A Hardware RAID install howto

[BernieKe]

A Hardware RAID install howto

I'm using the hpt374 controller (highpoint)
(if you use another controller replace all hpt or highpoint with what suits you)

1. apart from what is written here: follow the installation docs!!!
   
2. boot (using min. a 1.2 install-disk)
   
3. type (this will create the raiddevice)
   

   Code:

   insmod ataraid insmod hptraid fdisk /dev/ataraid/disc0/disc

   
   
4. when making filesystem: use the /dev/ataraid/disc0/partX notation
   
5. when choosing kernel-options: select hpt366 chipset support, support for IDE Raid controllers and Highpoint 370 software RAID
   
6. in fstab: use the /dev/ataraid/disc0/partX notation
   
7. instead of grub, i suggest using lilo
   

   Code:

   emerge lilo cp /etc/lilo.conf.example /etc/lilo.conf nano -w /etc/lilo.conf

   
   
8. when editing lilo.conf:
   
   
   
   • as bootdevice: select the first hd of your raid-setup (in my case: hde)
     
   • and as root: use the /dev/ataraid/d0pX notation
     
   
   
9. type (X is your root partition number):
   

   Code:

   exit ln -s /dev/ataraid/disc0/partX /dev/ataraid/d0pX mount -o bind /dev mnt/gentoo/dev chroot /mnt/gentoo /bin/bash lilo

   
   normally lilo should succesfully have written to the mbr
   
10. exit, umount everything (including the /mnt/gentoo/dev !!!) and reboot
    if you are unable to umount /mnt/gentoo, make sure you have umounted
    the other mounts in /mnt/gentoo and try logout, after loging out, try to umount again, it should work now
    
11. PRAY, no, seriously, this should work!!!
    

hope this helps someone,
Bernard
aka BernieKe

[klieber]

moving this to tips and tricks. You might also want to consider submitting this to the documentation forum. (probably needs to be cleaned up a bit to make the formatting consistent with the other documentation.)

--kurt
_________________
The problem with political jokes is that they get elected

[col]

Note that the kernel module only supports raid 0. Consider using the highoint driver which fully supports raid 0 , 1 hotswap & more.... Here is a guide :
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=18894&highlight=highpoint

[BernieKe]

UPDATES:

1. as it seems the 1.4r1 and 1.4r2 cd's aren't capable of recognising the raidvolumes (probably because of the kernel they use (see below)), use the 1.2 iso !!!! (at least until there's a new iso that does work ;-) )
   
2. use kernel gentoo-sources 2.4.19r7, since -at least- r9,r10 and vanilla 2.4.20 DON'T work (not for me and several other people),
   the best thing to do would be to use r7, make sure everything works, and then try out other kernels if desired
   

i thought these were quite essential updates ;-)

[quiettype]

Just my 5c worth (and first post) :