I just did a fresh install to 8.04 (needed to resize partitions and
stuff anyway) but now I can't get my RAID array to mount. I installed
mdadm and reset and it seems to have detected the array alright but when
I try to mount it I get a "must specify filesystem type" error.

I'm afraid to experiment too much cause I'm paranoid I'll accidentally
wipe everything from the drives. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

garry wrote:
> I just did a fresh install to 8.04 (needed to resize partitions and
> stuff anyway) but now I can't get my RAID array to mount. I installed
> mdadm and reset and it seems to have detected the array alright but when
> I try to mount it I get a "must specify filesystem type" error.
>
> I'm afraid to experiment too much cause I'm paranoid I'll accidentally
> wipe everything from the drives. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?


Update:

Just noticed that /proc/mdstat says the rais is active using sdb[0] and
sdc[1]. I don't know why it's using sdb[0] as it used to be sdb[1]. Is
this what's wrong? How can I fix this without corrupting what's on it?

As I said I'm trying not to lose everything on it (don't want to have to
re-rip all those CDs :( ) so I'm wary of experimenting myself.

Anybody got any help? This is driving me nuts!!

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:38:07 +0100, garry wrote:

> garry wrote:
>> I just did a fresh install to 8.04 (needed to resize partitions and
>> stuff anyway) but now I can't get my RAID array to mount. I installed
>> mdadm and reset and it seems to have detected the array alright but when
>> I try to mount it I get a "must specify filesystem type" error.
>>
>> I'm afraid to experiment too much cause I'm paranoid I'll accidentally
>> wipe everything from the drives. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
>
>
> Update:
>
> Just noticed that /proc/mdstat says the rais is active using sdb[0] and
> sdc[1]. I don't know why it's using sdb[0] as it used to be sdb[1]. Is
> this what's wrong? How can I fix this without corrupting what's on it?
>
> As I said I'm trying not to lose everything on it (don't want to have to
> re-rip all those CDs :( ) so I'm wary of experimenting myself.
>
> Anybody got any help? This is driving me nuts!!

My working raid is listed in /etc/fstab like:

/dev/md0 /home reiserfs defaults,auto,noatime,exec 0 0

If you wanted to mount that without specifying it in fstab, that would be
like (untested):

mount -t reiserfs /dev/md0 /home

or

mount -t auto /dev/md0 /home

HTH.

--
It is neither possible nor necessary to educate people
who never question anything.

-- Joseph Heller

Joe User wrote:
> On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:38:07 +0100, garry wrote:
>
>> garry wrote:
>>> I just did a fresh install to 8.04 (needed to resize partitions and
>>> stuff anyway) but now I can't get my RAID array to mount. I installed
>>> mdadm and reset and it seems to have detected the array alright but when
>>> I try to mount it I get a "must specify filesystem type" error.
>>>
>>> I'm afraid to experiment too much cause I'm paranoid I'll accidentally
>>> wipe everything from the drives. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
>>
>> Update:
>>
>> Just noticed that /proc/mdstat says the rais is active using sdb[0] and
>> sdc[1]. I don't know why it's using sdb[0] as it used to be sdb[1]. Is
>> this what's wrong? How can I fix this without corrupting what's on it?
>>
>> As I said I'm trying not to lose everything on it (don't want to have to
>> re-rip all those CDs :( ) so I'm wary of experimenting myself.
>>
>> Anybody got any help? This is driving me nuts!!
>
> My working raid is listed in /etc/fstab like:
>
> /dev/md0 /home reiserfs defaults,auto,noatime,exec 0 0
>
> If you wanted to mount that without specifying it in fstab, that would be
> like (untested):
>
> mount -t reiserfs /dev/md0 /home
>
> or
>
> mount -t auto /dev/md0 /home
>
> HTH.
>
Tried that alright. Didn't work.

I also noticed that /dev/sdb1 and /dev/sdc1 don't actually exist but
running fstab /dev/sdb of sdc and print the partition table it shows them.

Anybody know what's going on??

garry nothere@nosuchplace.net wrote previously in alt.os.linux.ubuntu:

> garry wrote:
>> I just did a fresh install to 8.04 (needed to resize partitions and
>> stuff anyway) but now I can't get my RAID array to mount. I installed
>> mdadm and reset and it seems to have detected the array alright but when
>> I try to mount it I get a "must specify filesystem type" error.
>>
>> I'm afraid to experiment too much cause I'm paranoid I'll accidentally
>> wipe everything from the drives. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
>
>
> Update:
>
> Just noticed that /proc/mdstat says the rais is active using sdb[0] and
> sdc[1]. I don't know why it's using sdb[0] as it used to be sdb[1]. Is
> this what's wrong? How can I fix this without corrupting what's on it?
>
> As I said I'm trying not to lose everything on it (don't want to have to
> re-rip all those CDs :( ) so I'm wary of experimenting myself.
>
> Anybody got any help? This is driving me nuts!!

