set hard drive device names

English Install/Boot/Login
1

I installed 12.2 on a system with three hard drives. After boot they are designated in /dev as sda, sdb and sdc. Now I want to take sdb offline because it’s a backup drive and doesn’t have any system files. But when I take the sdb drive out and reboot, of course the former sdc drive becomes /dev/sdb and things don’t work the same. Mainly KDE crashes, but I suspect other things will have problems with the changing device name.

How can I assign persistent device names to specific hard drives? I see that the UDEV system can do this, but I don’t know how to implement it. Can anyone help me with this or point me in the right direction?

thanks, Jay

2

sdX names are not persistent and will never be. Do not use them. Use any of persistent aliases created under /dev/disk or simply use by-label or by-UUID mounting (mount LABEL=file-system-label or UUID=file-system-uuid).

3

That is a bit strange, because an openSUSE installation uses the /dev/disk/by-id links by default in it’s fstab, GRUB configuration and even in the initrd it creates IIRC. Did you change there during installation that you have problems?

I also do not understand at all why KDE should crash on this. After all KDE is a (bunch of) user programs that shouldn’t care about storage devices, but only use the directory tree. But as you give no details at all about this crash, very many people will be able to give you advice on it.

4

On 2013-02-14 08:06, jaiguevara wrote:

> How can I assign persistent device names to specific hard drives? I see
> that the UDEV system can do this, but I don’t know how to implement it.
> Can anyone help me with this or point me in the right direction?

Persistent names have been used by default since several years. Where
have you been?

Just use any of the available devices under “/dev/disk/by-something/*”.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

5

Thanks for the advice. I’m obviously a little shaky on newer features in OpenSuse, so thanks for indulging me.

I think I totally misread my problem. Actually, /etc/fstab is using the default by-id links. But I looked at the boot-loader utility in Yast and found that the boot partition is set to a ‘custom boot partition’ which is on the drive I want to remove! This probably explains why the system boots into a text console instead of KDE when I remove the drive.

Now I’m looking at moving the boot partition, which seems possible but makes me a little nervous.

6

Well. that “new” is relative. It is already like that for years. :wink:

YaST will show you the disks and partitions with their indication as they are at that moment. It will eventualy wtite something to a disk (partition), but that will then of course stay with that disk. And you should tell Yast to use another partition then it offers as default. Of course when that is a a partition on a disk where you can boot from.

And btw you seem to have a seperate boot partition, which is new in the discussion here. Better do not tell such things casualy, but explain from the beginning what you have, what you want and how you thing you want to do that change. And not restricted to"story telling", but backed with computer facts like an

fdisk -l

listing in this case. It makes it that much easier for others to understand you and your case.

7

Which version of openSUSE are you using actually?

I once had a problem, because I wanted to save photographs to an external SCSI hard disk under openSUSE 10.2.

To get this external hard disk mounted using the partitioner in YaST worked fine,
but I forgot to unmount it and to indirectly remove it from /etc/fstab, using the partitioner in YaST again, before shutdown.

That resulted in a really bad day, and a bad crash.

Under Linux (or openSUSE) you just not seem to be able to set hard drive names (or just plug and unplug hard drives)
in an easy way, like e.g. under older versions of MacOS (8 or 9).

So you seem to need a new setup for the bootloader.

The OP wants to remove a hard disk, so ‘fdisk -l’ would probably reflect the state of the system before that.
Or it would reflect an unusuable/unbootable system when ‘fdisk -l’ is called after removing the hard disk.

Good luck
Mike

8

Interestingly, plugging and unplugging of devices like hard disks even under openSUSE 10.2 worked just fine as long as that were USB devices.

But the same didn’t apply to internal hard disks (connected by e.g. IDE or SCSI) !!

9

I can answer this for him because it is the third word in his first post in this thread: 12.2

Yes, of course, that is why I ask.

