ML570 (6400 Smart Array Controller) + Debian

[Michael Bellears]

Just purchased the above server, and am having difficulties locating a "generic linux"(Only appears to be RH and Family available) driver for the Raid controller.

Has anyone succesffuly installed Debian on the Smart Array 6400?(If so, did you use a driver disk, or create your own Deb install CD with 2.4.25 kern?)

Any information is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
MB

[Stuart Browne]

What version of Debian did you install, and what kernel is on it?

I know the 2.4.21+ kernels have a compatable 'cciss' driver for that series of card.

[Michael Bellears]

Running Debian 3.0 (2.4.20 kern (bf24 install) - So it fails to find the controller.)

My only other options are to create a driver disk (Can't find a generic driver though - Only RH vers's.), or to create a custom install CD, that has 2.4.25 kern with cciss support compiled in (I assume this is <*> Compaq Smart Array 5xxx support under block devices?)

Regards,
MB

[Stuart Browne]

Under newer kernels, yes, that is the correct driver. In earlier versions of the driver however it doesn't work on any of the 6xxx or 6xx series of controllers.

The config name is 'CONFIG_BLK_CPQ_CISS_DA'.

[Michael Bellears]

Ok - Finally got Debian installed - I created a custom install CD with 2.4.21 (compiled with 6400 support) - I have the ISO if anyone is interested.

My next question is - I have 4x148.6G Drives with Deb Installed - If I wanted to add new drives to the existing array (Via Top Tools), how would I then make this new space available once in Debian(Or any other Linux for that matter) - I know with Windows, you can dynamically add (Once new capacity is available) space to existing partitions...Is this doable under Linux (Special Partitioning Software?) - Or would I need to create new arrays of storage, and mount them as new partitions in fstab?

Regards,
MB

[Reiß, Thomas]

You can make a LVM Volume.
I an LVM Volume You can add some new Partition's or Diskspace.

After that grow up Your Filesysem.

Please take a Look at

man LVM

[Stuart Browne]

At this time, I'm not aware of any on-line tools that will allow you to expand an existing array container for this series of controller.

It might be hidden somewhere in the ACU-XE however, as I've not fully explored that thing.

Getting that installed on Debian though might be a challenge.

[Todd Erwin]

Hey this is going to be my lucky day. Could you please send me that ISO so I can try it out on my box.

Thanks for all your hard work I too have been working on this for about a week.

Todd

[Michael Bellears]

http://hoon.datafx.com.au/compaq_iso/bootbf2.4.iso (~38M)

I had to really strip down the kernel image, so your NIC may not function (From memory I def. have support for EtherExpressPro/100)

Regards,
MB

[Michael Bellears]

Stuart: I managed to increase the array size via the Smart Start Disk array Manager (Is this the correct location?)

I have been told that tools such as: resize_reiserfs can be used to (as the name suggest!) resize the partition size with the newly available space.

Regards,
MB

[Michael Bellears]

Thanks also for the info on LVM - I'll install on a test server and let you know how it goes.

Regards,
MB

[Stuart Browne]

Yes, 'resize_reiserfs' for 'reiserfs' filessytems, or 'resize2fs' for ext2 or ext3 filesystems.

The tools work differently, for different file systems so make sure you read the documentation. You may also need to bring the system down into single-user to perform these resize actions.

[Todd Erwin]

Thanksk for posting the image. It doesn't look like you had support for any NIC or you didn't build the modules portion of your kernel. Any way it did work I just don't have any networking. I could install the eepro100.o file either because it was not a modules built kernel. So I'm trying to re-build the kernel based on your config file and I will see what kind of luck I have.

Thanks again for your help if you have any ideas why the networking didn't work I'm open to suggestions.

THanks.

Cowboy

[Michael Bellears]

I def. have support compiled into the kernel(i.e. NOT modules) for:

<*> EtherExpressPro/100 support (eepro100, original Becker driver)
and
<*> EtherExpressPro/100 support (e100, Alternate Intel driver)

CONFIG_EEPRO100=y
# CONFIG_EEPRO100_PIO is not set
CONFIG_E100=y

There probably are no modules available(As I had to really strip the kernel down)

What NIC do you have?

Regards,
MB

[Todd Erwin]

I actually re-compiled a new kernel, with the support and compiled in all the modules. I have the eepro100 card in the machine but for some reason with your iso it didn't work. I recompiled everything and did all the modules and it works. I will be creating a ISO today of 2.6 if anyone is interested in it.

Thanks for all your help.

Cowboy

[Todd Erwin]

I forgot to ask. How do you make a ISO image? Im fairly new to the linux world, actually i've been around it for a while but never done the more advanced stuff that i've been doing lately. I have a kernel that I would like to use to make a iso but don't know what to do.

Any help would be greatly apreciated.

Thanks.

[Michael Bellears]

Googling will produce a multitude of hits...

The following pages have howto's that should assist:

http://www.net-track.ch/resources/aic79xx.php

http://oregonstate.edu/~kveton/debian/

Regards,
MB