Clean SL 5.4 Install and Anaconda Disk Partitioning Madness
I've been searching Google for answers and can't find any, so I decided to check here. I'm trying to do a clean install of SL 5.4. I'm booting from an SL 5.4 x86_64 DVD. When I get to the point of custom partitioning my drives, Anaconda makes a mess of things. I have 4 drives and I want 4 partions on each drive. The first partion will be `/boot', next `/', then `/data', and finally a swap partion. As I create each partition on each drive, Anaconda will suddenly rearrange the order of the partions. When I go onto another drive, the order may be different than the last drive I just partitioned. When I try to do the 4th and last partition, I get an `Extended' 4th partion (which is empty) and a real 5th partition, instead of a simple single partition. In the end, what I want is the first partition on each drive combined into a software RAID 1 and be `/boot'. The next 2 sets will be software RAID 0's and `/' `/data'. The final partitions will be 4 separate swap partitions that the OS will take care of. I've tried creating all the partitions on one drive and then moving onto the next one and the next one, but it scrambles things up. I've tried creating the first partition on each drive, then combining them into the RAID 1 md0 device, and specifying the files system type, and mount point `/boot'. Next I go onto the next partition, which I've tried as a software RAID 0 partition and swap at various times. This one usually works, but not always. When I get to the 3rd partition, then it will suddenly rearrange the partitions on that drive. I've even seen it suddenly create a swap partition on a different drive than what I'm actually working on. I've done this with earlier versions of SL, but I don't remember having this much trouble with Anaconda randomly rearranging things and creating an extra unneeded partion. Any insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. -- Brent L. Bates (UNIX Sys. Admin.) M.S. 912 Phone:(757) 865-1400, x204 NASA Langley Research CenterFAX:(757) 865-8177 Hampton, Virginia 23681-0001 Email: b.l.ba...@larc.nasa.govhttp://www.vigyan.com/~blbates/
Re: Clean SL 5.4 Install and Anaconda Disk Partitioning Madness
Brent L. Bates wrote: I've been searching Google for answers and can't find any, so I decided to check here. I'm trying to do a clean install of SL 5.4. I'm booting from an SL 5.4 x86_64 DVD. When I get to the point of custom partitioning my drives, Anaconda makes a mess of things. I have 4 drives and I want 4 partions on each drive. The first partion will be `/boot', next `/', then `/data', and finally a swap partion. As I create each partition on each drive, Anaconda will suddenly rearrange the order of the partions. When I go onto another drive, the order may be different than the last drive I just partitioned. When I try to do the 4th and last partition, I get an `Extended' 4th partion (which is empty) and a real 5th partition, instead of a simple single partition. In the end, what I want is the first partition on each drive combined into a software RAID 1 and be `/boot'. The next 2 sets will be software RAID 0's and `/' `/data'. The final partitions will be 4 separate swap partitions that the OS will take care of. I've tried creating all the partitions on one drive and then moving onto the next one and the next one, but it scrambles things up. I've tried creating the first partition on each drive, then combining them into the RAID 1 md0 device, and specifying the files system type, and mount point `/boot'. Next I go onto the next partition, which I've tried as a software RAID 0 partition and swap at various times. This one usually works, but not always. When I get to the 3rd partition, then it will suddenly rearrange the partitions on that drive. I've even seen it suddenly create a swap partition on a different drive than what I'm actually working on. I've done this with earlier versions of SL, but I don't remember having this much trouble with Anaconda randomly rearranging things and creating an extra unneeded partion. Any insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks I've noticed anaconda likes to try and be smarter than you. Quite annoying. You can probably solve this by specifying things explicitly in a kickstart file, pre-partitioning the disk using fdisk/sfdisk, or fiddling with the force primary partition check box and the order you specify the partitions in anaconda. I've worked in the reverse order over the years, manually tricking anaconda, then forcing an sfdisk dump in, and finally resorted to tailoring a kickstart to do my bidding because disk sizes aren't constant for me. Hope that helps a bit. Cheers, Mark -- Mr. Mark V. Stodola Digital Systems Engineer National Electrostatics Corp. P.O. Box 620310 Middleton, WI 53562-0310 USA Phone: (608) 831-7600 Fax: (608) 831-9591
Re: Clean SL 5.4 Install and Anaconda Disk Partitioning Madness
Brent L. Bates wrote: I've been searching Google for answers and can't find any, so I decided to check here. I'm trying to do a clean install of SL 5.4. I'm booting from an SL 5.4 x86_64 DVD. When I get to the point of custom partitioning my drives, Anaconda makes a mess of things. I have 4 drives and I want 4 partions on each drive. The first partion will be `/boot', next `/', then `/data', and finally a swap partion. As I create each partition on each drive, Anaconda will suddenly rearrange the order of the partions. When I go onto another drive, the order may be different than the last drive I just partitioned. When I try to do the 4th and last partition, I get an `Extended' 4th partion (which is empty) and a real 5th partition, instead of a simple single partition. In the end, what I want is the first partition on each drive combined into a software RAID 1 and be `/boot'. The next 2 sets will be software RAID 0's and `/' `/data'. The final partitions will be 4 separate swap partitions that the OS will take care of. I've tried creating all the partitions on one drive and then moving onto the next one and the next one, but it scrambles things up. I've tried creating the first partition on each drive, then combining them into the RAID 1 md0 device, and specifying the files system type, and mount point `/boot'. Next I go onto the next partition, which I've tried as a software RAID 0 partition and swap at various times. This one usually works, but not always. When I get to the 3rd partition, then it will suddenly rearrange the partitions on that drive. I've even seen it suddenly create a swap partition on a different drive than what I'm actually working on. I've done this with earlier versions of SL, but I don't remember having this much trouble with Anaconda randomly rearranging things and creating an extra unneeded partion. Any insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. What *I* would do with something that complicated. I would do a Ctrl-Alt-F2 on the screen before that and do all the partitions by hand. Then on the customizing screen, you just have to link them together. But if you are going to do it by the graphical install, make *sure* that you select Primary Partition for each and every partition. The one partition that you don't do that to is going to get popped over to an extended partition. Troy -- __ Troy Dawson daw...@fnal.gov (630)840-6468 Fermilab ComputingDivision/LSCS/CSI/USS Group __
