Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

[abigsky]

Congratulations,
Kubuntu 9.10 actually installed on my HP Pavilion m9250f that has the Intel Matrix RAID0/1 (fakeRAID).
Ubuntu 9.10 wouldn't install correctly

Also, Kubuntu 9.10 install recognized my Realtek advanced audio correctly, and Ubuntu 9.10 didn't.



- Abigsky

[fermier]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

Could ou kindly confirm whether you are using Grub2? The reason I am asking is because many users trying to install a combination KK and Grub2 on a fakeraid system were unable to do so. It seems on the bug list there is an open bug which indicates that there is a problem with Grub2 on a fakeraid system. I guess you are not using a 64-bit version?

[abigsky]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

When I reboot is show Grub loading (very breifly) what is the best way for me to check which version of Grub I have installed?

[fermier]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

Just check with any of your favourite paskage installers, which package of grub is installed and report the full package name here. That would be most kind since I am pondering about installing a 64 bit version of KK on my system, which has not one but two fakeraid systems. I also find it very strange that just you and I are interested in this, because I cannot believe that we are that unique, but maybe the gods that know do not want to share their secrets... ;-)

[abigsky]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

Grub-PC

[fermier]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

Interesting, but not quite what I had in mind. Thanks anyway. For instance when I do a :

"fermier@lodi:~/$ sudo apt-cache showpkg grub
Package: grub
Versions:
0.97-29ubuntu53 (/var/lib/apt/lists/ftp.free.fr_mirrors_ftp.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_ja unty_main_binary-amd64_Packages) (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_main_binary-amd64_Packages) (/var/lib/dpkg/status)
Description Language:
File: /var/lib/apt/lists/ftp.free.fr_mirrors_ftp.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_ja unty_main_binary-amd64_Packages
MD5: e965466bbaaab3df6345ebf7ebb6da77
...

"


Also if you like a gui in synaptic it shows this same information for my JJ system and you can also identify that it is this version that is installed as it is marked..

[fermier]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

And the reason why I am going on and on about this subject is because of this:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...ta/+bug/436340

Read the last messages in the bug. I do not even want to try an install on my system if I see things like this. Fixing it afterwards just becomes too much of a pain. I have gone through that already several times, but at least there was a manual way to tell good ol'grub what exactly it is that you want. With new fangled grub, it seems it tells you what it wants. ;-)

[abigsky]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

Here is the output from the showconfig:


sudo apt-cache showpkg grub
[sudo] password for <xxxxx>:
Package: grub
Versions:
0.97-29ubuntu59 (/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_karmic_main_bin ary-i386_Packages)
Description Language:
File: /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_karmic_main_bin ary-i386_Packages
MD5: e965466bbaaab3df6345ebf7ebb6da77


Reverse Depends:
linux-image-2.6.31-11-generic,grub
startupmanager,grub
replicator,grub
live-helper,grub
linux-image-2.6.31-9-rt,grub
linux-crashdump,grub 0.97-29ubuntu24
kubuntu-grub-splashimages,grub
grub-splashimages,grub
grub-ieee1275,grub 0.97-54
grub-efi-ia32,grub
grub-efi-ia32,grub 0.97-54
grub-efi-amd64,grub
grub-efi-amd64,grub
grub-coreboot,grub 0.97-54
grub-choose-default,grub
dfsbuild,grub
debirf,grub
debian-edu-artwork,grub 0.97-39
debian-edu-artwork,grub 0.95+cvs20040624-10
brdesktop-artwork-grub,grub
ubiquity,grub
memtest86+,grub 0.95+cvs20040624
linux-image-2.6.31-14-virtual,grub
linux-image-2.6.31-14-generic-pae,grub
linux-image-2.6.31-14-generic,grub
linux-image-2.6.31-14-386,grub
grub-pc,grub
grub-pc,grub 0.97-54
Dependencies:
0.97-29ubuntu59 - libc6 (2 2.7) libncurses5 (2 5.6+20071006-3) grub-common (0 (null)) udev (2 117-5) ucf (2 3.004-0ubuntu2) debconf (18 1.5.19) cdebconf (0 (null)) util-linux (2 2.15-1) grub-doc (0 (null)) mdadm (0 (null)) grub-coreboot (0 (null)) grub-efi-amd64 (0 (null)) grub-efi-ia32 (0 (null)) grub-ieee1275 (0 (null)) grub-pc (0 (null))
Provides:
0.97-29ubuntu59 - linux-boot-loader
Reverse Provides:

[Qqmike]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

If you can boot into your Kubuntu (that you are talking about), and
Konsole
sudo grub-install -v

that will show your GRUB version. I believe the latest one is GRUB 1.97 beta 4 (= GRUB 2, kind of)..
GRUB Legacy is 0.97.

