"Upgrade this pool" message after windows update

brother's computer:

Windows 10 Pro

Version 2004
O’s build 19041.329
Installed 6/17/20
Experience Pack 120.2202.130.0

After the update, storage spaces threw a message:
"Upgrade this pool to enable new features, such as optimizing drive usage and safely removing extra drives."



We have been migrating him from older computer to this relatively new one. Had some issues trying to set up a mirror since we never did that using storage spaces before. Maybe had a bad drive thrown in, just to keep us on our toes.
All was looking good, including iphone/Outlook/email sync and Carbonite too.

We do not want to lose this mirror! Very hesitant to allow this upgrade. Will we lose the data?

Thanks dalchina.
I have questions
Main question, will we lose the data if we do this upgrade?
It is a pain to backup and restore, but we won't upgrade the spaces program without at least 2 ways to restore the data.
Is this a sooner-or-later microsoft thing, where we will be forced to upgrade the storage spaces at some point?

another question, since this is not a windows upgrade version, why is this happening? It was a windows 10 pro OS on a fresh computer purchased in 2019. Is everyone that uses storage spaces getting this request after the version 2004 update?
Thanks again

Do not upgrade pool if you have dualboot with different win10 builds.
See all my answers in this thread:

Any way to downgrade ver. of MS Storage spaces volume w/o data loss?

Thanks muchomurka, I think I get it now. I read some of the other threads RE the upgrade, and older window versions becoming incompatible.

Basically, we hit the ole "upgrade" button at our own risk, which seems normal for windows.
And, use storage spaces at our own risk.
I have used the intel rapid storage and had no problems managing a few RAID1 arrays.
But in this case, we have an AMD processor.
Seemed easier to try storage spaces than fiddle with the AMD storage software.
So, storage spaces it is.

dalchina, yes, the upgrade I am referring to is the option presented by storage spaces. After the windows 2004 was installed, there appeared a message in there, and it seems optional. I don't understand why the storage space program is not already upgraded. Windows 10 pro, in a 2019 build? This OS was not upgraded from 8.1. Most of the stuff I found in searches seemed to refer to that scenario. Anyway, I guess MS found another reason to upgrade storage spaces, regardless of versions.

Thanks again

I don't understand why the storage space program is not already upgraded

This is misunderstanding, Storage Spaces driver/program is already upgraded (and remain compatible with older pools). Storage Spaces applet offers upgrade of Storage Pool metadata, which is irreversible action - by doing it, you lost access to Storage Spaces data from previous Win10 builds which include older version of Storage Spaces driver. Problematic mainly if you have dualboot system, or if you transfer Storage Spaces disks to a different PC with older build (1909 or below).

Thanks again muchomurka. Maybe this issue is not "solved"

So the pool metadata can be upgraded separately from the program itself?
Seems complicated.

We have no dual boot. The PC is used for business work. We use Carbonite. We make disk images.
In the past, I used IRST to create a RAID1, seemed fine. I could pull a drive, put in a new one, and the data would rebuild. I could also pull a drive, line it into another computer via sata or usb and see the data.
Seemed like a good setup, to avoid work stoppage in the event of drive failure.

But this (inherited) PC has an AMD processor. It was built for gaming. But alas, it never got the chance. I thought what the heck, seems powerful, has good software, windows 10 Pro with MS Office Pro as well, why not put it to use doing office work?
No IRST. I think there is an AMD equivalent but some searching yielded lots of complaints using it. Maybe I need to look more closely at that option.

Is storage spaces mirror pool actually different than the IRST software RAID1? Do you think it serves our purposes?
Thanks again

Storage Spaces program (more precisely: spaceport.sys driver and related Control Panel applet) has been upgraded during Feature Update 2004 installation without user intervention. No need to do anything.

Storage Pool metadata (some strings and numbers saved in reserved area on disks which are members of that Storage Pool) are not upgraded automatically, an user action is required. As you already did the Storage Pool upgrade, there is nothing to do more.

Storge Spaces are pure software RAID solution, no problem to use an AMD-based system. However, the hardware used must be 100% reliable, no overclocking, no experiments, no unskilled interventions.

Furthermore, Storage Spaces are server-class RAID solution, much more complex than IRST or other SATA RAIDs. It uses a hierarchy of objects (PhysicalDisk - StoragePool - VirtualDisk - Partition - Volume, I intentionally omit several less important ones), each object represents some disk subsystem entity and has many significant properties. Administrator manipulates with these objects and their properties, not directly with referenced entities.

Storage Spaces applet in Control Panel is just ridiculous; it includes approx. 10% of Storage Spaces features, and in the case of some failure, it does not give relevant info for troubleshooting. For advanced administration & especially for Storage Spaces troubleshooting, usage of full-featured Powershell commands is necessary. Anyway, be careful and monitor condition of your mirror regularly.

muchomurka, thanks again. your information is reassuring at least.
So, to be clear. Are you saying that we can ignore the request in storage space interface to "upgrade this pool..."?