--- name: "zpool-import" section: "8" platform: "linux" package: "zfsutils-linux" version: "2.3.9-0+deb13u1" release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)" platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/zpool-import" --- # zpool-import(8) import ZFS storage pools or list available pools ## NAME **zpool-import** – import ZFS storage pools or list available pools ## SYNOPSIS **zpool** **import** \[**-D**\] \[**-d** *dir*\|*device*\]… **zpool** **import** **-a** \[**-DflmN**\] \[**-F** \[**-nTX**\]\] \[**--rewind-to-checkpoint**\] \[**-c** *cachefile*\|**-d** *dir*\|*device*\] \[**-o** *mntopts*\] \[**-o** *property*=*value*\]… \[**-R** *root*\] **zpool** **import** \[**-Dflmt**\] \[**-F** \[**-nTX**\]\] \[**--rewind-to-checkpoint**\] \[**-c** *cachefile*\|**-d** *dir*\|*device*\] \[**-o** *mntopts*\] \[**-o** *property*=*value*\]… \[**-R** *root*\] \[**-s**\] *pool*\|*id* \[*newpool*\] ## DESCRIPTION - **zpool** **import** \[**-D**\] \[**-d** *dir*\|*device*\]… Lists pools available to import. If the **-d** or **-c** options are not specified, this command searches for devices using libblkid on Linux and geom on FreeBSD. The **-d** option can be specified multiple times, and all directories are searched. If the device appears to be part of an exported pool, this command displays a summary of the pool with the name of the pool, a numeric identifier, as well as the vdev layout and current health of the device for each device or file. Destroyed pools, pools that were previously destroyed with the **zpool** **destroy** command, are not listed unless the **-D** option is specified. The numeric identifier is unique, and can be used instead of the pool name when multiple exported pools of the same name are available. - **-c** *cachefile* Reads configuration from the given *cachefile* that was created with the **cachefile** pool property. This *cachefile* is used instead of searching for devices. - **-d** *dir*\|*device* Uses *device* or searches for devices or files in *dir*. The **-d** option can be specified multiple times. - **-D** Lists destroyed pools only. - **zpool** **import** **-a** \[**-DflmN**\] \[**-F** \[**-nTX**\]\] \[**-c** *cachefile*\|**-d** *dir*\|*device*\] \[**-o** *mntopts*\] \[**-o** *property*=*value*\]… \[**-R** *root*\] \[**-s**\] Imports all pools found in the search directories. Identical to the previous command, except that all pools with a sufficient number of devices available are imported. Destroyed pools, pools that were previously destroyed with the **zpool** **destroy** command, will not be imported unless the **-D** option is specified. - **-a** Searches for and imports all pools found. - **-c** *cachefile* Reads configuration from the given *cachefile* that was created with the **cachefile** pool property. This *cachefile* is used instead of searching for devices. - **-d** *dir*\|*device* Uses *device* or searches for devices or files in *dir*. The **-d** option can be specified multiple times. This option is incompatible with the **-c** option. - **-D** Imports destroyed pools only. The **-f** option is also required. - **-f** Forces import, even if the pool appears to be potentially active. - **-F** Recovery mode for a non-importable pool. Attempt to return the pool to an importable state by discarding the last few transactions. Not all damaged pools can be recovered by using this option. If successful, the data from the discarded transactions is irretrievably lost. This option is ignored if the pool is importable or already imported. - **-l** Indicates that this command will request encryption keys for all encrypted datasets it attempts to mount as it is bringing the pool online. Note that if any datasets have a **keylocation** of **prompt** this command will block waiting for the keys to be entered. Without this flag encrypted datasets will be left unavailable until the keys are loaded. - **-m** Allows a pool to import when there is a missing log device. Recent transactions can be lost because the log device will be discarded. - **-n** Used with the **-F** recovery option. Determines whether a non-importable pool can be made importable again, but does not actually perform the pool recovery. For more details about pool recovery mode, see the **-F** option, above. - **-N** Import the pool without mounting any file systems. - **-o** *mntopts* Comma-separated list of mount options to use when mounting datasets within the pool. See [zfs(8)](/zfs/8.md) for a description of dataset properties and mount options. - **-o** *property*=*value* Sets the specified property on the imported pool. See the [zpoolprops(7)](/zpoolprops/7.md) manual page for more information on the available pool properties. - **-R** *root* Sets the **cachefile** property to **none** and the **altroot** property to *root*. - **--rewind-to-checkpoint** Rewinds pool to the checkpointed state. Once the pool is imported with this flag there is no way to undo the rewind. All changes and data that were written after the checkpoint are lost! The only exception is when the **readonly** mounting option is enabled. In this case, the checkpointed state of the pool is opened and an administrator can see how the pool would look like if they were to fully rewind. - **-s** Scan using the default search path, the libblkid cache will not be consulted. A custom search path may be specified by setting