In Windows 10 Pro Storage Space, why can't I use ReFS with Parity?

Question

NTFS is the only option when Parity is selected as the resiliency type. I thought ReFS was suppose to replace NTFS? I am trying to create a storage space to use for network file share.

Solution 1

According to discussion at Storage Spaces, Parity and ReFS

• ReFS in storage spaces is available only for two-way and three-way mirroring until Windows 10 Anniversary update incl.
  • see Wolfrevo's answer for workaround
• Creators update brought support for ReFS parity storage space
• Fall Creators update removes ReFS entirely from storage spaces
  • the AllowRefsFormatOverNonmirrorVolume workaround no longer works
  • all the ReFS functionality was moved to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations

Solution 2

Format with ReFS is turned off by default in client versions of Windows (8/8.1/10). You can turn it on modifying registry keys:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MiniNT]
"AllowRefsFormatOverNonmirrorVolume"=dword:00000001

and

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem]
"RefsDisableLastAccessUpdate"=dword:00000001

after that you can format any suitable volume with ReFS

Comments

[Ramhound]

What is your specific question? Storage Spaces is basically a Microsoft software RAID 1 solution. If you want parity then you can't use Storage Spaces and would have to use a RAID 3 or similar solution.

[Daniel B]

@Ramhound That’s obviously not correct. Storage Spaces supports RAID-5-ish redundancy, which is called “Parity”. That being said, I strongly recommend not using ReFS. It has some stability issues and if it fails, you’re SOL. I almost lost multiple TiB, luckily it started working again after some reboots.

[Ramhound]

@DanielB - I only said RAID-1 because the screenshot indicates it only does mirroring without parity. I said RAID-3 since that is the first RAID level which supports both. I wasn't aware Storage Spaces was considered to be RAID-5. Which begs the questions, if that's the case, what is the question again?

[rocfob]

I'm asking if I can use ReFS with parity type resiliency, similar to the traditional RAID5.

[Daniel B]

Well, I can reproduce this in Windows 8.1: It’s only available with 2/3-way mirrored volumes.

[Robert Ivanc]

this is incorrect as windows server 2016 supports refs over parity storage space

[Vlastimil Ovčáčík]

This kinda works on Windows 10 Anniversary edition (v1607, b14393). It will let you format volume with ReFS and create parity ReFS storage space. Both are very unstable, obviously it is disabled for a reason.

[Vlastimil Ovčáčík]

Windows 10 version history may be handy.

[Wolfrevok Cats]

@Vlastimil Ovčáčík what do you mean 'VERY unstable'? It works for more than 5 years, since Windows 8. The onyl reason I see why it's disabled - separating features between server and client version, like it was in many versions before. But such separating is just symbolical, as you can see. It was not completely disabled. Like I said - like in many versions before. Moreover - [using Storage Spaces in conjunction with ReFS gives additional errors recoverability][1] [1]: technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831724(v=ws.11).aspx

[Vlastimil Ovčáčík]

I meant the process of creating ReFS volume or storage space is unstable, that means formatting via GUI and CLI always failed for me, but I was able to create ReFS volumes/storage space with PowerShell. I wasn't judging ReFS itself.

[Wolfrevok Cats]

@Vlastimil Ovčáčík that's weird. Works fine for me on many workstations with Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 in different disks and volumes configurations

[Vlastimil Ovčáčík]

RefsDisableLastAccessUpdate is performance optimization, you don't need it to get ReFS working, but NTFS has it enabled by default since Windows Vista and ReFS got it enabled by default since Windows 10 Pro for Workstations. I suppose same applies for server editions.

[Vlastimil Ovčáčík]

Note that presence of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MiniNT may have some side effects. Particularly it tricks Windows (actually Windows installer) to think it is WindowsPE.

[Vlastimil Ovčáčík]

This workaround seems to be completely defunct in Windows 10 Pro v1709 b16299 (i.e. Falls update). I guess they made ReFS exclusive to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations.

[Ramhound]

"not sure about ReFS simple storage space (anyone can comment on that?)" - If you are not sure of something best to leave it out of your answer, otherwise, comments like that are just unnecessary noise.