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Root RAID HOWTO cookbook: What you need BEFORE YOU START Next Previous Contents

2. What you need BEFORE YOU START

The packages you need and the documentation that answers the most common questions about setting up and running raid are listed below. Please review them throughly.

2.1 Required Packages

You need to obtain the most recent versions of these packages.

  • a linux kernel that supports raid, initrd and /dev/loopx
    I used linux-2.0.33 from sunsite
  • raid145-971022-2.0.31 patch adds support for raid1/4/5
  • raidtools-pre3-0.42 tools to create and maintain raid devices (documentation too).
  • Gadi's raid stop patch in Appendix E.
  • linuxthreads-0.71 required threads package. Use ftp, browser doesn't work ftp.inria.fr/INRIA/Projects/cristal/Xavier.Leroy
  • A Linux distribution, ready to install.
    I used Slackware-3.4
Helpful but not required
  • raidboot-0.01.tar.gz pre-built raid rescue/boot system.

The detailed instructions in this document are based on the above packages. If the packages have been updated or you use a different linux distribution, you may have to modify the procedures you find here.

The patches, tool assortment, etc... may vary with 2.1 kernels. Please check the most recent documentation at:

ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/daemons/raid/

2.2 Other similar implementations.

I chose to include in the kernel all of the pieces necessary to run from boot without loading any modules. My kernel image is a little over 300k compressed.

Take a look at Ed Welbon's initrd.md.tar.gz for another way to make a bootable raid device. He uses loadable modules. A look at his concise scripts will show you how it is done if you need a very small kernel with modules.

http://www.realtime.net/~welbon/initrd.md.tar.gz

2.3 Documentation -- Recommended Reading

Please read:

/usr/src/linux/Documentation/initrd.txt

as well as the documentation and man pages that accompany the raidtools set. In particular, read man mdadd as well as the QuickStart.RAID document included in the raidtools package.

You may also wish to review:

  • BootPrompt-HOWTO
  • man lilo
  • man lilo.conf

2.4 RAID resources

Mailing lists can be joined at:

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