the **ZPOOL\_IMPORT\_PATH** environment variable. - **-X** Used with the **-F** recovery option. Determines whether extreme measures to find a valid txg should take place. This allows the pool to be rolled back to a txg which is no longer guaranteed to be consistent. Pools imported at an inconsistent txg may contain uncorrectable checksum errors. For more details about pool recovery mode, see the **-F** option, above. WARNING: This option can be extremely hazardous to the health of your pool and should only be used as a last resort. - **-T** Specify the txg to use for rollback. Implies **-FX**. For more details about pool recovery mode, see the **-X** option, above. WARNING: This option can be extremely hazardous to the health of your pool and should only be used as a last resort. - **zpool** **import** \[**-Dflmt**\] \[**-F** \[**-nTX**\]\] \[**-c** *cachefile*\|**-d** *dir*\|*device*\] \[**-o** *mntopts*\] \[**-o** *property*=*value*\]… \[**-R** *root*\] \[**-s**\] *pool*\|*id* \[*newpool*\] Imports a specific pool. A pool can be identified by its name or the numeric identifier. If *newpool* is specified, the pool is imported using the name *newpool*. Otherwise, it is imported with the same name as its exported name. If a device is removed from a system without running **zpool** **export** first, the device appears as potentially active. It cannot be determined if this was a failed export, or whether the device is really in use from another host. To import a pool in this state, the **-f** option is required. - **-c** *cachefile* Reads configuration from the given *cachefile* that was created with the **cachefile** pool property. This *cachefile* is used instead of searching for devices. - **-d** *dir*\|*device* Uses *device* or searches for devices or files in *dir*. The **-d** option can be specified multiple times. This option is incompatible with the **-c** option. - **-D** Imports destroyed pool. The **-f** option is also required. - **-f** Forces import, even if the pool appears to be potentially active. - **-F** Recovery mode for a non-importable pool. Attempt to return the pool to an importable state by discarding the last few transactions. Not all damaged pools can be recovered by using this option. If successful, the data from the discarded transactions is irretrievably lost. This option is ignored if the pool is importable or already imported. - **-l** Indicates that this command will request encryption keys for all encrypted datasets it attempts to mount as it is bringing the pool online. Note that if any datasets have a **keylocation** of **prompt** this command will block waiting for the keys to be entered. Without this flag encrypted datasets will be left unavailable until the keys are loaded. - **-m** Allows a pool to import when there is a missing log device. Recent transactions can be lost because the log device will be discarded. - **-n** Used with the **-F** recovery option. Determines whether a non-importable pool can be made importable again, but does not actually perform the pool recovery. For more details about pool recovery mode, see the **-F** option, above. - **-o** *mntopts* Comma-separated list of mount options to use when mounting datasets within the pool. See [zfs(8)](/zfs/8.md) for a description of dataset properties and mount options. - **-o** *property*=*value* Sets the specified property on the imported pool. See the [zpoolprops(7)](/zpoolprops/7.md) manual page for more information on the available pool properties. - **-R** *root* Sets the **cachefile** property to **none** and the **altroot** property to *root*. - **-s** Scan using the default search path, the libblkid cache will not be consulted. A custom search path may be specified by setting the **ZPOOL\_IMPORT\_PATH** environment variable. - **-X** Used with the **-F** recovery option. Determines whether extreme measures to find a valid txg should take place. This allows the pool to be rolled back to a txg which is no longer guaranteed to be consistent. Pools imported at an inconsistent txg may contain uncorrectable checksum errors. For more details about pool recovery mode, see the **-F** option, above. WARNING: This option can be extremely hazardous to the health of your pool and should only be used as a last resort. - **-T** Specify the txg to use for rollback. Implies **-FX**. For more details about pool recovery mode, see the **-X** option, above. *WARNING*: This option can be extremely hazardous to the health of your pool and should only be used as a last resort. - **-t** Used with *newpool*. Specifies that *newpool* is temporary. Temporary pool names last until export. Ensures that the original pool name will be used in all label updates and therefore is retained upon export. Will also set **-o** **cachefile**=**none** when not explicitly specified. ## EXAMPLES ### Example 9 : No Importing a ZFS Storage Pool The following command displays available pools, and then imports the pool *tank* for use on the system. The results from this command are similar to the following: ``` # zpool import pool: tank id: 15451357997522795478 state: ONLINE action: The pool can be imported using its name or numeric identifier. config: tank ONLINE mirror ONLINE sda ONLINE sdb ONLINE # zpool import tank ``` ## SEE ALSO [zpool-export(8)](/zpool-export/8.md), [zpool-list(8)](/zpool-list/8.md), [zpool-status(8)](/zpool-status/8.md)