Hi there, I hope this is the right place to post this thread.. Here is my problem:

I previously had a linux system installed and running from a software-RAID array - 2 250GB SATA drives (SATA channels 1+2 - partitions /dev/sda1 and /dev/sdb1) configured as /dev/md0. Slackware-10.2 was installed on this RAID array.

I wanted to re-install the server from fresh, so today I went out and bought 2 500GB SATA drives. I disconnected the old 250GB drives, plugged in the new drives into SATA 1+2, booted from the Slackware-12.0 installation CD, partitioned these two drives and configured /dev/md0 as /dev/sda1 and /dev/sda2, which is of course the new 500GB drives. Everything went fine, I installed Slackware and the system is up and running. I used this website as a guide to configuring the new RAID array: http://junktrap.naihl.net/doku.php?i...are:mdadm_raid

The problem comes now, when I want to access the OLD RAID array from the NEW installation.

I connected the old 250GB drives to SATA3+4, then booted the system. I get the LILO prompt from the NEW 500GB drives, however when I choose a boot option, it boots with the OLD drives as the root partition - i.e. into Slackware-10.2! The old drives are mounted as /dev/md0 just as they were before, even though they now show up as /dev/sdc and /dev/sdb - not what /dev/md0 was configured as on the old installation. It doesn't seem to matter what configuration I choose, if those old drives are plugged in - even though the BIOS is booting from the new drives - LILO boots the old installation. As soon as I unplug the old drives, the same LILO prompt boots the new installation.

Does anybody know how I can have the old drives plugged in, but force LILO to boot the new installation?

Sorry for the long winded explanation, hope someone can help!

I appreciate this is quite a specific question.. Does anybody perhaps have any suggestions as to mailing lists or any other resources I should look to for help?

Here's my suggestions:

(1) Check lilo.conf to make sure it says what you think it says and that the MBR you're booting from is the one you think you're booting from.

or if you can access the NEW installation when booting the OLD then maybe

(2) Rename one of the arrays (preferably the old one) as /dev/md1. I'd try that with a boot CD, make a new array /dev/md1, assemble the old pieces of /dev/md0 on the old installation into it, then get rid of /dev/md0. Then try plugging in the new drives.

(3) Leave everything plugged in and reinstall from scratch onto the new drives.