
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/snap_vm-102-disk-1_vzdump
  LV Name                snap_vm-102-disk-1_vzdump
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                tMZpO8-lcch-lom6-TTso-75VH-0Em1-jW9qrU
  LV Write Access        read only
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2025-01-09 20:26:55 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Thin origin name    vm-102-disk-1
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                <2.15 TiB
  Current LE             563200
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/snap_vm-105-disk-0_vzdump
  LV Name                snap_vm-105-disk-0_vzdump
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                Xbh03z-WsF5-Mo7o-TOl9-2cZk-zuXG-8N85JN
  LV Write Access        read only
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2025-01-09 20:59:57 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Thin origin name    vm-105-disk-0
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                18.00 GiB
  Current LE             4608
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/snap_vm-101-disk-0_vzdump
  LV Name                snap_vm-101-disk-0_vzdump
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                Qx421F-N4s1-QyoL-S2hj-mdgO-OGVa-eIxqO6
  LV Write Access        read only
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2025-01-11 11:00:01 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Thin origin name    vm-101-disk-0
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                258.00 GiB
  Current LE             66048
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
    
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/pve/snap_vm-103-disk-0_vzdump
  LV Name                snap_vm-103-disk-0_vzdump
  VG Name                pve
  LV UUID                bgs8Nq-97Jz-ZtYf-wyX1-K2Tp-jYhQ-S1f7EZ
  LV Write Access        read only
  LV Creation host, time valinor, 2025-01-11 11:05:47 +0100
  LV Pool name           data
  LV Thin origin name    vm-103-disk-0
  LV Status              NOT available
  LV Size                178.00 GiB
  Current LE             45568
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto

New storage:

Code:

root@proxmox:~# cat /etc/pve/storage.cfg  
dir: local
        path /var/lib/vz
        content vztmpl,backup,iso

zfspool: local-zfs
        pool rpool/data
        content images,rootdir
        sparse 1

Old storage:

Code:

dir: local
        path /var/lib/vz
        content iso,vztmpl,backup

lvmthin: local-lvm
        thinpool data
        vgname pve
        content rootdir,images

My goal is to mount the local-lvm from the old drive to be able to access VMs stored there

Has anyone dealt with anything similar before and managed to solve it?

dherzig · Jan 13, 2025

Hi Rollo,

it looks like if the original poster on reddit used lvm instead of lvmthin, maybe that's causing the trouble. Could you try if chosing 'LVM-thin' (like you have been using in your original storage definition) enhances the situation?

1) In case you have the LVM definition from the last try left in Datacenter->Storage -- remove it first.
2) Then go to Datacenter->Storage->Add->LVM-thin (if things are right, the Volume Group 'pve' and the thin-pool 'data' should be prechosen already, give it a meaningful ID to avoid confusion)

Best regards,
Daniel

Rollo · Jan 20, 2025

Hello Daniel,

I tried steps you provided and unfortunately it does not work. But I have a progress - not there yet completely, but trying to finish...

So:
1. Find out the name f of the Volume Group

Code:

root@proxmox:~# vgscan
  Found volume group "pve" using metadata type lvm2
root@proxmox:~# lvs
  LV                                 VG  Attr       LSize   Pool Origin        Data%  Meta%  Move Log Cpy%Sync Convert
  base-100-disk-0                    pve Vri---tz-k   4.00g data                                                     
  base-110-disk-0                    pve Vri---tz-k 100.00g data                                                     
  data                               pve twi---tz--   3.49t                                                           
  root                               pve -wi-a-----  96.00g                                                           
  snap_vm-101-disk-0_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k 258.00g data vm-101-disk-0                                       
  snap_vm-101-disk-0_zakladni_config pve Vri---tz-k 258.00g data vm-101-disk-0                                       
  snap_vm-102-disk-0_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k   8.00g data vm-102-disk-0                                       
  snap_vm-102-disk-1_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k  <2.15t data vm-102-disk-1                                       
  snap_vm-103-disk-0_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k 178.00g data vm-103-disk-0                                       
  snap_vm-105-disk-0_vzdump          pve Vri---tz-k  18.00g data vm-105-disk-0                                       
  swap                               pve -wi-a-----   4.00g                                                           
  vm-101-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz-- 258.00g data                                                     
  vm-102-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz--   8.00g data                                                     
  vm-102-disk-1                      pve Vwi---tz--  <2.15t data                                                     
  vm-103-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz-- 178.00g data                                                     
  vm-104-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz--   8.00g data                                                     
  vm-105-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz--  18.00g data                                                     
  vm-111-disk-0                      pve Vwi---tz-- 100.00g data

2. Rename it (pve might trigger some duplicates in Proxmox)

Code:

root@proxmox:~# vgrename --devices /dev/sda3 pve oldpve
  Volume group "pve" successfully renamed to "oldpve"

3. add LVM to storage.conf

Code:

root@proxmox:~# cat /etc/pve/storage.cfg
dir: local
        path /var/lib/vz
        content vztmpl,backup,iso

zfspool: local-zfs
        pool rpool/data
        content images,rootdir
        sparse 1

lvmthin: local-lvm
        thinpool data
        vgname oldpve                       <--------------- note oldpve here
        content rootdir,images

4. run this:

Code:

root@proxmox:/mnt/jan/var/lib/vz/dump# lvchange -an oldpve/data_tdata
root@proxmox:/mnt/jan/var/lib/vz/dump# lvchange -an oldpve/data_tmeta
root@proxmox:/mnt/jan/var/lib/vz/dump# lvchange -ay oldpve/data

5. The disk showed up in Proxmox GUi

TODO:
1. make the results of `lvchange -ay oldpve/data` permanent
2. Figure out how to run VMs from this storage (I have a backup of the old database, so it can be done, I think)

Thanks Daniel for your help!

dherzig · Jan 20, 2025

Hi Rollo!

Good to hear that you have progress!

It looks as if you do not have any VMs on your new system yet, that's good. You could try to create bare VMs without disks with the same VMIDs on you new system. Then a run of `qm rescan` should list these disks as 'Unused Disk' in the VM configuration. That one you should be able to double-click and attach to a controller!

Once the disk is assigned to the VM as 'Hard Disk' (it should run already be able to run at this point if the configuration fits), you could click it once and use the 'Disk Action' -Dropdown to 'Move Storage' to your new zfs Storage!

I hope this helps,

Best regards,
Daniel

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Mounting old Proxmox HDD to new installation

Rollo

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Rollo

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