10

OK here is some actual non-story type info: fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 20.0 GB, 20020396032 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2434 cylinders, total 39102336 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000b488f

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048    39100415    19549184   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 13.0 GB, 13020069888 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1582 cylinders, total 25429824 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimaDisk /dev/sda: 20.0 GB, 20020396032 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2434 cylinders, total 39102336 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000b488f

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048    39100415    19549184   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 13.0 GB, 13020069888 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1582 cylinders, total 25429824 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000102f9

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1              63    25414829    12707383+  83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdc: 300.1 GB, 300069052416 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 36481 cylinders, total 586072368 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00066b98

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1            2048     4192255     2095104   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc2         4192256   213905407   104856576   83  Linux
/dev/sdc3       213905408   586072063   186083328   8e  Linux LVM

Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--opt: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--tmp: 10.7 GB, 10737418240 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1305 cylinders, total 20971520 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--usr--local: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--var: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
l): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000102f9

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1              63    25414829    12707383+  83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdc: 300.1 GB, 300069052416 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 36481 cylinders, total 586072368 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00066b98

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1            2048     4192255     2095104   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc2         4192256   213905407   104856576   83  Linux
/dev/sdc3       213905408   586072063   186083328   8e  Linux LVM

Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--opt: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--tmp: 10.7 GB, 10737418240 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1305 cylinders, total 20971520 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--usr--local: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--var: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Here’s /etc/fstab,

/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3300631A_5NF1AQ8M-part1 swap                 swap       defaults              0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST320011A_3HT058D3-part1 /                    ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3300631A_5NF1AQ8M-part2 /home                ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
/dev/VG01/lv-opt     /opt                 ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
/dev/VG01/lv-tmp     /tmp                 ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
/dev/VG01/lv-usr-local /usr/local           ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
/dev/VG01/lv-var     /var                 ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
proc                 /proc                proc       defaults              0 0
sysfs                /sys                 sysfs      noauto                0 0
debugfs              /sys/kernel/debug    debugfs    noauto                0 0
usbfs                /proc/bus/usb        usbfs      noauto                0 0
devpts               /dev/pts             devpts     mode=0620,gid=5       0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_AC313000R_WD-WT6760136246
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_AC313000R_WD-WT6760136246-part1 /arch                reiserfs   defaults              1 2

I’d really like to be able to shut off /dev/sdb, AKA /dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_AC313000R_WD-WT6760136246, because it’s old and it whines. But I want to be able to start it up when I need it.

11

I almost am too baffled to answer at all. I also hardly know where to start. Thus, in no particular sequence:

. When you post computer text, please, please, do so completley. Do not tell “Here’s fstab”, but copy/paste the prompt, the command (probably cat /etc/fstab), the output and the next prompt in one mouse sweep in between the CODE tags. That will tell as as much as possible while you doing less. We want to read the command you use. We want to see the prompt, it tells us things.

. Tightly knot to the above: I can not believe that what you call “OK here is some actual non-story type info: fdisk -l” is realy what you say. Things are there twice. Things are there mixed up. In short, I do not believe that that is even the output of fdisk -l.

. You happily hoped that we are clairvoyant enough to know what you are doing with sdc that becomes sdb in your case. We of course are not. Thus the fact that you use it for LVM now comes as a complete surprise! It means of course that the LVM configuration must be thouroughfully scrutinized. IMHO a fact that should even have gone in your thread title to draw the attention of the few LVM gurus that might visit here. But you ignored it completely. And by NOT posting any computer facts kept it secret for two days.

. I asked for details about that crash also two days ago. You did not even bother to give any answer on it. Not even “Sorry, I can not find any detail”. A personal question: What would you think yourself of a discussion partner that ignores your questions all the time?

. I see that the LVs are to be mounted on /opt, /var, /tmp and /usr/local All of these are more or less important parts of the system. I think that when you find that KDE crashes on it, that is only a minor peroblem. I am amazed that the system runs at all.

