[ydl-gen] Software RAID - making the spare bootable

[Matt Brock]

Thanks for your insights, Derick. Through a long process of trial and error I have now managed to solve the problem. As it was fairly complicated, and as others might benefit from knowing what I did, I wrote a blog entry to describe the process that worked for me: http://wp.me/pKXV8-ts

Cheers,

Matt.

On 17 Dec 2010, at 21:16, Derick Centeno wrote:

> Questions:
> You can boot from the original second drive but not from it's replacement??
> 
> Are you familiar with the application within YDL known as parted (aka: partition editor)?  It can reveal a rather precise layout of the partition table for each of the disks in question which would allow you to more precisely determine the location of the partitions as well as the file systems used within each partition.  Hopefully these details could provide essential information useful in analyzing this problem you reported.
> 
> Suggestion:
> Keep a record of each disk's partition table and file system; compare each one to the other two.
> Perhaps the copy or duplication routine implemented by the software used in creating each of the drives is the source of your difficulties; I'm guessing of course.  However, parted would report what consumer grade Apple software cannot because Apple software cannot see ext2/3.  However, Apple Server software could be different; I'm not sure.  My focus for some years has been Unix/Linux, not Apple.
> 
> If you have the hfstools installed within YDL (use yum) you should be able to see, write to, use and create whatever partition structure and filesystem you need in the order you need it to be.
> 
> Supposition:
> When TerraSoft existed and Apple produced PowerPCs there existed a recommended two-step installation process which involved using Apple's Partitioning tool first so that it created the partitions for Apple's OS and the partition format known as Free Space - at the same time.  The second installation process involved booting from the YDL installation DVD to initiate Anaconda to install YDL; the options at that point eventually allowed for either choosing an automated installation process which allowed Anaconda to build ext3 on those partitions it recognized as suitable for Linux, or manually choosing the partition to proceed with the installation process.
> 
> I am not sure that the above procedure was the same for Apple Servers; it should be an area for you to explore carefully.  The problem you report sounds like something caused by a missed step or error in one or another step of preparing Apple hardware to function seamlessly with YDL.  If a review or re-examination of implemented procedures reveal that no errors were made then it may be time to replace the "spare" completely with a new drive as all other methods will have been explored and implemented first.
> 
> Good Luck...
> 
> 
> On 12/17/10 7:30 AM, Matt Brock wrote:
>> Yes, that's exactly right. The spare is set up in just that way, and when I bring it into the array it works fine as the second disk once the sync process is completed. The only problem is that I can't get the server to boot off that new second disk, and that's what's frustrating me.
>> 
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