[CentOS] Dangerous Software Raid instructions on Wiki

Wed Aug 12 17:38:48 UTC 2009
Max Hetrick <maxhetrick at verizon.net>

Chan Chung Hang Christopher wrote:
> http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/SoftwareRAIDonCentOS5
> 
> has:
> 
> dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=64
> dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb bs=512 count=64
> 
> Will the joker who put in this particular gem without any warnings or a 
> clear explanation for those who need a clueby4 with regards to file 
> systems please either remove the instructions or add a very clear 
> warning that damage to file systems that is not recoverable will result 
> if run on the wrong disk(s).
> 
> My successor at my previous job has gleefully followed those 
> instructions (he seriously needs a clueby4 which is why he bothers to 
> actually read HowTos) and on a production box (who wants pop-corn and 
> soda? Sorry, the er support conversation will not be on irc) and I think 
> this seriously highlights the need for HowTo writers to seriously 
> consider their audience as dumb monkeys that just follow whatever you 
> tell them to do without thinking if you do not list out things they 
> first have to think about or questions they first need to answer.

Just to make it even clearer and thwart any further damages, I edited 
the page to include:

"This article addresses the setting up of a software (mdraid) RAID1 at 
install time on systems without a true hardware RAID* controller. The 
following dd commands will destroy all information on the disks. If you 
have data on the drives that you need access to, please backup the drives."

If anyone destroys any other production systems, it's their own fault if 
they can't read the guide in the first paragraph and understand.

Now, let this thread die on this list, or take it over to the docs list 
to continue.

Regards,
Max