. As a side note: Why are you having these file sysyems on separate containers (I can think about reasons for one or two of them, but this is an strange mix) and why using LVM? Non of the reasons why I would use LVM (combining disks, creating RAID) is applicable here. But this is just curiousity. You should of course decide that yourself.

In short, please post correct, unabriviated, unchanged, complete computer facts. And when using LVM that does of course not mean only fdisk -l, but also the appropriate LVM listings like pvdisplay, vgdisplay,…). Try to think ahead. Try to help the people that try to help you in providing information. Try to understand that your configuration is unique (Linux has many, many possibilities) and that nobody can guess what you have over there, what you type and what you see.

12

On 2013-02-16 09:46, jaiguevara wrote:
>
> OK here is some actual non-story type info: fdisk -l
>


> --------------------
>     Disk /dev/sda: 20.0 GB, 20020396032 bytes
>   255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2434 cylinders, total 39102336 sectors

....

>   Disk /dev/sdb: 13.0 GB, 13020069888 bytes
>   255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1582 cylinders, total 25429824 sectors

....

>   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
>   /dev/sda1   *        2048    39100415    19549184   83  Linux


Huh? sda again, not sdb?



>   Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--var: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
>   255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
>   Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
>   Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
>   I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
>   l): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
>   Disk identifier: 0x000102f9
>
>   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
>   /dev/sdb1              63    25414829    12707383+  83  Linux

sdb again here mixed with LVs?

What you posted is completely unreliable, please repeat correctly.

And it is also missing the commands used, like this:


Telcontar:~ # fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

....

No need to say “this is the output of fdisk”, because we can see the
command producing the output in there.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

13

If that hard disk is part of a LV (logical volume) you’re right to do so, because LVs seem to have a single point of failure
in case an LV is using space on several hard disks: if only one of those disks fails, usually all data in the respective LV is gone.

Now, beyond that background, i.e. if this disk is part of an LV, that to me appears to be completely illogical.

But even in case this hard disk wouldn’t be used for a LV, usually one wouldn’t want to go on using this one.
Which data would you want to store on, or read from it, when this disk no longer is reliable ?

14

OK I’ll try to be clearer about what I’m working with. Sorry about the garbled
fdisk output, I must have pasted again when doing the Code quotation. I’ll
try again and follow the suggestions.

  1. As stated, I want to be able to remove my current /dev/sdb drive from the
    system and have it still come up in OpenSuse 12.2 and KDE. This drive was
    used to store things I needed from the previous 11.0 installation. Now 12.2
    works fine and I no longer need the drive.

  2. I made a big mistake in putting the grub2 Custom Boot Partition on this
    drive during installation. I don’t know of any command line tool to show
    this, I’m just telling what the Yast2-Boot Loader says.

I don’t know if it’s possible to move the boot partition without making the
system unbootable. I’d like to avoid reinstalling.

  1. Why LVM? Just for fun I guess. Also, I didn’t want to put all the system
    files on the root fs on the /dev/sda disk because it seemed a little tight
    for space. Giving /opt /var /tmp /usr/local the option to expand seemed
    reasonable. I didn’t realize use of LVM complicates things so much.

  2. The reason for the crash seems obvious after I realized the boot
    partition was on the drive I removed. I didn’t think additional details
    will help much.

  3. Back to the original question, so the way to label hard drives is with
    the labels under /dev/disk/by-id rather than /dev/sda etc. I’m not sure
    which way is being used, since /etc/fstab shows the by-id. If I’m not using
    the persistent labels can I change this?

