Subject: Re: Bootable root on raidframe
To: Brian A. Seklecki <lavalamp@spiritual-machines.org>
From: Greg Oster <oster@cs.usask.ca>
List: port-i386
Date: 08/06/2003 22:01:35
"Brian A. Seklecki" writes:
[snip]
> <u><b>Example Scenario Hardware:</b></u><br>=0D
> <ul>=0D
>   <li>1 Relatively new i386 machine with an up to date BIOS (translation=0D
> problems)</li>=0D
>   <li>1 Adaptec 2940UA narrow (50 pin) SCSI controller</li>=0D
>   <li>2 Identical SCSI disks at SCSI ID 0 and ID 1 </li>=0D
> </ul>=0D
> <b>NOTE:</b> RAIDFrame requires that all components of a raidset be of an=0D
> <i><u><b>identical</b></u></i>  geometry. 

Well... it will actually round things down a bit to fit the smallest 
of the components.  So if need be, you could use a smaller partition 
on a bigger disk or something, in the event that you can't get
an exact replacment.

[snip] 
> <h3>Prepare a custom kernel with RAIDFrame support</h3>=0D
> You will need to build a custom kernel once the system is installed.  The=0D
> kernel must contain static SCSI ID to <b>/dev</b> entry mappings to ensure=0D
> consistency in the event of a device failure after reboot. 

This step is *not* necessary if the "RAIDframe autoconfig stuff" is 
used.  And the "RAIDframe autoconfig stuff" *should* be used.  
Failure to use it means just asking for trouble if something gets 
mixed up.  (If you're using the autoconfig stuff, you can shuffle 
disks from one SCSI controller to another, or move IDE disks from one 
channel to another.  RAIDframe won't care, and will glue together the 
appropriate components in the correct order.)

> Follow the <a=0D
>  href=3D"http://www.netbsd.org/Documentation/kernel/#how_to_build_a_kernel"=
> >kernel=0D
> compiling process</a> and build and install the new kernel. The entries you=0
> D
> will need to add are:<br>=0D
> <br>=0D
> <table cellpadding=3D"1" cellspacing=3D"1" border=3D"1">=0D
>   <tbody>=0D
>     <tr>=0D
>       <td valign=3D"top" bgcolor=3D"#ffffcc">                              =
>  =20=0D
>  <b><tt>sd0     at scsibus0 target 0 lun ?     <br>=0D
> # SCSI disk drives<br>=0D
> sd1     at scsibus0 target 1 lun ?     <br>=0D
> # SCSI disk drives<br>=0D
> sd2     at scsibus0 target 2 lun ?     <br>=0D
> # SCSI disk drives<br>=0D
> sd3     at scsibus0 target 3 lun ?     <br>=0D
> # SCSI disk drives<br>=0D
> sd4     at scsibus0 target 4 lun ?     <br>=0D
> # SCSI disk drives<br>=0D
> sd5     at scsibus0 target 5 lun ?     <br>=0D
> # SCSI disk drives<br>=0D
> sd6     at scsibus0 target 6 lun ?     <br>=0D
> # SCSI disk drives </tt></b>        </td>=0D

This is old... yes, I know it's still in 1.6.x, but the reality is 
that it doesn't apply any more (raid.4 in 1.6.x is just out-of-date).
This stuff has already been removed from the man-page for -current.

[snip]

I havn't had a chance to look over the rest of the document, but from 
the little I have seen it looks great, and I certainly do thank you for 
writing it! :)

Later...

Greg Oster