Robert Hanson roberth@abbacomm.net wrote:
greetings, i just know i have read several times on this list and in other places that on a RAID5 array that the MBR should be placed on the /boot partition.
Let's clarify that is a software RAID-5 (via MD).
And I don't think people mean the master boot record (MBR), which can only go in cylinder 0 of the hard drive -- before any disk slicing.
They mean you should make a separate /boot filesystem where the kernel and initrd go.
is this truly correct and if so, why?
Because kernel and any initrd (which contain the software RAID support) must be loadable by the 16-bit Int13h Services.
If the /boot directory is in a filesystem that is a software/OS stripe set (such as RAID-3/4/5/6/etc...), then 16-bit Int13h Services can't read it.
my experiences of putting the MBR on the /boot partition are contrary to that it will even work and boot that way...
Correct. I think they are referring to the kernel/initrd files in a separate /boot filesystem that is not software RAID (or only RAID-1/mirror).