BusyBox / Grub2 / Debian / Installer / RAID5 / Frozen / Stuck

OHPRG Project Director · 10-27-2016, 04:46 AM

Hello All:

I think my subject line about covers it.......

I created a RAID5 using 4x 80GB SATA HDD's
each drive has a 255MB ext2 partion as RAID1
the rest of each disk is (remainder of disk).

16 GB USB stick in one usb slot, Debian 8 Stable installer
255 MB USB stick in another formatted by installer as boot(something)

Made it all the way through the installation up to the point of the main menu when "Install GrubBootloader on..." and the installation pauses awaiting <ENTER>. Using the instructions posted here:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/43036...m-installation

That begin with: (about the 3rd post down) Many of the answers here are just plain incorrect, telling you to disable BIOS RAID! The correct solution is at this blog entry. I'll summarize it below.

I got into the BusyBox Terminal and confirmed my array name.

upon CTL + ALT + F1 to return to install menu screen, I find screen frozen and am unable to type anything press <ENTER> ALT + CTL + DEL to re-boot....just frozen/stuck....

I boot back into the Debian 8 USB in rescue mode get a prompt....
<< What I NEED to do is install GRUB2 either on the array per the instructions >> and get to prompt following another blog I read, I type: set <enter> (the machine responds with information....)

Please see here: http://imgpost.me/img/zXwyjW7/BusyBox.JPG

And have no idea whatsoever to do at this point.....its 2:40am, so I'm turning this over to your collective for advice, I wont be back at this until tomorrow evening.

I have, what I hope and believe to be a good install, just need a bootloader installed (and a step-by-step to do it) from where I am within the installer & bootloader/grub instructions that I am following....I CAN reinstall again, but do not believe it is necessary at this point.

Please review and advise.

Alan

IsaacKuo · 10-27-2016, 07:05 PM

My preference is to put /boot on a normal partition, not a RAID1 array, because it just plain works. My set up would be:

Code:

sda1 = 255MB ext4 /boot    sda2 = RAID5 member
sdb1 = 255MB ext4 /boot2   sdb2 = RAID5 member
sdc1 = 255MB swap          sdc2 = RAID5 member
sdd1 = 255MB swap          sdd2 = RAID5 member

After setting things up, I'd manually copy over the contents of /boot to /boot2 periodically. The Debian 8 installer will have no problem installing GRUB2 to /dev/sda, but installing GRUB2 to /dev/sdb is a little more clever. (I'll describe later if necessary.)

OHPRG Project Director · 10-27-2016, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsaacKuo

My preference is to put /boot on a normal partition, not a RAID1 array, because it just plain works. My set up would be:

Code:

sda1 = 255MB ext4 /boot    sda2 = RAID5 member
sdb1 = 255MB ext4 /boot2   sdb2 = RAID5 member
sdc1 = 255MB swap          sdc2 = RAID5 member
sdd1 = 255MB swap          sdd2 = RAID5 member

After setting things up, I'd manually copy over the contents of /boot to /boot2 periodically. The Debian 8 installer will have no problem installing GRUB2 to /dev/sda, but installing GRUB2 to /dev/sdb is a little more clever. (I'll describe later if necessary.)

That being said.........

How do I get out of where I am right now......?
Sure.....the EASY thing to do is throw the baby out with the bath water and begin anew....
(and NOT do what I did to get me here in the first place and see if I win this time)
Which considering the lack of other responses is just what I plan on doing shortly after I post this....

I will duplicate my steps again, that we will have something to compare against one another....
No sense in letting this go to waste by not learning something eh....?

Alan

I also plan on attempting to not only load GRUB2 on the RAID1 but actually on the RAID5
because when that perfect hand comes along, you bet and you bet big.......

Alan

IsaacKuo · 10-28-2016, 05:01 AM

It's very confusing to try and figure out what you did to get where you are...what you were trying to do, using what documentation, and what the current state is. You don't seem to have a handle on how to administer a system with normal partitions yet, so dealing with software RAID on top of that is a bridge too far. At most, you should be putting only data on a RAID for now. Leave the OS on a normal partition, and practice cloning, multi-boot, transitioning from one normal partition to another.

Importantly, you could start practicing how to install a second install on a second partition so you can use it to rescue another install. In particular, putting a regular install on a USB stick can be an indispensable tool for not only rescuing a system, but also doing useful tasks such as resizing/moving OS partitions.

Remember to use passwords that aren't easy to guess, and don't install ssh unless you'll need it (apt-get install openssh-server).

OHPRG Project Director · 10-28-2016, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsaacKuo

It's very confusing to try and figure out what you did to get where you are...what you were trying to do, using what documentation, and what the current state is. You don't seem to have a handle on how to administer a system with normal partitions yet, so dealing with software RAID on top of that is a bridge too far. At most, you should be putting only data on a RAID for now. Leave the OS on a normal partition, and practice cloning, multi-boot, transitioning from one normal partition to another.

Importantly, you could start practicing how to install a second install on a second partition so you can use it to rescue another install. In particular, putting a regular install on a USB stick can be an indispensable tool for not only rescuing a system, but also doing useful tasks such as resizing/moving OS partitions.

Remember to use passwords that aren't easy to guess, and don't install ssh unless you'll need it (apt-get install openssh-server).

I am using much more secure PW/s now.........and my last try almost got there but not quite, I am going to do this next one as you suggested....

250mb boot
250mb boot
250mb swap
250mb swap
Rest of sda RAID5
Rest of sdb RAID5
Rest of sdc RAID5
Rest of sdd RAID5

and see if that gets me to the church on time.....

Thanks Isaac...!!