Have you read mdadm manual?

# mdadm --examine /dev/sdb1

gives you details about your raid? or no superblock detected?

Have you created a mdadm.conf file with your raid info (details in mdadm
manual)

On 2008-07-18, garry <nothere@nosuchplace.net> wrote:
> Joe User wrote:
>> On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:38:07 +0100, garry wrote:
>>
>>> garry wrote:
>>>> I just did a fresh install to 8.04 (needed to resize partitions and
>>>> stuff anyway) but now I can't get my RAID array to mount. I installed
>>>> mdadm and reset and it seems to have detected the array alright but when
>>>> I try to mount it I get a "must specify filesystem type" error.
>>>>
>>>> I'm afraid to experiment too much cause I'm paranoid I'll accidentally
>>>> wipe everything from the drives. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
>>>
>>> Update:
>>>
>>> Just noticed that /proc/mdstat says the rais is active using sdb[0] and
>>> sdc[1]. I don't know why it's using sdb[0] as it used to be sdb[1]. Is
>>> this what's wrong? How can I fix this without corrupting what's on it?
>>>
>>> As I said I'm trying not to lose everything on it (don't want to have to
>>> re-rip all those CDs :( ) so I'm wary of experimenting myself.
>>>
>>> Anybody got any help? This is driving me nuts!!
>>
>> My working raid is listed in /etc/fstab like:
>>
>> /dev/md0 /home reiserfs defaults,auto,noatime,exec 0 0
>>
>> If you wanted to mount that without specifying it in fstab, that would be
>> like (untested):
>>
>> mount -t reiserfs /dev/md0 /home
>>
>> or
>>
>> mount -t auto /dev/md0 /home
>>
>> HTH.
>>
> Tried that alright. Didn't work.
>
> I also noticed that /dev/sdb1 and /dev/sdc1 don't actually exist but
> running fstab /dev/sdb of sdc and print the partition table it shows them.
>
> Anybody know what's going on??

You are regretting that you did not back up your data before the re-install
;-(

Antonio Perez wrote:
> garry nothere@nosuchplace.net wrote previously in alt.os.linux.ubuntu:
>
>> garry wrote:
>>> I just did a fresh install to 8.04 (needed to resize partitions and
>>> stuff anyway) but now I can't get my RAID array to mount. I installed
>>> mdadm and reset and it seems to have detected the array alright but when
>>> I try to mount it I get a "must specify filesystem type" error.
>>>
>>> I'm afraid to experiment too much cause I'm paranoid I'll accidentally
>>> wipe everything from the drives. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
>>
>> Update:
>>
>> Just noticed that /proc/mdstat says the rais is active using sdb[0] and
>> sdc[1]. I don't know why it's using sdb[0] as it used to be sdb[1]. Is
>> this what's wrong? How can I fix this without corrupting what's on it?
>>
>> As I said I'm trying not to lose everything on it (don't want to have to
>> re-rip all those CDs :( ) so I'm wary of experimenting myself.
>>
>> Anybody got any help? This is driving me nuts!!
>
> Have you read mdadm manual?
>
> # mdadm --examine /dev/sdb1
>
> gives you details about your raid? or no superblock detected?
>
> Have you created a mdadm.conf file with your raid info (details in mdadm
> manual)

# mdadm --examine /dev/sdb1
Gives me "no such file or directory" but

# mdadm --examine /dev/sdb
Does return info on my RAID. I've gone through the mdadm manual alright
but I'm wary of trying things as I don't know what would be destructive
(i.e. wipe everything and create a new array).

I'll have a look at creating an mdadm.conf file but I think my main
problem at the minute is that /dev/sdb1 and /dev/sdc1 don't exist.
Anybody know how to manually create them or get Linux to detect them?

garry nothere@nosuchplace.net wrote previously in alt.os.linux.ubuntu:

> Antonio Perez wrote:
>> garry nothere@nosuchplace.net wrote previously in alt.os.linux.ubuntu:
>>
>>> garry wrote:
[....]
> I'll have a look at creating an mdadm.conf file but I think my main
> problem at the minute is that /dev/sdb1 and /dev/sdc1 don't exist.
> Anybody know how to manually create them or get Linux to detect them?

