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#1 2011-02-11 05:31:38

Xyzk
Member
Registered: 2007-04-30
Posts: 44

Arch, Windows and RAID

Okaaay, So I tried to install Arch on to my new desktop, together with Windows7, I should add I`ve done it on the RAID array +1 SSD disk and installed GRUB2 instead of grub1.

More precisely:
Using fake raid I`ve created RAID 0 array of 3 500GB disks. The Windows and the / directory of linux are on other disk, SSD 60GB Patriot inferno. The /swap /usr /home  /tmp are on the RAID array. Everything went well, till the point where I was supposed to do this while installing grub2:

# sudo modprobe dm-mod

don`t remember the error, I`ve simply ommited the step and went on, suprisingly everything went well. Rebooted the system, the grub works, checked the Arch linux- not working. Error while checking Filesystems. The error:

fsck.ext4: No such file or directory while trying to open /dev/sda3 Possibly non existent device?

************** FILESYSTEM CHECK FAILED ***************
Please repair manually and reboot. Note that the root file
system is currently mountes read-only. To remount it 
read-write type: mount -n -o remount,rw / When you exit
the maintence shell the system will reboot automatically.
*******************************************************************

Okay I thought, I`ll se to that later, first check if windows works. I run windows- once again some error, but I knew It could happen as I was not sure of the path I`ve given to the grub. I changed it, and everything went well. Okay I think, time to check the archlinux and see how I can fix the error. I run it and.... everything goes just fine? Wut? Well, I`m happy with that. I change root password and reboot system to create new partition for windows on unallocated space on RAID matrix. Reboot, back to arch (wanted to install GPU). The system halts at "::Starting udev". After 5min I get bored, reboot. Try to launch arch- but once again the error I had at the very beginning (Filesystem check failed). And again. No luck in running it succesfully again. Any ideas?

Additional info about hardware:
Motherboard Asus M4A87TD EVO
3x 500GB HDD working on fake RAID 0
1x SSD 60GB

About partitions:
Just a note- Windows sees all partitions (including linux ones)
/dev/sda1 windows
/dev/sda2 windows
/dev/sda3 linux root directory

/dev/mapper/pdc_dbfejaidd1  swap
/dev/mapper/pdc_dbfejaidd5  usr
/dev/mapper/pdc_dbfejaidd6  tmp
/dev/mapper/pdc_dbfejaidd3  home
all linux partitions should be ext4 (it`s possible i`ve pressed accidentally and selected other partition but well, chances are small)

the grub Archlinux boot info

setparams 'Arch Linux, with Linux vmlinuz26'

load_video
linsmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos3)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuis --set=root 34e2754d-173d-4244-b18d-8889\
b378cabc
echo 'Loading Linux vmlinuz26 ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/34e2754d-173d-4244-b18d\
-8889b378cabc ro quiet
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/kernel26.img

I`d be grateful for any help

[edit]
Okaay so Sth happened. I rebooted the system, logged in to windows, removed the partition I added, rebooted, run linux- everythings fine. The problem is, after once again rebooting, the bios raid utility was scanning for drives longer than before, and after this arch once again didn`t want to boot. This time it simply halts at waiting for UDev events to be processed (while BUSY). sad

[edit2]
The great return of Filesystem Check Failed! YEEEY! What the.... The only thing I did this time was launch windows and entering the partitioning tool without changing anything. No idea what`s wrong.

[edit3]
Just afeter edit 2 i again rebooted the system- everything works fine... I`m getting lost. Very very lost.

Last edited by Xyzk (2011-02-11 13:21:29)

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#2 2011-02-13 05:37:09

imatechguy
Arch Linux f@h Team Member
Registered: 2010-03-22
Posts: 66

Re: Arch, Windows and RAID

It's been a while since I've done an install so I could be basing this on outdated information but if I remember correctly:
1) Swap doesn't like being split across a Raid-0; you can have two individual swap partitions but not a single partition spread across a Raid-0
2) /boot doesn't like being on ext4 so if you have / on an ext4 partition on the SSD then that may be compounding your issues.

I don't know your space requirements so some things to consider are whether or not you really need a swap partition let alone 1.5Tb for /usr /tmp and /home.  Because I really doubt you're getting much benefit from your current Raid-0 setup.  Consider doing a Raid-1, for a basic start on a data loss prevention plan, with two of the 500Gb drives for /home, maybe /usr or /var two depending on your needs and using the 3rd 500Gb drive for swap if you really need it and a second partion as a shared point for documents, email folders, music and stuff that you'd want to share between 'doze and Arch.

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