Root RAID HOWTO cookbook

Michael A. Robinton, michael@bzs.org

1. Introduction

• 1.1 Where to get Up-to-date copies of this document.
• 1.2 Bugs
• 1.3 Acknowledgements
• 1.4 Copyright Notice

2. What you need BEFORE YOU START

• 2.1 Required Packages
• 2.2 Other similar implementations.
• 2.3 Documentation -- Recommended Reading
• 2.4 RAID resources

3. Quick Start for ROOT RAID

4. initrd‐ Cookbook for root mounted RAID

• 4.1 Security Reminder
• 4.2 Build the Kernel and Raid Tools
• 4.3 Build the initrd Rescue and Boot filesystem
• 4.4 Start the STEP by STEP instructions
• 4.5 Install the distribution - Slackware Specific
• 4.6 Install linux pthreads
• 4.7 Install Raid Tools
• 4.8 Remove un-needed directories and files from new filesystem.
• 4.9 Create /dev/mdx
• 4.10 Create a bare filesystem suitable for initrd
• 4.11 Making 'initrd' boot the RAID device - linuxrc
• 4.12 Modifying the rc-scripts for SHUTDOWN
• 4.13 Configuring RAIDBOOT - raidboot.conf
• 4.14 Kernel 'loadlin and lilo' variables for RESCUE and RAID

5. Configuring the Production RAID system.

• 5.1 System specs.
• 5.2 Partitioning the hard drives.

6. Building the RAID file system.

• 6.1 /etc/raid5.conf
• 6.2 /etc/raid1.conf
• 6.3 Step by Step procedures for building production RAID file system.

7. One last thought.

8. Appendix A. - Bohumil Chalupa's md0 shutdown

9. Appendix B. - Sample SHUTDOWN scripts

• 9.1 Slackware - /etc/rc.d/rc.6
• 9.2 Debian bo - /etc/init.d/halt and /etc/init.d/reboot

10. Appendix C. - other setup files

• 10.1 linuxrc
• 10.2 loadlin -- linux.bat file - boot.par
• 10.3 linuxthreads Makefile.diff
• 10.4 raid1.conf
• 10.5 raid5.conf
• 10.6 raidboot.conf
• 10.7 rc.raidown

11. Appendix D. - obsolete linuxrc and shutdown scripts

• 11.1 Obsolete working - linuxrc
• 11.2 Obsolete working - shutdown scripts

12. Appendix E. - Gadi's raid stop patch for the linux kernel

13. Appendix F. - rc.raidown

14. Appendix G. - linuxrc theory of operation