Slackware 8.1 RAID question and kernel question.

[Monoman]

Hi,
I have purchased Shackware 8.1 here reciently and now I am ready to go. My linux experience is as follows, Mandrake 8.0 for 1 1/2 years VERY on and off. I really like Slack because it makes me go under the hood and see how things work. I am not affraid to mess it up as I have 2 working computers so I can tinker with one and use the other (win box for my wife mostly).
My question is this, I have read many slackware question about kernel compiliation for certain MB's and such but I want to make sure I install the right one for me
AND my biggest concern is how to get slack to install onto my RAID 0 without any other drives present. I know I have to mount it differently than a regular HD.
(any websites where I can see what each different kernel is for) and are there any differnt precautions I need to take to get my raid to work for me.
btw, I love to read HOWto's as they are becomming my new bestfriend. I guess that is the only way to learn besides great boards like this


Thanks to all who reply

Mitch



system specs:

AMD 1.4
IWill KK266-R
1.0gb pc150
60gb RAID 0
GF3 Ti500
Audigy Plat.
Realtech RTL8139(A)
16x DVD (Pioneer)
8x4x32A Plex
17in PF775

 

[Bremen]

You'll probably want to browse linuxdoc.org for your raid controller. Otherwise the standard slackware raid kernel is raid.s (s stands for scsi btw) ...

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: Monoman
AND my biggest concern is how to get slack to install onto my RAID 0 without any other drives present. I know I have to mount it differently than a regular HD.

Hate to be the messenger, but I don't think this is going to happen. The chip on that board (MG80649) is unusual, and has no open source support. The only driver that I could find was created by Iwill for kernel 2.2.16 in October 2000 and was available only as a RedHat 6.1/6.2 RPM. There's no way you're going to get that to work on Slack.

There would be other issues involved in what you want as well, but the one above is enough...

 

[Bremen]

Yes, sadly RAID on linux is not quite ready for prime time. Raid emulation is pretty good I'm told (never used it). But all too many raid cards (esp ide ones) are propietary and the maker has no inclination to support free/opensource :-( Although it should be pointed out this is changing, slowly but surely.

 

[Nothinman]

Yes, sadly RAID on linux is not quite ready for prime time

RAID on Linux is fine. With a real RAID card like a Compaq SmartArray, a Mylex DAC960, etc you'll have no problems. But with cheesy IDE RAID-wannabe's you'll have problems because they're cheap and the manufacturers don't want to release specs or drivers.

Even Linux software RAID (the md driver or LVM) has the same or better performance than those IDE controllers.

 

[Buddha Bart]

RAID on Linux is fine. With a real RAID card like a Compaq SmartArray, a Mylex DAC960, etc you'll have no problems.

Second that for IBM ServeRAID cards

bart

 

[thornc]

RAID on Linux is fine. With a real RAID card like a Compaq SmartArray, a Mylex DAC960, etc you'll have no problems.

And I second it for Mylex DAC controllers.... We got one here at the lab that has kept us safe through 5(five) major
disk failures!