[abigsky]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

This is how I have installed my HP Pavilion m9250f with the 32-bit version of Kubuntu 9.10 beta to use the Intel MatrixRAID...


Here is how I got the install to work:
1). Rebooted to the BIOS setup, and switched the SATA controller mode to IDE
2). Installed Kubuntu 9.10 from CD
3). During the install, I selected the first hard drive (not the RAID controller level) to install to
4). After the install , rebooted and installed updates
- sudo apt-get update
- sudo apt-get upgrade
5). Rebooted a couple times to be sure everything seemed normal
6). Rebooted to BIOS Setup and switched the SATA controller mode to RAID
7). Rebooted back to Kubuntu

I reinstalled the other night to confirm my process.

[abigsky]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

One reminder to my process, it failed with Ubuntu 9.10 beta, but did work with Kubuntu 9.10 beta

[dibl]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

One reminder to my process, it failed with Ubuntu 9.10 beta, but did work with Kubuntu 9.10 beta

Usually I wonder why things don't work. In this case, I can't understand why it would. The desktop environment (Gnome vs. KDE) should not have any influence on the part of the system that recognizes the hard drive and controller situation. But I don't question your assertion -- it's just so strange .... :P

[abigsky]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

I learned a long time ago, that if something obvious doesn't work on a computer, you can always try lying to it. :-)

I too was surprised that it worked...But it did!

- Abigsky

[fermier]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

Here is the output from the showconfig:


sudo apt-cache showpkg grub
[sudo] password for <xxxxx>:
Package: grub
Versions:
0.97-29ubuntu59 (/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_karmic_main_bin ary-i386_Packages)
Description Language:
File: /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_karmic_main_bin ary-i386_Packages
MD5: e965466bbaaab3df6345ebf7ebb6da77

Thanks for the information. This confirms that in fact you are running a 32-bit system and you are booting using good ol'grub and not new fangled grud, which as far as I can understand from others, does not yet play nicely with fakeraid.

Ummmm, I'd hate to disillusion you, but I am not quite convinced that you are in fact using the fakeraid system of your PC. I risk being wrong since you are working with 9.10 and I have not actually attempted the installation on a fakeraid system using that version, but with any of the previous versions of kubuntu one had to install the dmraid package and then prepare your partitions manually on the fakeraid system before starting the installation process using the normal installation program and when it comes to the selection of the partitions/disks one has do manually specify the fakeraid volumes/partitions where the installation should take place. One then continues with the installation procedure as normal, which then fails when good ol'grub is to be installed, because even it never understood fakeraid on its own. You then would manually change root file systems, install grub and configure it by editing the menulist file and indicating the fakeraid partitions you set up earlier. If your menulist file under /boot/grub/ does not say anything like:

"title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-16-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-16-generic root=/dev/mapper/nvidia_ccaffcbb5 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-16-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-16-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-16-generic root=/dev/mapper/nvidia_ccaffcbb5 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-16-generic"


Particularly the parts concerning /dev/mapper/whateveryourchipset_whateveryourraidvolumes are not present, then I am convinced you are not really using the fakeraid system and your installation is simply booting just straight from one disk. Just search the ubuntu forum for installation on a fakeraid system and you will find the recipe for doing so using good ol'grub. This method existed since 7.04 and is guaranteed to work. I have learned from a colleague that since 9.01 the alternate installation disk does in fact detect and install correctly to a fakeraid system, but then again you would need to manually select the correct dev/mapper volumes when it comes to the time to select the place where the installation is to take place.

Possibly your experience between Ubuntu and Kubuntu is different because of the different way in which the grub installation procedure is invoked. Maybe Ubuntu does not like being lied to... ;-) I have learned never to lie to a computer. It may just believe you! ;-)

[attila_66]

Re: Intel Matrix (fakeRAID)

I have same like problem.
I have 2 hdd's tried to make fake raid1.
I used bios to create raid. Kubunut install saw this partition and choosed use guided partition use entire disk. (I tried Beta and then daily build 20th Oct)
After all sw copied to hdd grub tries to install but everytime i try returns on the foreground menu.
I also tried to install lilo but it has no success.
When i boot system " grub rescue> " comes on.
As this is grub2 i can not reconfigure grub on this recue menu.

As i joined a bug report Bug #444639 they asked me about var/log/installer/syslog and /var/log/installer/partman files.

How can i reach these files.

I have 2 other systems on pc Kubuntu 8.10 and winxp. (both are on other disks.)
(While making KK install i detach these two drives)

Is there a way to read these files from raid1 ext4 partition ??