[Brum]

Computer specs:
MSI PM8M-V MS-7104 Mobo
2x WD 250Gb/ SATA300/ 16MB Cache/ 7200RPM Hard Disk Drives
Celeron 3.2 Processor/ 533MHz bus
SONY DRU 16x +/- DVD Burner
a random old floppy drive
ULTRA 1x1GB RAM stick
ULTRA X-Finity 500W/ Dual Rail PSU

Problem:
I am a little new to Linux as I decided to try it and see if I would like it or not. I first tried Ubuntu because it seems to be the most popular of the Linux downloads. I easily downloaded the Iso, and burn the disc. I currently have Ubuntu running directly off of the disc and have not installed it yet. When I clicked on the install Icon it was still all nice and hunky dory till it asked me to partition. The Problem I am having is that it won't recognize my RAID 0 array without the driver. Is there a way I can install the RAID driver so that Linux will work with RAID? I would normally not care and install it to one disk but then I will loose all of my data on WinXP. Any sugestions guys?

[O111111O]

I'm not entirely familiar with newer gen SATA drives - so I'm curious about this RAID.

Does the motherboard offer hardware based RAID, or is this something you did with Windows?

If it's hardware based, then you'll need a kernel module for the array controller. If it's software based, you're SOL.

[Brum]

It is integrated Hardware RAID onto the motherboard. (Some one once tried to tell me that is the same as software based RAID but I think he was confusing RAID with JBOD.) When I boot my computer it recognizes the RAID but then I tell it to boot from disc, load Linux, and then I can't see RAID through Linux.

SATA works the same as the old IDE except there is a bigger bandwidth to send information and you don't have to mess around with the Master/Slave jumpers that are a real pain in the butt.

Anyway, I'm not even sure if I have a Driver for it that will work on Linux.

[Brum]

oh, the SATA isn't that much faster than the IDE, but there is a little difference.

[Brum]

Well, Until I can find a solution to my problem, I was going to try installing it to my USB drive. I partitioned the USB drive with a root partition and a swap like it said to. When I move onto the next step though it says:

Language: English
Keyboard layout: U.S. English
Name: Luke Skywalker
Login name: brum
Location: America/Denver
GRUB will be installed to [Hd0]


If you continue, the changes listed below will be written to the disks.
Otherwise, you will be able to make further changes manually.

WARNING: This will destroy all data on any partitions you have removed as
well as on the partitions that are going to be formatted.

The following partitions are going to be formatted:
partition #2 of SCSI3 (0,0,0) (sdc) as ext3
partition #3 of SCSI3 (0,0,0) (sdc) as swap



What I am worried about is the part that says "GRUB will be installed to Hd0." Does that mean it will install it to my internal Hard Disk Drive? I can't afford that because it will kill my RAID Array.

If anyone has an answer or idea to either of my questions I would be happy to hear it. Thank you for your time.

[Brum]

Would a different Linux download be work better for my type of setup?

[O111111O]

Yeah, knew what SATA was. I front end about 163TB of 360GB SATA drives to Fiberchannel for tier2 storage. Haven't used any SATA controller in desktops....

Your systemboard uses a VIA RAID controller. Via makes teh looonix drivers.

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=4#1009

Another Linux build may not help you, no matter what you do, it smells like you'll be doing a custom kernel.

[Brum]

I realize VIA makes Linux drivers but finding the one I need is proving difficult. Your link doesn't point me towards anything that has to do with RAID. The closest thing I saw was a driver for ata/133.

They DO make drivers, but not for feisty... which is a shame cos I have exact same mobo, and no previous ubuntu/kubuntu version is compatible... but the installer .img file from via refuses to install on any kernel above 6.10 !! In other words, this mobo's raid is currently not supported as far as I can gather.

If only I could hack the .img... working on it...

[lotuseclat79]

You may be able to follow the RAID advice in the Unofficial Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn) Starter Guide.

-- Tom