Installing Ubuntu 6.06.1 in RAID1 on PD 3.0: possible?

Hi,
I've been trying to install Ubuntu Server 6.06.1 on Parallels Desktop 3.0 (build 5584) to simulate my real production machine, which has a RAID1. When first creating the virtual machine, I've created 2 virtual HD, of 5GB each, plain (not expandable) with the split option active (I confess I'm not sure what this option is for). The installation process seemed to be successful but at reboot it hangs. I've tried the Rescue System option on Ubuntu CD and I've realised that it doesn't see the md0 device as such, and even if the boot partitions on the 2 vritual disks were not in raid, Grub can't boot.

Is there any way to achieve this goal?

thanks,

brunus

 

The problem's reason is here. You need to use kernel without PAE mode.

 

Sorry, I've tried to follow the instruction you pointed me to, but no luck: when I start the shell, busybox comes up and chroot /target doesn't work, nor apt-get install linux-generic. (apt-get not found). Could you please describe the procedure in details.
Thanks,
Paolo

 

I've tried also with Edubuntu 7.10 server: there the mdX are recongized, so I succeeded in entering a shell in /dev/md2 as / and give the suggested apt-get install linux-image-2.5.22-14-386. It installed it but when trying to update-initramfs I get the following error: find: /lib/firmware/2.6.22-14-386: no such file or directory (see attached picture): no idea what to do.

paolo

 

As for Ubuntu 6.06.1 server, I have no idea why you could not boot in rescue mode. Anyway you need to install kernel there without PAE mode. Then it will boot OK. The "Server" editions of Ubuntu include kernel with PAE mode, but the "Desktop" do without. Thus you need a generic kernel.

If you really need in Edubuntu 7.10 I think you need to check initramfs's configuration: f.e. what modules does it include into rd image, etc... and remove this search under "/lib/firmware" maybe.

P.S. The guide I pointed to you was written for Ubuntu 7.10 Server

 

Not that helpful, to be honest.
As for Ubuntu 6.06.1, it did boot in rescue mode, I've never stated the contrary, I've just said that it doesn't allow me to install the generic kernel, since the raid volumes are not recongnized, thus even entering the shell in / is impossible.

As for Edubuntu, I did check the initramfs.conf and there's no explicit reference to /lib/firmware, which contains only linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic and not linux-image-2.6.22-14-386 as in the guide you pointed me to.
I tried to reinstall linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic and remove the other, and the update-initramfs -u didn't give any errors. But still, it hangs on reboot. I don't know whether the fact that I have set a md0 as /boot and md2 as / is the problem.

paolo

 

Ok, some progress here: I did manage to install Ubuntu 6.06.1 Desktop on raid1.

After installing Parallels Tools, GDM fails at startup.

I tried once more with Edubuntu 7.10, the kernel is the generic one, and still it hangs on booting (see picture1 attached).
I tried to reboot in recovery mode and here's the output (see picture 2)

Any clues?

brunus

 

Yes. Sorry for this, we have bug with old glibc and Parallels Tools. We are working on it.

Check that your VM has no more than 512Mb of memory. Linux kernel prior to 2.6.23 has a bug on i815 hardware with >512Mb.

If you really need in much amount of memory your have to use kernel >=2.6.23 in Guest.

 

sorry guys, I'm tired of playing around to find ways to workaround your bugs. I've switched to vmware-fusion and everything is working fine, both with 6.06 and Edubuntu, both in raid1: not that many options, but robust.

brunus