Understanding JBOD and Disk Management

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 3 views

Drives in JBOD Show Under Get-Disk but Not Get-PhysicalDisk: A Quest to Distinguish Hardware from Software

When it comes to managing storage in a Windows Server environment, understanding the nuances of disk management is crucial. In this article, we will delve into a specific issue where drives in a Just a Bunch Of Disks (JBOD) configuration show up under Get-Disk but not under Get-PhysicalDisk. We will explore the possible causes of this discrepancy, attempting to narrow down whether the issue lies with the hardware or software components.

To provide context, our setup consists of a QNAP TL-D1600S attached to a Windows Server 2025 server via the included QXP-1600eS, a Marvell SE14xx 12G SAS/SATA Controller. This combination had been working well for an extended period, but recently, we encountered an issue where the drives in the JBOD configuration were not showing up under Get-PhysicalDisk.

Understanding JBOD and Disk Management

Before we dive into the issue at hand, let's briefly discuss JBOD and disk management in Windows Server. JBOD is a storage configuration where multiple disks are connected to a single controller, presenting a single logical disk to the operating system. This setup is commonly used in data centers and enterprise environments where high storage capacity is required.

In Windows Server, disk management is handled by the Storage Spaces feature, which provides a unified view of all storage devices connected to the system. The Get-Disk cmdlet is used to retrieve information about all disks, including physical and virtual disks, while the Get-PhysicalDisk cmdlet is used to retrieve information about physical disks only.

The Issue: Drives Show Up Under Get-Disk but Not Get-PhysicalDisk

The issue we are facing is that the drives in the JBOD configuration are showing up under Get-Disk but not under Get-PhysicalDisk. This suggests that the drives are being recognized by the operating system, but for some reason, they are not being treated as physical disks.

Hardware vs Software: A Quest to Identify the Cause

To determine whether the issue lies with the hardware or software components, we need to investigate further. Let's examine the possible causes of this discrepancy:

Hardware-Related Issues

Controller Configuration: The Marvell SE14xx 12G SAS/SATA Controller might be configured in a way that prevents the drives from being recognized as physical disks.
Drive Configuration: The drives in the JBOD configuration might be configured in a way that prevents them from being recognized as physical disks.
Cable or Connection Issues: There might be issues with the cables or connections between the controller and the drives.

Software-Related Issues

Storage Spaces Configuration: The Storage Spaces configuration might be preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.
Disk Management Settings: The disk management settings might be preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.
Operating System Issues: There might be issues with the Windows Server 2025 operating system that are preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.

Investigating the Issue

To investigate the issue further, we will need to gather more information about the system configuration and the drives in the JBOD configuration. We will also need to try different troubleshooting steps to determine whether the issue lies with the hardware or software components.

Gathering System Information

System Configuration: We will need to gather information about the system configuration, including the controller model, drive models, and cable connections.
Drive Information: We will need to gather information about the drives in the JBOD configuration, including their capacity, interface type, and configuration settings.

Troubleshooting Steps

Controller Configuration Check: We will need to check the controller configuration to ensure that it is set up correctly.
Drive Configuration Check: We will need to check the drive configuration to ensure that it is set up correctly.
Cable and Connection Check: We will need to check the cables and connections between the controller and the drives to ensure that they are secure and functioning correctly.
Storage Spaces Configuration Check: We will need to check the Storage Spaces configuration to ensure that it is set up correctly.
Disk Management Settings Check: We will need to check the disk management settings to ensure that they are set up correctly.
Operating System Check: We will need to check the Windows Server 2025 operating system for any issues that might be preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.

In conclusion, the issue where drives in a JBOD configuration show up under Get-Disk but not under Get-PhysicalDisk is a complex one that requires a thorough investigation. By examining the possible causes of this discrepancy and gathering more information about the system configuration and the drives in the JBOD configuration, we can attempt to narrow down whether the issue lies with the hardware or software components. Further troubleshooting steps will be necessary to determine the root cause of the issue and implement a solution.

