Problems with installing Mandrake 9.2 on Adaptec 1200a RAID

[SeekingAdvice 0]

) Attempting to install 9.2 onto a RAID 1 adaptec 1200a hard disk configuration.

2) Receive error message: "swapon (ataraid/d0p5) failed: Device/Resource Busy" when I attempt to format the partitions set up during the install process.

 

3)have also attempted to place the swap partition on a not RAID drive that is also installed but same error message

 

4) Hardware: Precision Dell 210 workstation, Adapter 1200A RAID card 2 x 60GB Maxtor hard disc (new) set up prior as RAID 1 (mirrored) configuration.

 

4) Questions: How can I diagnose what is causing the problem?

I am using the default driver in the Mabndrake 9.2 . Should I be using a new driver? Any help really appreciated

 

Chris

[danleff 0]

From what I have read, this raid setup is not supported.

 

See the following Mandrake bug report;

 

https://qa.mandrakesoft.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1999

[SeekingAdvice 0]

Thanks for the reply I thought that too... but checking the Mandrake hardware compatibility list confirms that other users have been successful in getting 9.2 running using the card. My motive for putting the question up is to seek:

1) advice on how I could diagnose the problem

2) obtain advice from the users who have got it running under 9.2 and how they achieved this.

3) should I be even bothering and should consider another RAID card from another manufacturer?

Chris

[danleff 0]

I understand your questions. This issue, as I see it is how Mandrake sees the raid array and how it handles it.

 

An axample, I had a raid board, but set up as IDE drives. No raid array, just three drives, one connected to the primary raid connector.

 

Lindows saw the primary drive as hda (as most distros would see it).

 

Mandrake saw the same drive as hde, in a sense, seeing the primary drive in reverse. It took me a while to figure this out and tell Lindow's Lilo to reverse the drive designations, after finding a solution searching Google.

 

Quote:

1) advice on how I could diagnose the problem

 

You already know this, Mandrake is seeing the raid array in a way that will not allow the distro to be installed. It doesn't work right now for your purposes.

 

Quote:

2) obtain advice from the users who have got it running under 9.2 and how they achieved this.

 

Hopefully someone here may have an answer, but, as you have already done, search for possible solutions and see if any are reasonable for your level of expertise in implementing the solutions.

 

Usually when Mandrake staff say it isn't supported, what they mean is that there is no easy solution that is feasible for most users, or that is proven to work most of the time (is reliable enough to implement).

 

The problem here is a failure on install, which often is more problematic than solving an issue once a system is up.

 

Quote:

3) should I be even bothering and should consider another RAID card from another manufacturer?

 

This depends on how determined you are to use Mandrake and find/implement a solution. Again, your comfort level in implementing the solution, if found.

 

I am not a raid expert, but it looks like this will not be very easy to solve. Your best bet is to follow the leads, and if you are daring, try the solutions suggested.

 

One word of caution - if this is your main box, be aware that you could trash or disable the data already on the drives in the process. So if you are going to experiment with an unproven solution, be careful.

 

What I would be curious to know, is what happens when you try a cd live based distro? Can it ID your drives... this will give you an idea on how feasible it may be to proceed. Of course, use a recent version of a cd live based distro to give you a proper trial.

[SeekingAdvice 0]

Thanks for your helpful and comprehensive comments.

 

You have highlighted precisely why I remain puzzled why I am having problems and why I have not dismissed completely using Mandrake under this card. Some key points are:

1) the install process (as far as it gets) recognises the RAID 1 array (2 x 60GB drives) as a singe drive and partitions root, home, usr, swap as ATARAID/hde etc

2) It formats the partitions without error - though I say this with caution because format to ext3 reverts to ext2 when I reboot

3) The install process stumbles when it appears to access the Swap partition

4) If I use the autoallocate option on the unpartitioned area of the RAID array it does not create a swap partition. Hence my focus on the swap partition as an issue.

 

I am looking for guidance on whether the logs will give me a clue but being a newbie I am not sure how to go about this. The install process doesn't seem to give much option here except "expert" mode (which I am already using)

 

Your idea of using one of the CD live distro is a good one, I will try this The fact that I can interact at the ATARAID level during install implies to me that the drive is being recognised as a valid drive so I wonder if this action may be inconclusive.....

Chris