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Old 09-09-2012, 08:00 AM   #1
ciforbg
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Upcoming hardware upgrade - potential drivers issues


Hello all,

I need some help. I am running a Fedora 16 (3.4.9-2.fc16.x86_64) linux on my Desktop machine. Next week I am going to do a hardware upgrade. My current hw is: Intel Q2Core Q6600 CPU; Asus P5KPL MBoard, DDR2 A-DATA 2x2GB Mem.
These will be replaced by: Intel i7 3770 CPU; Asus P8H77-V LE; 4x8 DDR3 A-DATA 1333.


I have two Hitachi HDDs (500GB each) in a Raid-0 config:
Personalities : [raid0]
md0 : active raid0 sdb1[1] sda3[0]
925057024 blocks super 1.2 512k chunks

As I will put out the old hw, and place the new, is there anything I should ensure in order for the OS to boot up properly? If the OS does not detect by itself the new motherboard,cpu and memory, how can I make it install proper drivers?

And I also want to use the system for virtualization purposes. I want to use Xen, and considering this what should be done to make my current Fedora OS as the dom0?

Please advise.

Thanks in advance!

Last edited by ciforbg; 09-12-2012 at 01:45 AM. Reason: solved
 
Old 09-09-2012, 08:17 AM   #2
business_kid
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Linux is not windows.
In Linux a kernel wakes up and looks around. It doesn't care what it booted on last. It will try for drivers(=kernel modules) for everything it finds, or everything you have set up. Never had a problem booting. The one hitch is that disk speed may be slower if the driver for the chipset isn't chosen/available. X may need to be told about the video card (if new), but often not.
 
Old 09-09-2012, 08:22 AM   #3
nguyeng
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Are you still running the generic kernel? Or have you recompiled it with your own configuration?
 
Old 09-09-2012, 08:51 AM   #4
ciforbg
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Hi nguyeng,

the kernel is the same, I didn't touch it.

@ business_kid,

Thanks for that info. I am aware that in Linux are called modules, instead of drivers. How to tell if I currently have them for that kernel? and about the video, it will use the one on the motherboard instead external card, as it was 'till now - how to check if X is gonna work properly?
 
Old 09-09-2012, 09:36 AM   #5
nguyeng
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Edit: I just reread your post have noticed something extremely important. You are not using a designated raid card? Are you using the mobo to do your raid? Or is it a software raid in linux. If you are using the mobo for raid you will encounter problems moving it to a new mobo. It seems like you have it set up as a software raid because of your listing of it as md0, but I just want to be sure.

You should be fine. The kernel that comes with most distros are, by default, compiled with everything a typical user would need in modules. Therefore, when you switch ever to the new hardware the kernel will automatically load the appropriate modules that are need if there are any. Worst case scenario would be that your new hardware is not supported by the kernel (it should be) and you will have to resort to some proprietary drivers.

FYI, not only can drivers be compiled as modules, they can also be built into the kernel. In fact some things such as filesystem support (ext2, ext3, etc.) are needed at kernel startup and must be built in or included in initramfs, because how would the kernel load modules from the hd if it wasn't able to navigate the partitions filesystem to find them.

Last edited by nguyeng; 09-09-2012 at 09:43 AM. Reason: added a question to op
 
Old 09-09-2012, 10:05 AM   #6
ciforbg
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Thanks a lot for your feedback!

Quote:
Originally Posted by nguyeng
Or is it a software raid in linux. If you are using the mobo for raid you will encounter problems moving it to a new mobo. It seems like you have it set up as a software raid because of your listing of it as md0, but I just want to be sure.
>> correct, it's a software RAID.

Quote:
Originally Posted by nguyeng
Worst case scenario would be that your new hardware is not supported by the kernel (it should be) and you will have to resort to some proprietary drivers.
>> how do I do this?

Quote:
Originally Posted by nguyeng
FYI, not only can drivers be compiled as modules, they can also be built into the kernel.
>> should I search for the respective modules (from the manifacturer website) and put them in there?



And please just tell me if I am going to use Xen, as I want to, what steps should I follow to make my OS dom0 and grant it the total control of the resources that would later be available to the domU machines?

Thanks!
 
Old 09-09-2012, 02:55 PM   #7
business_kid
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ciforbg View Post
Hi nguyeng,

the kernel is the same, I didn't touch it.

@ business_kid,

Thanks for that info. I am aware that in Linux are called modules, instead of drivers. How to tell if I currently have them for that kernel? and about the video, it will use the one on the motherboard instead external card, as it was 'till now - how to check if X is gonna work properly?
They're in /lib/modules/<kernel-version>

If the generic kernel is being used, you have them
 
Old 09-12-2012, 01:44 AM   #8
ciforbg
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Thanks all. It worked like a charm. I've just replaced the hardware, and booted up smoothly.

Solved.
 
  


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