From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Mark Knecht Subject: Re: New RAID1 machine "No bootable media" Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2010 10:26:10 -0700 Message-ID: <5bdc1c8b1003281026r42136ac8g142a0078168c196@mail.gmail.com> References: <5bdc1c8b1003280812i7e785215xd44928c8d746a2b0@mail.gmail.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: QUOTED-PRINTABLE Return-path: In-Reply-To: <5bdc1c8b1003280812i7e785215xd44928c8d746a2b0@mail.gmail.com> Sender: linux-raid-owner@vger.kernel.org To: Linux-RAID List-Id: linux-raid.ids Sorry for top-posting. If it matters these are 4K sector drives. WD10EARS. Seems like I've seen some threads about boot loaders, etc., not that I understood them. I have booted these drives in non-RAID machines though. - Mark On Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 8:12 AM, Mark Knecht wro= te: > Hi, > =C2=A0 I brought up new hardware yesterday for my first RAID install.= I > followed this Gentoo page describing a software RAID1/LVM install: > > http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-x86+raid+lvm2-quickinstall.xml > > =C2=A0 Note that I followed this page verbatim, even if it wasn't wha= t I > wanted, with exceptions: > > a) My RAID1 is 3 drives instead of 2 > b) I'm AMD64 Gentoo based. > c) I used grub-static > > =C2=A0I did this install mostly just to get a first-hand feel for how= to > do a RAID install and to try out some of the mdadm commands for real. > My intention was to blow away the install if I didn't like it and do > it again for real once I started to get a clearer picture about how > things worked. For instance, this set of instructions used RAID1 on > the /boot directory which I wasn't sure about. > > =C2=A0 NOTE: THIS INSTALL PUTS EVERYTHING ON RAID1. (/, /boot, everyt= hing) > I didn't start out thinking I wanted to do that. > > =C2=A0 So, the first problem is that on the reboot to see if the inst= all > worked the Intel BIOS reports 'no bootable media found'. I am very > unclear how any system boots software RAID1 before software is loaded= , > assuming I understand the Gentoo instructions. The instructions I use= d > to install grub where > > root (hd0,0) > setup (hd0) > root (hd1,0) > setup (hd1) > root (hd2,0) > setup (hd2) > > but the system finds nothing to boot from. to me this sounds like BIO= S > so looking around I'm currently set up for compatibility but would > think that switching to AHCI support would be a better long term > solution. Any chance this setting is the root cause? > > =C2=A0 I can boot from CD and assemble the /boot RAID > > livecd ~ # cat /proc/mdstat > Personalities : [raid0] [raid1] [raid6] [raid5] [raid4] [raid10] > unused devices: > livecd ~ # mdadm --assemble /dev/md1 /dev/sda1 /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1 > mdadm: /dev/md1 has been started with 3 drives. > livecd ~ # cat /proc/mdstat > Personalities : [raid0] [raid1] [raid6] [raid5] [raid4] [raid10] > md1 : active raid1 sda1[0] sdc1[2] sdb1[1] > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0112320 blocks [3/3] [UUU] > > unused devices: > livecd ~ # mdadm --misc --stop /dev/md1 > mdadm: stopped /dev/md1 > livecd ~ # cat /proc/mdstat > Personalities : [raid0] [raid1] [raid6] [raid5] [raid4] [raid10] > unused devices: > livecd ~ # > > > Everything I expect to see on /boot seems to be there when using ls. > > =C2=A0 Note that one possible clue - when the Intel BIOS screen first > comes up I see some hex digits flashing around in the lower right. > I've not seen this before on other machines and I beleive the > motherboard (DX58SO) does support some sort of RAID in hardware so > maybe there's confusion there? I've not selected RAID in BIOS but > possible it's trying to be too clever? > > =C2=A0 Let me know what other info might be needed. I have concerns a= bout > this install and will likely blow it away today and do a new one but = I > figured maybe there's an opportunity to learn here before I do that. > > Cheers, > Mark > -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-raid" i= n the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html