here a slackware >2TB problem:

i am having trouble to mount 5.5TB reiserfs partitions on two 12x500GB 3Ware RAID5 systems AFTER rebooting my SuperMicro servers running Slackware linux: the mount command doesn't seem to recognize the filesystem type, and mkreiserfs doesn't know the correct partition size. but BEFORE reboot, all is fine, using 'parted', 'mkreiserfs', 'df' and even writing of data. i currently use SuperMicro X6DHE-XG2 motherboards, 3ware 9550sx-12 controllers with 12x WD5000YD, Slackware 10.2, kernel 2.6.17.4, CONFIG_LBD=y, mkreiserfs 3.6.19, GNU Parted 1.7.1, 3ware software release 9.3.0.4. i tried also xfs, no success either. no errors in dmesg, syslog or /var/log/messages.

original slackware kernel version was 2.4 at installation time, but was switched later to 2.6. all PATA is disabled in kernel and on motherboard.

would greatly appreciate any helpful comment.

thanks in advance, bye,

pisti



==> more detailed info below:


* a post under google groups shows an identical problem by Josh Hillman:

"josh hillman 3ware"


* BEFORE REBOOT =====================================

parted shows 5.5TB, mkreiserfs for 5.5TB is fine, mounting of reiserfs partition is successful, writing to partition is ok, /bin/df shows 5.5TB.

cat /proc/partitions

major minor #blocks name
8 32 5370979328 sdc
8 33 5370979294 sdc1


* AFTER REBOOT ======================================

mount /dev/sdc1 /misc/bellini/r/

mount: you must specify the filesystem type


cat /proc/partitions

major minor #blocks name
8 32 5370979328 sdc
8 33 2147483647 sdc1



* WORKS ALWAYS ======================================

parted /dev/sdc

GNU Parted 1.7.1
Using /dev/sdc
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) p

Disk /dev/sdc: 5500GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt

Number Start End Size File system Name Flags
1 17.4kB 5500GB 5500GB reiserfs primary


dmesg

SCSI device sdc: 10741958656 512-byte hdwr sectors (5499883 MB)
SCSI device sdc: drive cache: write back, no read (daft)


tw_cli /c2 show all

/c2 Driver Version = 2.26.02.007
/c2 Model = 9550SX-12
/c2 Memory Installed = 224MB
/c2 Firmware Version = FE9X 3.04.00.005
/c2 Bios Version = BE9X 3.04.00.002
/c2 Monitor Version = BL9X 3.01.00.006
/c2 Serial Number = L20701A6031460
/c2 PCB Version = Rev 032
/c2 PCHIP Version = 1.60
/c2 ACHIP Version = 1.70
/c2 Number of Ports = 12
/c2 Number of Units = 1
/c2 Number of Drives = 12
/c2 Total Optimal Units = 1
/c2 Not Optimal Units = 0
/c2 JBOD Export Policy = off
/c2 Disk Spinup Policy = 1
/c2 Spinup Stagger Time Policy (sec) = 2
/c2 Auto-Carving Policy = off
/c2 Auto-Carving Size = 2047 GB
/c2 Auto-Rebuild Policy = on
/c2 Controller Bus Type = PCIX
/c2 Controller Bus Width = 64 bits
/c2 Controller Bus Speed = 133 Mhz

Unit UnitType Status %Cmpl Stripe Size(GB) Cache AVerify
IgnECC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
u0 RAID-5 OK - 64K 5122.17 ON OFF

found solution for 'shrinking' partition size after reboot. look under ubuntu and EFI:

____________________________________________________________________
To allow partitions greater than 2TB in size (quite feasible with a
raid setup these days), the EFI (aka GPT) partition table format must
be used. If CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION is not set, the kernel will see the
backup MSDOS partition table which will have a 2TB EFI GPT partition
and free space, resulting in a truncated partition.

If one uses parted to write a new gpt label onto the disk partitions
greater than 2TB are recognised ok, but at reboot it gets truncated.

Package set as linux-image-k7 because it didn't like
linux-image-2.6.12-10-amd64-k8-smp
_____________________________________________________________________

that's it: CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION plus CONFIG_LBD=y made it work!: mounting works fine, 5.5TB after reboot.

bye, pisti