home> df
Filesystem                      1K-blocks    Used Available Use% Mounted on
rootfs                           19483604 8093944  10412204  44% /
devtmpfs                           505112      36    505076   1% /dev
tmpfs                              513904     100    513804   1% /dev/shm
tmpfs                              513904     912    512992   1% /run
/dev/sda1                        19483604 8093944  10412204  44% /
tmpfs                              513904       0    513904   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
tmpfs                              513904       0    513904   0% /media
/dev/mapper/VG01-lv--tmp         10452404  287792   9640324   3% /tmp
/dev/sdb1                        12706936 1622256  11084680  13% /arch
/dev/mapper/VG01-lv--usr--local   2092000   96472   1890672   5% /usr/local
/dev/mapper/VG01-lv--var          2092000  676084   1311060  35% /var
/dev/mapper/VG01-lv--opt          2092000  443412   1543732  23% /opt
tmpfs                              513904     912    512992   1% /var/lock
tmpfs                              513904     912    512992   1% /var/run
/dev/sdc2                       104692276 6445040  97198672   7% /home

> fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 20.0 GB, 20020396032 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2434 cylinders, total 39102336 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000b488f

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048    39100415    19549184   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 13.0 GB, 13020069888 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1582 cylinders, total 25429824 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000102f9

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1              63    25414829    12707383+  83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdc: 300.1 GB, 300069052416 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 36481 cylinders, total 586072368 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00066b98

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1            2048     4192255     2095104   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc2         4192256   213905407   104856576   83  Linux
/dev/sdc3       213905408   586072063   186083328   8e  Linux LVM

Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--opt: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--tmp: 10.7 GB, 10737418240 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1305 cylinders, total 20971520 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--usr--local: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/mapper/VG01-lv--var: 2147 MB, 2147483648 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 261 cylinders, total 4194304 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

> cat /etc/fstab
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3300631A_5NF1AQ8M-part1 swap                 swap       defaults              0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST320011A_3HT058D3-part1 /                    ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3300631A_5NF1AQ8M-part2 /home                ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
/dev/VG01/lv-opt     /opt                 ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
/dev/VG01/lv-tmp     /tmp                 ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
/dev/VG01/lv-usr-local /usr/local           ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
/dev/VG01/lv-var     /var                 ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 2
proc                 /proc                proc       defaults              0 0
sysfs                /sys                 sysfs      noauto                0 0
debugfs              /sys/kernel/debug    debugfs    noauto                0 0
usbfs                /proc/bus/usb        usbfs      noauto                0 0
devpts               /dev/pts             devpts     mode=0620,gid=5       0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_AC313000R_WD-WT6760136246-part1 /arch                reiserfs   defaults              1 2

tmp> pvdisplay
  --- Physical volume ---
  PV Name               /dev/sdc3
  VG Name               VG01
  PV Size               177.46 GiB / not usable 2.00 MiB
  Allocatable           yes 
  PE Size               4.00 MiB
  Total PE              45430
  Free PE               41334
  Allocated PE          4096
  PV UUID               B5LMI3-i42T-SW8Y-tCQq-BUkC-tzbr-NOtkhb
   
tmp> vgdisplay
  --- Volume group ---
  VG Name               VG01
  System ID             
  Format                lvm2
  Metadata Areas        1
  Metadata Sequence No  5
  VG Access             read/write
  VG Status             resizable
  MAX LV                0
  Cur LV                4
  Open LV               4
  Max PV                0
  Cur PV                1
  Act PV                1
  VG Size               177.46 GiB
  PE Size               4.00 MiB
  Total PE              45430
  Alloc PE / Size       4096 / 16.00 GiB
  Free  PE / Size       41334 / 161.46 GiB
  VG UUID               rKNEOZ-OPBu-xpxC-2NMK-y2ME-8Hj6-vz1sz0
15

This is a lot of valuable information and gives a good idea on what youhave. Thanks.

I will not be able to solve all and everything here, but can help to identify the different points that need attention and then hopefully others with more detailed knowledge on such a point will tune in.

  1. As /dev/sdb1 is now used mountd on /arch, you should of course remove the corresponding line from your /etc/fstab to prevent a trial to mount it on next reboot.

