Can't Install Slackware 10.2 on a HP Proliant Server with a HP Smart Array Controller
 

Hi,

I hope I am not duplicating this post, if I am, I do apologize, as I have been searching this forum and the web for nearly three days and found nothing. I am very new to Linux, and am very new to this forum as well.

My Situation:
I have HP Proliant Server, with a HP Smart Array Controller to which I have connected 4 250Gb Sata Hard Disks and have configured the Array to a RAID 1+0 setup.

Purchased a copy of Slackware from the website Slackware.com but after two weeks, it has not arrived so I downloaded Slackware 10.2 as advised by my developer.

I put my CD into the Server and Reboot to which its starts well, I choose the default kernel, login as root, but when dont seem to go any where when I come to the partitioning part using fdisk and cfdisk.

fdisk lists all the options I can use to partition my Sata Hard Disks in the RAID Configuration but nothing works. cfdisk gives me Fatal Error message and press any key to continue.

I have been at this for 12hrs and searching for a solution for three days, I have gone through this forum and others and they only mention SCSI Controllers and their setup or straight Hard Disk to motherboard setup.

Is there someone who has experienced or can help me please

Thanks
Jonathan OJ Owens

I am not experienced on raid config, but may I ask why you have not chosen the latest Slack disks? (12.2)

Hi Mr Owens

What's the output of 'fdisk -l'?

I can walk you through the creation of partitions on the command line if you wish?

Exactly what controller is in your machine ?

note: you may need to update your pci.ids file if the RAID controller comes up as 'Unknown device'


what does fdisk -l show as far as disks and partitions ?


The only reference I found to a HP SATA RAID controller shows it using the same driver as my HP SAS RAID controller.
http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Hardware/sata.html#hp

There is more information on this driver on it's HP/Sourceforge page.
http://cciss.sourceforge.net/


Slackware 10.2 still has a 2.4 kernel if the distrowatch page is correct. so that may be a big part of your problem. have you considered installing Slackware 12.2 on that machine ? the version of the driver for the 2.4 kernel hasn't been updated in a year and a half, while the 2.6 version of the driver was updated 6 months ago in Aug. 2008



a few things to look at at least..

Thanks Tuttle, Ackane & Farslayer

I have initiated a 12.2 download now this will take me a couple of days since internet is slow to answer Tuttle.

To answer Arckane's question, my fdisk results as shown on my monitor when I run fdisk at root@slackware:/#

Usage: fdisk [-l] [-b SSZ] [-u] device
E.g. : fdisk /dev/hda
or : fdisk /dev/sdc
or : fdisk /dev/eda
or : fdisk /dev/rd/c0d0 or fdisk /dev/ida/c0d0

The controller in regard to Farslayer's question is a HP Smart Array E200 Controller

I hope this gives you guys some information to help me, of which my deadline has lapsed and am behind two days.

Thanks very much,

HP Smart Array E200 Controller Confirmed this controller would use the cciss driver, so my speculation was correct.


when you ran fdisk did you not put in the '-l' (Dash and the lowercase L ) which means LIST all the partitions on all the drives you can see in the system.
This is the fdisk -l output from my HP server, I would expect yours to look similar.(except maybe for the number of partitions :) ).

I think you will have much better luck with your install, when you try the Slackware 12.2 disk. Slack 12.2 should see that controller with no trouble, and allow you to move right along.

Thanks Farslayer,

The my configurations hasn't been partition yet so the fdisk -l returns nothing. I am downloading Slackware 12.2
slackware-12.2-install-d1.iso , slackware-12.2-install-d2.iso and slackware-12.2-install-d3.iso.

Are these image files sufficient to setup my Linux Slackware Server?

Thanks

Disk 1 is enough for a basic install, disk 2 and 3 can be installed later using the scripts provided.

Good Morning Tuttle,

Thanks very, will complete download and let you guys know my status.

This point is to Arkane, about the help in walking through my installation. I have Slackware 10.2, so if we can arrange a time it would be great, please advice.

I wish my downloads were fast but they aren't so I am stack with a download that will take three days, in the meantime any help with regard to Installing Slackware 10.2 on a HP Proliant Server with a HP Smart Array SATA hard disk controller would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

OK,

I have downloaded the Slackware 12.2 and boy did it cost me a lot of money..seeing my order of slackware hasnt arrived.

Anyway I ran those commands fdisk and cfdisk and still nothing happened all I was getting were "FATAL Error Messages"

Now to refresh your memory and remind you, I have a HP Server with 4 250Gb Sata Hard Drives and have installed HP Smart Array RAID Controller and this is not Software RAID mind you, for those who have actual RAID Cards this is for you.

After a whole heap of fuss, I finally got around to resolving my problem with help from a friend Michail we were able to setup the Server. The problem here was running the fdisk and cfdisk in the prompt at root@slackware:/# ...

You needed to change and be in the folder were your drives were located, so to do this you need to the device path to your drive...for my case it was cd /dev/cciss/

Once there type the ls command to get a view of your disk I think it should show something like c0d0 to which I got.

so my cfdisk or fdisk would be cfdisk /dev/cciss/c0d0 to start the Menu to begin partition my hard disk. Note that the fdisk my give a different set of device paths be sure you know your path.

Once you can get that correct you are on your way to installing your Linux OS, for me it was Slackware.. remember change your path to the device path and then run the cfdisk command there.

I hope this shed's some light on those who are in my same situation. Because there are a lot more help on Software RAID setup then there is on Hardware RAID setup so this is for you lot Hardware RAID people with SATA hard drives.

Thanks
OJ

Well done, I wouldn't have thought of that.

Interesting resolution, I wouldn't have thought of that either.. When I installed Debian on my HP server withthe smart array controller, it had no issues partitioning the drive during install. I didn't know what my device path was until I restarted the machine after the install completed.

Glad you got it all worked out.