Arch Linux

memory_leak

Member

Registered: 2015-03-02

Posts: 43

Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

Just a quick question:

Has anyone tested to install and boot Arch on raid 0 array with two (or more) nvme drives? I have 2x950 pros and would like to run Arch on raid 0 array, so just wonder if anyone has tested it yet? Are there any special issues to take care of, or it works just out of the box so to say? I am used to Grub as boot loader so it is nice if it works with raid 0.

Last edited by memory_leak (2016-05-16 14:49:14)

alphaniner

Member

From: Ancapistan

Registered: 2010-07-12

Posts: 2,810

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

Are you talking fakeraid or mdadm?

---

But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.
-Lysander Spooner

memory_leak

Member

Registered: 2015-03-02

Posts: 43

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

fakeraid

alphaniner

Member

From: Ancapistan

Registered: 2010-07-12

Posts: 2,810

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

Here's one case where the answer was no.

---

But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.
-Lysander Spooner

frostschutz

Member

Registered: 2013-11-15

Posts: 1,416

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

Why do you want raid-0? Usually, it doesn't pay off.

memory_leak

Member

Registered: 2015-03-02

Posts: 43

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

Why do you want raid-0? Usually, it doesn't pay off.

I appreciate your concern, but been there done that. Unfortunately only with Windows.

Please, I don't want to be rude, but if I needed opinion on raid-0, pros and cons, I would ask explicitly, don't you think?

Last edited by memory_leak (2016-05-16 20:22:55)

memory_leak

Member

Registered: 2015-03-02

Posts: 43

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

Here's one case where the answer was no.

Thanks.

alphaniner

Member

From: Ancapistan

Registered: 2010-07-12

Posts: 2,810

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

Please, I don't want to be rude, but if I needed opinion on raid-0, pros and cons, I would ask explicitly, don't you think?

I was tempted to ask too, TBH. Often people opt for RAID 0 for the wrong reasons and/or don't understand the risks involved.

---

But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.
-Lysander Spooner

frostschutz

Member

Registered: 2013-11-15

Posts: 1,416

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

So it's for religious reasons...

As long as Linux supports the block device you can RAID it any way you wish. You don't have to worry about boot loader compatibility - even if your boot loader only supported RAID 1 (or, no RAID at all), you'd simply have a small /boot partition (RAID-1 with metadata at the end, or duplicated manually) and put -whatever-you-fancy- on the other partitions that actually hold your data. With Software RAID you can combine things any which way, you're not limit to one level of raid for the whole device.

Good luck.

memory_leak

Member

Registered: 2015-03-02

Posts: 43

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

:-). I know.  What if I am going to tell you I am gonna put 64 gig ram 3200ghz speed in that machine and use it for big ram disk too? I figured out it is gonna be insane fast to recompile kernel and gcc so why not? :-)

I know, whenever I speak about raid 0 on some forum, there is a guy who has to tell me the risks involved etc ....sorry I was just expected it to come

I need both windows and linux, I am a developer and earn money quite often by developing and automating MS office solutions, a lot of Access VBA programming. I also play some games from time to time. Last week I actually got over two sticks of 950 pros for the price of almost one, so let's have some fun . My original thought was to give one to linux and another one to windows, but than, why not try raid 0 and split array into two partitions, one for linux and another for windows. I even have thoughts of giving all space to linux and run windows only in VM, should be really fast too. I just want the raw speed and less latency due to double queue of two drives. 950 pro is already speedy beast, but if I can run it even faster why not :-) How could world progress if we don't experiment . According to some benchmarks there is 40% speed up in writes and 80% speedup in reads in raid 0 with 2xm.2 (they also used 950pros I think).

I actually never had problems with raid 0 arrays before when I used ordinary sata hdds, but was never able to setup grub and install linux on one. I store all my valuable files on hdds anyway, and for the failure, I don't care if I would have to reinstall OS to be honest.

Yeah, I guess one could call it religious reason too, or simply just because ... :-)

Last edited by memory_leak (2016-05-16 21:57:45)

faktorqm

Member

From: Argentina

Registered: 2012-01-27

Posts: 18

Re: Arch on 2x m.2 nvme raid 0 array?

Hi memory_leak, unnfortunately this is not working currently. Which HDD controller do you have?

Please read my post here with the diagnostic https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=212372 and also I reported a bug here https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/49306 Could you please vote for this bug?

I have the same setup you have. two 950 pros raid 0 setup. Thank you! Regards!