Topic: newbie scsi raid 5 install

[Iestyn Taggart]

hi all,

we have purchased a new server with an adaptec 2100S and 3 SCSI 18GB drives.
it came pre-built

i have little idea about how to install e-smith 4.1.2 onto it.
i have installed 4.1.2 onto many IDE based servers in the past.

from pressing CTRL A at startup it seems as if it has already been set up as a RAID 5 system in that RAID 5 and 35Gig is listed.

i have quickly tried to install 4.1.2 onto it but it only got just past the accept part.
a message popped up saying it was using a scsi a**** something driver.
and then it stopped saying something similar to no file system to install onto.

questions:

do i somehow have to create/initialise the partitions? although the message about 35.? GB suggests to me that this has already been done.

if i type accept dd and insert a disk with the adaptec driver rpm on will that solve it?


sorry for the stupid questions but I am a complete newbie at scsi/raid and would be grateful for any suggestions or pointers on how to set it up.

thanks very much,
Iestyn

[Robert]

Hi,

I had a similar question about installing 4.1.2 on a dell poweredge server with hardware raid 5. Turned out I had to upgrade the firmware for the controller. After that it installed fine and has been running great since.

I found what I needed here:

http://domsch.com/linux/

good luck.

Robert

[guestHH]

Hi,

Why not use SME v 5.1.2? Not that this will solve your issue, but at least you'l be at the latest stable level.

guestHH

[Jaime Nebrera]

Hi,

  You will need to install ESGS in expert mode to accept loading RAID drives during install.

  BTW, don't use SME as I think doesn't support that card (I'm not sure, read the compatibility list). With ESGS 4.1.2 is easier as it's just a RH 7.0 With SME you don't have a RH 7.1 as it's based on a 2.2 kernel instead of defaults 2.4 and many manufacturers won't release drivers for their hardware.

  Please, keep me updated if you get this working. We plan to use the same hardware for our high end servers )

[guestHH]

Hi Jaime,

Could yo elaborate on that pls. ?

Regards,
guestHH

[Iestyn Taggart]

yes i've read previous threads about adaptec not releasing drivers for minor red hat kernel versions.
so as such sme 5 isn't supported.
that's why i'm using 4.1.2
problem is that i don't really understand scsi/raid systems having never used /set up one before.
will keep trying.

[Iestyn Taggart]

Solved it.
Nothing spectacular needed, just didn't know what I was doing!

Needed to boot from the supplied Adaptec CD and create a driver disk.
Then when installing e-smith typed accept dd instead of usual accept and then inserted the driver disk.

Installed without any errors.

Seems that the supplier had already set the 3 scsi disks into the raid 5 array for me.

Using 4.1.2

If anyone wants I'll post the exact the spec for the machine that we're using.