Installing Ubuntu 9.10 on Dell M6400 with Raid

[Eric Shubert]

Matthew A Coulliette wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I was trying to install Ubuntu 9.10 on my new Dell Precision M6400, that
> I bought from the Dell Depot.
> 
> As soon as I got it I installed 2 Western Digital 320gb Scorpio Sata
> drives. I used the onboard Intel Matrix Storage Manager (v8.0.0.1039)
> ICH9M-E to mirror the drives, (Raid 1). I gave the new volume a name,
> "WDscorpioV01". So far, so good.
> 
> I downloaded the new Ubuntu 9.10 installation cd for amd64. I ran the
> installation cd and was able to install 94% of the OS. Then, I got an
> error message, "The 'grub' package failed to install into '/taget/'.
> 
> I tried installing 9.10 several times varing a few settings each time,
> always with the same error about not being able to install grub.
> 
> I then tried installing 9.04 and it installs okay, however, when the
> system reboots, it just sits there with a blinking cursor and does not
> boot into the new system.
> 
> I decided to try installing 9.10 again, and during the partitioning
> portion, I noticed that partitioner was seeing a 320gb hard disk. This
> is where I believe the core of the problem is. It should only be seeing
> a 298gb hard disk, since I am using hardware raid.
> 
> Next, I re-entered the Intel Raid Controller and deleted the raid
> volume. Then, I re-entered the bios and changed the hard drive
> configuration mode from Raid to S-ATA.
> 
> Finally, I tried the install again onto the first Sata drive, (without
> hardware raid). I only partitioned the first drive and left the second
> drive unpartitioned. (I was going to setup software raid, but that
> option is not available on the normal install cd. It is available on the
> 'alternate' install cd). On step 8 of 8, I clicked the 'Advanced...'
> menu and set it to install the boot loader into /dev/sda1. The
> installation was succesful and finished without any errors. Although, I
> am glad to know 9.10 runs on my new computer, this piece of success
> really does not help me.
> 
> I decided to try installing 9.10 from the 'alternate' install cd next. I
> went through the installation process as usual and when I got to the
> partitioning section I setup software raid. I finished the installation
> and rebooted into the new system successfully. This is a useable
> configuration for me, although, I would prefer using hardware raid
> instead of software raid.
> 
> If anybody knows how to setup hardware raid with ubuntu 9.10 (karmic
> koala), I would love to hear about it.
> 
> MatthewMPP
> 

I prefer software raid myself. One less piece of hardware that might 
fail. Plus when it does fail, you'll be hard pressed to find another one 
like it that can read your drives.

With processing power such as it is today, I really need no good reason 
for hardware raid. Unless you need raid for that other OS. ;)

-- 
-Eric 'shubes'