Do you have space in another disk?
why don't you make a backup of the full disk with dd and be at ease?

then you could try to include a line in mdadm.conf like:
ARRAY /dev/md1 level=raid1 num-devices=2 UUID=123.....
to start your raid. You have not said which type is it: 0,1,5,10?

please provide "fdisk -l" as well.

Antonio Perez wrote:
> garry nothere@nosuchplace.net wrote previously in alt.os.linux.ubuntu:
>
>> Antonio Perez wrote:
>>> garry nothere@nosuchplace.net wrote previously in alt.os.linux.ubuntu:
>>>
>>>> garry wrote:
> [....]
>> I'll have a look at creating an mdadm.conf file but I think my main
>> problem at the minute is that /dev/sdb1 and /dev/sdc1 don't exist.
>> Anybody know how to manually create them or get Linux to detect them?
>
> Do you have space in another disk?
> why don't you make a backup of the full disk with dd and be at ease?
>
> then you could try to include a line in mdadm.conf like:
> ARRAY /dev/md1 level=raid1 num-devices=2 UUID=123.....
> to start your raid. You have not said which type is it: 0,1,5,10?
>
> please provide "fdisk -l" as well.

I don't have enough space on any other disk. I've a lot of large files
left over from a project for college that I don't necessarily need but
can't access them to delete them now.

It's a RAID 0. 2x500gb drives.

fdisk -l gives me the following:


Disk /dev/sda: 200.0 GB, 200049647616 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 24321 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd2e08c95

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 2432 19535008+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 24260 24321 498015 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3 2433 24259 175325377+ 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe4499a13

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 60801 488384032 fd Linux raid
autodetect

Disk /dev/sdc: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf8709f57

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 1 60801 488384001 fd Linux raid
autodetect

Disk /dev/md0: 1000.2 GB, 1000215543808 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121602 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe4499a13

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/md0p1 1 60801 488384032 fd Linux raid
autodetect

sda is my os partion with /, /home/ and swap partions. sdb is the first
raid drive and appears to be detected as such. sdc is the 2nd and is
also being detected as a raid partition. I'm no expert (obviously :) )
but the partition table of md0 doesn't look right to me. It's "Start"
"End" and number of "Blocks" are all the same as the individual 500gig
drives.

mdadm.conf has 2 arrays listed /dev/md0 and /dev/md1. On the old OS
installation my array was located at /dev/md1. Could there be a problem
here?

Thanks for taking the time to help. I really appreciate it.

garry nothere@nosuchplace.net wrote previously in alt.os.linux.ubuntu:

> Antonio Perez wrote:
>> [....]
>>> I'll have a look at creating an mdadm.conf file but I think my main
>>> problem at the minute is that /dev/sdb1 and /dev/sdc1 don't exist.

They *do* exits as reported by "fdisk -l". Please calm down, repeating
questions without more information won't help resolving your issue.

>> Do you have space in another disk?
> I don't have enough space on any other disk.

Ok.

> sda is my os partion with /, /home/ and swap partions.
Ok, we could forget about sda for now.

> It's a RAID 0.
No redundancy, no backup, no spare. Problems are bound to happen.
Hard way to learn this lesson, sorry.

> 2x500gb drives.
> sdb is the first raid drive and appears to be detected as such.
> sdc is the 2nd and is also being detected as a raid partition.

Being detected as a RAID partition and being included in a RAID array is not
the same.

This info should not be hold as correct (fdisk is trying to interpret data
that could not be a partition table):
> Disk /dev/md0: 1000.2 GB, 1000215543808 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121602 cylinders

> but the partition table of md0 doesn't look right to me. It's "Start"
> "End" and number of "Blocks" are all the same as the individual 500gig
> drives.

Yes, but the number of cylinders is 121602 (double of each disk).

>> then you could try to include a line in mdadm.conf like:
>> ARRAY /dev/md1 level=raid1 num-devices=2 UUID=123.....
>> to start your raid.
> mdadm.conf has 2 arrays listed /dev/md0 and /dev/md1. On the old OS
> installation my array was located at /dev/md1. Could there be a problem
> here?

You only have one array, correct?
Then, that file must contain only one line, the other has to be erased.

Please do on a command line (# means root powers):
"let's backup the file:"
# mv /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf.backup
"Let's create a new file with mdadm:"
# echo ’DEVICE /dev/hd*[0-9] /dev/sd*[0-9]’ > /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf
# mdadm --detail --scan >> /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf

That procedure is detailed in the mdadm manual (# man mdadm).

> Thanks for taking the time to help. I really appreciate it.
Let's hope we can solve your problem.

================================================== ===================
Post:
the new /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf
# mdadm -E /dev/sdb
# mdadm -E /dev/sdc
here