Re: Clean SL 5.4 Install and Anaconda Disk Partitioning Madness
And when you are doing your custom layout, select RAID rather than New in the menu for making partitions. The RAID option allows you to setup partitions on different disks and then combine them into a software raid. You can select the RAID type, and which partitions go into each RAID device. I have used this many times, and Troy is correct: as long as you use the force primary partition option, the partitions do not get moved around. Eve On Wed, 24 Mar 2010, Troy Dawson wrote: Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:29:59 -0500 From: Troy Dawson daw...@fnal.gov To: Brent L. Bates blba...@vigyan.com Cc: Scientific Linux Users mailing list scientific-linux-us...@fnal.gov Subject: Re: Clean SL 5.4 Install and Anaconda Disk Partitioning Madness Brent L. Bates wrote: I've been searching Google for answers and can't find any, so I decided to check here. I'm trying to do a clean install of SL 5.4. I'm booting from an SL 5.4 x86_64 DVD. When I get to the point of custom partitioning my drives, Anaconda makes a mess of things. I have 4 drives and I want 4 partions on each drive. The first partion will be `/boot', next `/', then `/data', and finally a swap partion. As I create each partition on each drive, Anaconda will suddenly rearrange the order of the partions. When I go onto another drive, the order may be different than the last drive I just partitioned. When I try to do the 4th and last partition, I get an `Extended' 4th partion (which is empty) and a real 5th partition, instead of a simple single partition. In the end, what I want is the first partition on each drive combined into a software RAID 1 and be `/boot'. The next 2 sets will be software RAID 0's and `/' `/data'. The final partitions will be 4 separate swap partitions that the OS will take care of. I've tried creating all the partitions on one drive and then moving onto the next one and the next one, but it scrambles things up. I've tried creating the first partition on each drive, then combining them into the RAID 1 md0 device, and specifying the files system type, and mount point `/boot'. Next I go onto the next partition, which I've tried as a software RAID 0 partition and swap at various times. This one usually works, but not always. When I get to the 3rd partition, then it will suddenly rearrange the partitions on that drive. I've even seen it suddenly create a swap partition on a different drive than what I'm actually working on. I've done this with earlier versions of SL, but I don't remember having this much trouble with Anaconda randomly rearranging things and creating an extra unneeded partion. Any insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. What *I* would do with something that complicated. I would do a Ctrl-Alt-F2 on the screen before that and do all the partitions by hand. Then on the customizing screen, you just have to link them together. But if you are going to do it by the graphical install, make *sure* that you select Primary Partition for each and every partition. The one partition that you don't do that to is going to get popped over to an extended partition. Troy -- __ Troy Dawson daw...@fnal.gov (630)840-6468 Fermilab ComputingDivision/LSCS/CSI/USS Group __ *** Eve Kovacs Argonne National Laboratory, Room E-217, Bldg. 362, HEP 9700 S. Cass Ave. Argonne, IL 60439 USA Phone: (630)-252-6208 Fax: (630)-252-5047 email: kov...@hep.anl.gov ***
Re: Tips on switching to Oracle Unbreakable Linux
Hi Chris, I'm running Oracle App Server on my SL boxes. I started out with RedHat, then decided I didn't really get anything out of RetHat support so go with SL. Now I'm thinking for a couple hundred bucks a year I will go with the minimal support level of Oracle Unbreakable Linux. That way I can turn on the regular updates and just let them automatically apply. I'd like to know if you guys see any flaws to this plan, and if you think I am looking at a complete reinstall or what. Thanks for your help over the years with SL. I'm confused as to what you're asking. If you'd like to pay someone for supporting your Linux distribution, then maybe SL have a donation system? I honestly don't understand what criteria you're trying to meet, are you just more comfortable with paying for something that getting something for free? Michael. Chris Howard --- End of Original Message ---
RE: Tips on switching to Oracle Unbreakable Linux
--- original message -- I'm confused as to what you're asking. If you'd like to pay someone for supporting your Linux distribution, then maybe SL have a donation system? I honestly don't understand what criteria you're trying to meet, are you just more comfortable with paying for something that getting something for free? Michael. Chris Howard --- Right now I run yum periodically, then sweat bullets if there are any kernel updates, or just don't run yum.I would rather have someone to yell at if an automatic update breaks things. In theory I could put oracle on a spare box and test it right? Wrong, because licensing for another app server box is many thousands of dollars. The cheapest OUL subscription is something like $200/year and I think that will just let me slurp from their update stream which is all I really want anyway. I've been happy with not doing updates very often. But now I have some (microsoft type) people asking me why I don't have a regular pattern of updates to apply. The best answer is, Because my system actually works. But that is inconvenient in the given circumstances.
