Greetings.
I am in the process of installing 5.1 64 bit on a server. The server has 2 3ware cards: 9550SX 12 port, and a 8006 2 port, both SATA.
I want the 8006 board to be /dev/sda, and the 9550 to be /dev/sdb. My plan is to install the os on /dev/sda (8006), and data on /dev/sdb (9550). Unfortunately, the 9550 comes up as /dev/sda.
The 8006 is installed in slot 3, which is a 100Mhz slot. The 9550 is installed in Slot 4, which is a 133Mhz slot.
I really don't want to put the 9550 in the 100Mhz slot. I'm not even sure it would make a difference... I would also prefer to not have grub reside on /dev/sda, while the os is on /dev/sdb.
I have tried to change the boot priority in bios, but this hasn't changed the priority. I tried to disable one of the boards in the bios, but that didn't seem to have any effect.
Interestingly enough, when I boot with the Knoppix 5.1.1 live cd, the cards show up as I want them to.
I have searched Google, but I am either entering the wrong search parameters, or there isn't anything out there, at least pertaining to the initial installation.
Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Monty
Specs:
Supermicro X6DH8-G 3ware 8006-2lp pci-X 3ware 9550sx-12, pci-X CentOS 5.1, x86_64, network (nfs) install
On Tue, 2008-10-28 at 14:59 -0500, Monty Shinn wrote:
Greetings.
I am in the process of installing 5.1 64 bit on a server. The server has 2 3ware cards: 9550SX 12 port, and a 8006 2 port, both SATA.
Any reason not to use 5.2? Will save a lot of updates, and perhaps some headaches.
I want the 8006 board to be /dev/sda, and the 9550 to be /dev/sdb. My plan is to install the os on /dev/sda (8006), and data on /dev/sdb (9550). Unfortunately, the 9550 comes up as /dev/sda.
The 8006 is installed in slot 3, which is a 100Mhz slot. The 9550 is installed in Slot 4, which is a 133Mhz slot.
I really don't want to put the 9550 in the 100Mhz slot. I'm not even sure it would make a difference... I would also prefer to not have grub reside on /dev/sda, while the os is on /dev/sdb.
I have tried to change the boot priority in bios, but this hasn't changed the priority. I tried to disable one of the boards in the bios, but that didn't seem to have any effect.
Interestingly enough, when I boot with the Knoppix 5.1.1 live cd, the cards show up as I want them to.
Have also seen device ordering change with kernel/release updates on the same distro.
I have searched Google, but I am either entering the wrong search parameters, or there isn't anything out there, at least pertaining to the initial installation.
Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I have vague recollections of having fixed similar problems by tweaking the device ordering in initrd and/or modprobe.conf; however, backing up a step, why do you need to change the order to make things work? You can install GRUB on the boot device MBR, whatever that may be, and put the OS on the device you want it on without changing the ordering.
Phil
Phil Schaffner wrote:
On Tue, 2008-10-28 at 14:59 -0500, Monty Shinn wrote:
Greetings.
I am in the process of installing 5.1 64 bit on a server. The server has 2 3ware cards: 9550SX 12 port, and a 8006 2 port, both SATA.
Any reason not to use 5.2? Will save a lot of updates, and perhaps some headaches.
<snip>
I have vague recollections of having fixed similar problems by tweaking the device ordering in initrd and/or modprobe.conf; however, backing up a step, why do you need to change the order to make things work? You can install GRUB on the boot device MBR, whatever that may be, and put the OS on the device you want it on without changing the ordering.
Phil
<snip>
Phil,
There are a couple of reasons, although they may make no sense. First, I did not want a multiple point of failure. If the boot loader is on the MBR of /dev/sda, and the os is on /dev/sdb, then you have a multiple point of failure. If either card dies, then I am hosed. It would be *similar* to running a RAID0 on the os. Not a good idea IMHO.
Also, if I wanted to replace the "data" drives in the future, I couldn't just unmount the partition and replace the drives. The boot loader would be gone as well.
I did not find an option during the install prep to re-locate grub to the MBR of /dev/sdb. I probably should try the text-based installer to see if there are more options.
Heck, I may just remove the 9550 board until the initial os install is completed. That should accomplish what I am trying to achieve. Just seems like there should be a more elegant way of doing this.
I am installing 5.1 because I have the isos on hand. I was just going to let yum update me to 5.2...
Thanks for your help,
Monty
Monty Shinn wrote:
Phil Schaffner wrote:
On Tue, 2008-10-28 at 14:59 -0500, Monty Shinn wrote:
Greetings.
I am in the process of installing 5.1 64 bit on a server. The server has 2 3ware cards: 9550SX 12 port, and a 8006 2 port, both SATA.
Any reason not to use 5.2? Will save a lot of updates, and perhaps some headaches.
<snip> > > I have vague recollections of having fixed similar problems by tweaking > the device ordering in initrd and/or modprobe.conf; however, backing up > a step, why do you need to change the order to make things work? You > can install GRUB on the boot device MBR, whatever that may be, and put > the OS on the device you want it on without changing the ordering. > > Phil > <snip>
Phil,
There are a couple of reasons, although they may make no sense. First, I did not want a multiple point of failure. If the boot loader is on the MBR of /dev/sda, and the os is on /dev/sdb, then you have a multiple point of failure. If either card dies, then I am hosed. It would be *similar* to running a RAID0 on the os. Not a good idea IMHO.
Also, if I wanted to replace the "data" drives in the future, I couldn't just unmount the partition and replace the drives. The boot loader would be gone as well.