Based on our investigation, we recommend the following:

Check the controller configuration: Ensure that the controller is set up correctly and that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Check the drive configuration: Ensure that the drives in the JBOD configuration are set up correctly and that they are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Check the cables and connections: Ensure that the cables and connections between the controller and the drives are secure and functioning correctly.
Check the Storage Spaces configuration: Ensure that the Storage Spaces configuration is set up correctly and that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Check the disk management settings: Ensure that the disk management settings are set up correctly and that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Check the operating system: Ensure that the Windows Server 2025 operating system is functioning correctly and that there are no issues preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.

Q: What is the issue with drives in a JBOD configuration showing up under Get-Disk but not Get-PhysicalDisk?

A: The issue is that the drives in the JBOD configuration are being recognized by the operating system, but for some reason, they are not being treated as physical disks. This can cause problems with disk management and storage configuration.

Q: What are the possible causes of this issue?

A: The possible causes of this issue include:

Controller configuration: The Marvell SE14xx 12G SAS/SATA Controller might be configured in a way that prevents the drives from being recognized as physical disks.
Drive configuration: The drives in the JBOD configuration might be configured in a way that prevents them from being recognized as physical disks.
Cable or connection issues: There might be issues with the cables or connections between the controller and the drives.
Storage Spaces configuration: The Storage Spaces configuration might be preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.
Disk management settings: The disk management settings might be preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.
Operating system issues: There might be issues with the Windows Server 2025 operating system that are preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.

Q: How can I troubleshoot this issue?

A: To troubleshoot this issue, you can try the following steps:

Check the controller configuration: Ensure that the controller is set up correctly and that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Check the drive configuration: Ensure that the drives in the JBOD configuration are set up correctly and that they are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Check the cables and connections: Ensure that the cables and connections between the controller and the drives are secure and functioning correctly.
Check the Storage Spaces configuration: Ensure that the Storage Spaces configuration is set up correctly and that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Check the disk management settings: Ensure that the disk management settings are set up correctly and that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Check the operating system: Ensure that the Windows Server 2025 operating system is functioning correctly and that there are no issues preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.

Q: What are the symptoms of this issue?

A: The symptoms of this issue include:

Drives not showing up under Get-PhysicalDisk: The drives in the JBOD configuration are not showing up under the Get-PhysicalDisk cmdlet.
Disk management problems: The disk management settings are not being applied correctly, causing problems with disk configuration and storage management.
Storage Spaces configuration issues: The Storage Spaces configuration is not being applied correctly, causing problems with storage management and disk configuration.

Q: How can I resolve this issue?

A: To resolve this issue, you can try the following steps:

Reconfigure the controller: Reconfigure the controller to ensure that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Reconfigure the drives: Reconfigure the drives in the JBOD configuration to ensure that they are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Check the cables and connections: Check the cables and connections between the controller and the drives to ensure that they are secure and functioning correctly.
Reconfigure the Storage Spaces: Reconfigure the Storage Spaces to ensure that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Reconfigure the disk management settings: Reconfigure the disk management settings to ensure that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Update the operating system: Update the Windows Server 2025 operating system to ensure that there are no issues preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.

Q: What are the best practices for preventing this issue?

A: The best practices for preventing this issue include:

Regularly check the controller configuration: Regularly check the controller configuration to ensure that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Regularly check the drive configuration: Regularly check the drive configuration to ensure that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Regularly check the cables and connections: Regularly check the cables and connections between the controller and the drives to ensure that they are secure and functioning correctly.
Regularly check the Storage Spaces configuration: Regularly check the Storage Spaces configuration to ensure that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Regularly check the disk management settings: Regularly check the disk management settings to ensure that the drives are configured to be recognized as physical disks.
Regularly update the operating system: Regularly update the Windows Server 2025 operating system to ensure that there are no issues preventing the drives from being recognized as physical disks.