Redhat8 and Raid Problems

akenhel · 12-21-2002, 03:06 PM

lo all, i am a linux newb.....

Ive decided to have a go with linux because im tired of splashing out £200-300 for a new microsoft os....

Now i would be using linux right now but i dont seem to be able to install it...

Okay here comes my system spec, and maybe u can see why

T-Bird 1400
MSI KT3 Ultra ARU
512MB PC2100 RAM
Gainward GF3 Golden Sample
GameSurround Fortissimo II
Maxtor+60 40GB HDD x 2 (Raid 0)
Pioneer (Slot Loading) DVD
Liteon 32x 12x CDRW
Accton 10/100 Ethernet Card

I have a raid 0 array with the onboard Promise Fasttrack 133 Raid controller, the problem therefore is getting redhat 8 to see the array.

I have now spent a month looking for RAID drivers, and contacted both MSI and Promise with no luck (Promise say its MSI's responsibility, and MSI say that they dont provide support for linux).

I was wondering if anyone can tell me how to get redhat setup to see the array, by either providing a link for drivers (promise or generic), or giving me instruction on how to set the array up manually...

thanks in advance, (hoping u can help me)

akenhel

whansard · 12-23-2002, 01:55 AM

it would be easier and just as fast to make a normal
linux install, then use the raid utilities to make your raid
array. I just answered this since noone else had.
i have several times used the raid utils, but i've never
tried to setup to boot a raid made by the controller or
bios.
http://people.redhat.com/mingo/raidtools/

akenhel · 12-23-2002, 03:40 PM

linux doesnt read the hard disks as there, which is the problem...

im also dual booting with winxp, abd i have way too many files to back up without buying another disk...

any other ideas??

whansard · 12-24-2002, 06:17 AM

my current kernel version 2.4.19-ck14 has this option
in the kernel config.

Say Y or M if you have a Promise Fasttrak (tm) Raid controller
and want linux to use the softwareraid feature of this card.
This driver uses /dev/ataraid/dXpY (X and Y numbers) as device
names.

If you choose to compile this as a module, the module will be called
pdcraid.o.

I don't know if thats something i patched in with
other things, or it comes standard in that version of
the kernel, but i bet that gives you some things to
search for.

google
kernel support fastrack raid linux distribution

http://archive.lug.boulder.co.us/bym.../msg00201.html

statik · 02-05-2003, 11:54 AM

Just to let you know, I did a bunch of research, and it turns out that the RH8 drivers have not been released as of yet. The only drivers that are out for this controller are for RH7.3.

The motherboard that I am using is an MSI 845 with the onboard Fastrack 133 RAID controller which I am trying to use as a mirroring device. This information is direct from MSI and PROMISE Tech Support. So basically, we're stuck.

Statik

statik · 02-05-2003, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by whansard
my current kernel version 2.4.19-ck14 has this option
in the kernel config.

Say Y or M if you have a Promise Fasttrak (tm) Raid controller
and want linux to use the softwareraid feature of this card.
This driver uses /dev/ataraid/dXpY (X and Y numbers) as device
names.

Only problem here is that I need to get RH8 installed before I can think if modifying the kernel or adding modules. Any ideas on how I can do the install then get RAID working afterwards?

Statik

pathologist · 03-22-2003, 03:37 PM

Hello,

I had exactly the same problem ending in exactly the same situation, i.e., no RedHat installation! However, I have tried a Mandrake 9.0 installation and, to my surprise,the Fasttrak 133 "Lite" had been detected, proper configurations had been done "automagically" and my system runs smoothly. Still, I would be happier if a solution was available for RedHat as well. Perhaps more experienced users can find the "trick" in Mandrake and bring it into RedHat....