software raid 1 does not boot without Opensuse DVD

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Hi,

I’ve just installed opensuse 11.1 on an old P3 system with a new sata controller card and two 1 TB harddisks. I’ve partitioned the disks as software RAID 1 for all partitions (root, boot, swap and home). Installation went smoothly, at least there was no error message, but after restarting the system and adjusting the boot sequence in the bios, the system still refuses to boot. I only get a generic “There is no active partition on the hard drive” message, apparently from my bios?

However, I can start the system by booting off the OpenSuse 11.1 installation DVD and choosing the default “Boot from hard disk” option. Grub does not seem to start.

Here’s the output I get from parted:

Model: ATA SAMSUNG HD103UI (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 1000GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags

 1      8225kB  107MB   98.7MB  primary  ext3         , , , , raid, , , , , type
=fd, ,
 2      107MB   2254MB  2147MB  primary  linux-swap   , , , , raid, , , , , type
=fd, ,
 3      2254MB  23.7GB  21.5GB  primary  ext3         , , , , raid, , , , , type
=fd, ,
 4      23.7GB  1000GB  976GB   primary  ext3         , , , , raid, , , , , type
=fd, ,


Model: ATA SAMSUNG HD103UI (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 1000GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags

 1      8225kB  107MB   98.7MB  primary  ext3         , , , , raid, , , , , type
=fd, ,
 2      107MB   2254MB  2147MB  primary  linux-swap   , , , , raid, , , , , type
=fd, ,
 3      2254MB  23.7GB  21.5GB  primary  ext3         , , , , raid, , , , , type
=fd, ,
 4      23.7GB  1000GB  976GB   primary               , , , , raid, , , , , type
=fd, ,


Model: Unknown (unknown)
Disk /dev/md2: 21.5GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number  Start  End     Size    File system  Flags
 1      0.00B  21.5GB  21.5GB  ext3         , , , , , , , , , , ,


Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr0 read-write (Read-only file system).  /dev/sr0
has been opened read-only.
Error: /dev/sr0: unrecognised disk label

Model: Unknown (unknown)
Disk /dev/md1: 2147MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number  Start  End     Size    File system  Flags
 1      0.00B  2147MB  2147MB  linux-swap   , , , , , , , , , , ,


Model: Unknown (unknown)
Disk /dev/md0: 98.7MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number  Start  End     Size    File system  Flags
 1      0.00B  98.7MB  98.7MB  ext3         , , , , , , , , , , ,


Model: Unknown (unknown)
Disk /dev/md3: 976GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number  Start  End    Size   File system  Flags
 1      0.00B  976GB  976GB  ext3         , , , , , , , , , , ,

What can I do to make the system boot without a dvd?

Thanks in advance for your help,

Adrian

#2

Hi,

Hmmmm, you can’t boot from a software RAID. To make a software RAID work the software must have been loaded. Before booting the software is not loaded. So what you try to do is to load the software to make the device work from the device you want to make work. That won’t work. :wink: Why do you have a RAID 1 for / and /boot? Will you change the system that often that an image backup won’t be enough? Running swap on a mirrored RAID is just (sorry) stupid. The disadvantage of RAID 1 is that it makes the system slower. In case that the system needs to swap it is slow enough. Don’t make it even slower. It is stupid cause on swap are no data which you need to mirror. AFAIK swap is cleaned on every boot.

hth

Bye

Erik

#3

Of course you can boot from software RAID1. Better not tell my computer that it’s not possible or it may stop working. :slight_smile: I have / on md0 and /home on md1. The RAID modules have to be in the initrd so that the kernel can assemble the arrays and mount them.

The OP’s problem probably has to do with GRUB not installed properly on the disks. Usually this is set up correctly by the installer, but sometimes it fails and has to be corrected manually, running grub once on each disk. Another possibility is that the OP’s motherboard cannot boot off the add-on SATA controller.

#4

Hi,

You have also /boot on a RAID1?

Bye

Erik

#5

Sure, it’s part of /.

#6

Here is a nice article about setting up software RAID. Maybe this will help diagnose your problem.

Quick HOWTO : Ch26 : Linux Software RAID - Linux Home Networking