  2. You are correct that all that has to to with booting and GRUB must ne moved (or recreated) on /dev/sda first. As GRUB2 is rather new, and not everybody did much experimenting you depend here on a few “gurus” on GRUB2. But your thread title does not menstion GRUB2 at all, thus it may be needed to start a new thread with a title like: “How do I move my GRUB2 from sdb to sda” (or similar). But first, does YaST > System > Bootloader realy not allow you to create a bootloader config, etc. on sda? I have only one disk and when I start this, sda is mentioned in the window but greyed out. In your case I assume that you can choose there.

  3. About the LVM configuration. I am not sure here, I had not much LVM experience the last years. You have seen that /dev/sdc1 is mentioned in the pvdisplay listing. But all entities in LVM (PVs, VG, etc.) do also have UUIDs. When you do a

vgdisplay -v

(no need to post here), you will see that the VG knows the UUID of the PV you have. Thus it could be that LVM goes smoothely. But you have to watch and check.
In any case, my advice would be to use vgcfgbackup (see the man page) to make a backup of the LVM configuration before the action.

  1. Your original question is in the mean time answered I assume. openSUSE does work with persistent names in fstab and in boot configurations and other places. No need for you to change. I may be wrong, but you seem to think that where ever you see sda, etc. you think that is due to the usage of non-persistent names somewhere. It isn’t. The by-id (and friends) names are only symbolic links generated by udev. The system will always come back with the non-persistent names. Thus when your fstab contains a line with a by-id name, the mount statment (and df) will show sdb2 today and sda2 tomorrow if you change the number of disks during the night. Your original question is only about what you thought was causing the problem. It isn’t. That is why the title of your thread isn’t covering your problem (these are: “how to move GRUB?” and “does my LVM survive this?”)

HTH

16

If I get you right, you still have that “grub2 Custom Boot Partition” on just that drive that you want to remove.

Based on the output you posted and the sizes of the hard disk obvious from that, along with the details of your setup obvious from that,
I currently don’t see a single reason, why you should use Grub2 instead of legacy Grub.
The latter still just serves my needs on a recent core-i5 PC with a single 2TB hard disk, dual booting openSUSE 12.1 and windows7,
like it did before on an older Pentium III PC with 3 small hard disks of size 12-16GB each.

It sounds so nice & easy to have expandable volumes, but things get complicated if the hardware doesn’t run perfectly well anymore
while you don’t know on the other hand where your data physically is stored.

Besides, this isn’t unique to Linux, as windows/MS provide a very similar technique.

You can change many things using the partitioner through YaST.

You can even assign ‘Volume Labels’ there, which at least help you to recognize with which partition/volume you’re currently dealing with while using YaST-partitioner.

OK, to sum up:

(1) You have 3 hard disks, the first 2 of which are really small, one of 20GB and one of 13GB, where you want to get rid of the second one,
because it’s beginning to show signs of failure.

(2) You have set up a logical volume (LV), of which only 16GB to 20GB seems to be in use.

(3) You installed Grub2, by that creating a boot partition on the 2nd (failing) 13GB hard disk.

What would I do ?

Buy myself a 250GB to 500GB hard disk (possibly 2nd hand), which isn’t too expensive.

Save the contents of the LV on that one.

Get rid of the LV, which in the end doesn’t seem to be of any real practical advantage for you.

Re-install openSUSE 12.2.
I read your postings - you would like to avoid that - but on the other hand, how much time does it really take for a new install ?
Especially when compared to the time needed for dealing with difficulties involved with adapting your current setup ?
This is simple.

(edit: replaced ‘use’ by ‘advantage’)

17

A P.S.:

It could be useful if you reserve space for two / (or root) partitions in the first parts of the space of two of your hard disks,
to be able to take advantage of newer versions of openSUSE more frequently.

With the aim to have a dual boot of different versions of openSUSE.

So you could try out a newer system (like 12.3 coming soon) while at the same time being able to still use an older system that worked for you.

(edit: added ‘still’)