A GRUB boot CD (or floppy) will allay the above concerns. Do an "info grub" to find out how to create one. Can also boot from install media to recover a lost GRUB.
I did not find an option during the install prep to re-locate grub to the MBR of /dev/sdb. I probably should try the text-based installer to see if there are more options.
It is there in the GUI installer - can't remember exactly where without going through the install, but something like an "Advanced" button on a configuration page toward the end of the process.
Heck, I may just remove the 9550 board until the initial os install is completed. That should accomplish what I am trying to achieve. Just seems like there should be a more elegant way of doing this.
I am installing 5.1 because I have the isos on hand. I was just going to let yum update me to 5.2...
That should work.
Thanks for your help,
OK
Phil
Phil Schaffner wrote:
<snip>
A GRUB boot CD (or floppy) will allay the above concerns. Do an "info grub" to find out how to create one. Can also boot from install media to recover a lost GRUB.
I did not find an option during the install prep to re-locate grub to the MBR of /dev/sdb. I probably should try the text-based installer to see if there are more options.
It is there in the GUI installer - can't remember exactly where without going through the install, but something like an "Advanced" button on a configuration page toward the end of the process.
Heck, I may just remove the 9550 board until the initial os install is completed. That should accomplish what I am trying to achieve. Just seems like there should be a more elegant way of doing this.
I am installing 5.1 because I have the isos on hand. I was just going to let yum update me to 5.2...
That should work.
Thanks for your help,
OK
Phil
CentOS mailing list CentOS@centos.org http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
Phil,
Thanks for your input. I did find the location of the grub install modification. Strange thing is, when I restarted the install, grub defaulted to the MBR of /dev/sdb. I did not change any hardware or bios settings in between attempts. I have no idea why the change happened.
Once the install was completed, the OS partition showed up as /dev/sda, even though it showed up as /dev/sdb during the installation process. Grub is apparently happily residing in the MBR of /dev/sda. Again, I can't explain it.
If you (or anyone else) has insights to this behaviour, or can point me to where I can read up on it, I would appreciate it.
Thanks again for all your help.
Monty
Monty Shinn wrote: ...
Phil,
Thanks for your input. I did find the location of the grub install modification. Strange thing is, when I restarted the install, grub defaulted to the MBR of /dev/sdb. I did not change any hardware or bios settings in between attempts. I have no idea why the change happened.
Once the install was completed, the OS partition showed up as /dev/sda, even though it showed up as /dev/sdb during the installation process. Grub is apparently happily residing in the MBR of /dev/sda. Again, I can't explain it.
If you (or anyone else) has insights to this behaviour, or can point me to where I can read up on it, I would appreciate it.
Thanks again for all your help.
Monty,
Not much helpful to add, except that I have seen many cases over many years of using RH/RHEL/FC and derived distros of device ordering changing among installer/boot/runtime versions of GRUB, among installer/installed/updated kernels, as well as among different contemporary distros. PCI slot priority, initrd, modprobe.conf, and BIOS settings are also variables so interactions among all these components can be quite complex.
If you really want to dig into it the kernel development and distro-devel mailing lists would be good starting places. There are also old threads in CentOS and Fedora list archives, some of which I participated in, on these issues. If you find any clear and enlightening docs on these problems, please share.
Cheers, Phil
on 10-29-2008 5:54 PM Monty Shinn spake the following:
Phil Schaffner wrote:
<snip> > A GRUB boot CD (or floppy) will allay the above concerns. Do an "info > grub" to find out how to create one. Can also boot from install media > to recover a lost GRUB. > >> I did not find an option during the install prep to re-locate grub to >> the MBR of /dev/sdb. I probably should try the text-based installer >> to see if there are more options. > > It is there in the GUI installer - can't remember exactly where > without going through the install, but something like an "Advanced" > button on a configuration page toward the end of the process. > >> Heck, I may just remove the 9550 board until the initial os install >> is completed. That should accomplish what I am trying to achieve. >> Just seems like there should be a more elegant way of doing this. >> >> I am installing 5.1 because I have the isos on hand. I was just >> going to let yum update me to 5.2... > > That should work. > >> Thanks for your help, > > OK > > Phil > > _______________________________________________ > CentOS mailing list > CentOS@centos.org > http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
Phil,
Thanks for your input. I did find the location of the grub install modification. Strange thing is, when I restarted the install, grub defaulted to the MBR of /dev/sdb. I did not change any hardware or bios settings in between attempts. I have no idea why the change happened.
Once the install was completed, the OS partition showed up as /dev/sda, even though it showed up as /dev/sdb during the installation process. Grub is apparently happily residing in the MBR of /dev/sda. Again, I can't explain it.
If you (or anyone else) has insights to this behaviour, or can point me to where I can read up on it, I would appreciate it.
Thanks again for all your help.
Monty
The only thing I can add is since you have 2 different families of 3ware cards, one is using the 3w-9xxx driver and the other is using the 3w-xxxx driver. Whichever driver that loads first will determine which card initializes first. First array gets /dev/sda. I think there are ways to force a driver to load first, you have to adjust the alias scsi_hostadapter lines in /etc/modprobe.conf in the order you want them to load like;
alias scsi_hostadapter 3w-xxxx alias scsi_hostadapter1 3w-9xxx
and then make a new initrd.
Since yours seems ok now, this is for posterity.
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Monty Shinn -
Phil Schaffner -
Phil Schaffner -
Scott Silva