RAID autodetect?

Paul Lussier p.lussier at comcast.net
Sun Nov 27 22:25:01 EST 2005


Benjamin Scott <dragonhawk at iname.com> writes:

> On Nov 23 at 11:45pm, Paul Lussier wrote:
>>> I have a system with a software RAID array, and I'm trying to have the
>>> kernel autodetect during boot.
>>
>> Do you have a properly configured /etc/raidtab ?
>
>    FWIW/FYI: with RAID autodetect, you don't need /etc/raidtab (or any
>    other config file) to find your RAID arrays.  That's the point.
>    The kernel looks for the partition type "magic numbers" and
>    assembles your RAID arrays "on the fly" during boot.  Otherwise,
>    you'd need to pass complicated RAID parameters to the kernel at
>    boot, or boot off a non-RAID device.

I wasn't certain it wasn't needed.  I suspected as much, given that
one usually marks the partitions with those magic numbers, but then
again, creating the raidtab is something I've always "just done".
Perhaps I like some kind of config file as documentation for what's
going on on the system :) It certainly makes it easier to change your
config "on the fly" if you have a config, since you can clearly see
what's configured before you muck with it, and if the file has the
wrong syntax, the mdadm commands will tell you...

> On Nov 24 at 7:21pm, Paul Lussier wrote:
>> I think mkinitrd is a Linux thing, not distribution-specific.
>
>    I believe it originated at Red Hat, and has since been adopted by
>    several other distros (typically, with heavy modification).  The
>    power of FOSS at work.

Really?  It wouldn't surprise me, but then again, I've played with so
many distros over the years, who started what has long ceased to be
important or memorable :)

>> If I'm wrong, I'm sure Ben will pipe up with a 3-4 page incredibly
>> detailed explanation of what I'm confusing ;)
>
>    I'm thinking I should be feeling insulted, but can't quite figure
>    out what to be insulted about.  ;-)
>
> -- Ben "I resemble that remark" Scott

I certainly didn't intend to be insulting, merely pointing out that
you almost always correct me when I'm wrong or mistaken ;)

-- 

Seeya,
Paul



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