HOWTO: Rename a ZFS pool

Resources
, ,
1

The basic process to rename a ZFS pool is to export it from the GUI, import it in the CLI with the new name, then export it again, and re-import it in the GUI.

I find I normally want to do this after creating a new pool (with perhaps a different set of disks/layout), replicating my old pool to the new pool, and then I want to rename the new pool to the same as the old pool, and then all the shares work correctly, and its fairly transparent. Mostly.

(tested with TrueNAS CORE 12U8-1. Works with all versions, including SCALE, see Original Post)

So, firstly, you need to export your pool that you want to rename from the GUI. Note its name.

Before you do that, if your system-dataset is on the pool, its a good idea to move it back to a different pool, or perhaps the boot pool.

System → System Dataset, then select the pool you want to host it, and save.

Once that’s done,

Storage → Pools, the click the cog to the right of the pool you want to rename and choose “Export/Disconnect”

DO NOT TICK “Destroy data on this pool?”

It is up to you if you delete the shares, etc, or have to re-configure them when you re-import the pool.

TICK “Confirm Export/Disconnect” then click EXPORT/DISCONNECT

…

Once that is finished fire up a terminal and import the pool into the CLI with the new name.

zpool import original_name new_name

(replace original_name and new_name, respectively)

You can check your handy work with zpool status new_name

Then export the pool again

zpool export new_name

Then import it again in the GUI

Pools → Add, import existing

Job Done.

You may need to reconfigure your shares etc.

3 Likes
2

Ported this because AFAIK this functionality is still missing from SCALE, and when I next do it on SCALE, I plan to edit the post…

1 Like
3

Well done, sir! :clap:t2::clap:t2::clap:t2:

Succinct and easy to implement on TrueNAS Core thanks to your wonderfully written instructions.

Ran through the process on a test vdev before doing it with my primary vdevs.

Remember to copy the old vdev name because once it’s disconnect the name is gone!

1 Like
4

You should be able to get a list of candidate pools to import with zpool import

1 Like
5

Thanks, I followed this on TrueNAS-SCALE-23.10.2 and worked like a charm. My SMB shares came up fine and even the Bitwarden host on a Debian VM worked fine afterwards. The only slight hick-up was my total storage on my new pool still showed the max capacity of the old pool. But it was simple to fix it turned out the “Quota for this dataset” was set to the old value - I just deleted it and voila, perfect. Thanks for creating this.