[Guide]Howto Install Software RAID 5 on Ubuntu - 1

After search Software RAID5 installation for Ubuntu, I decide to try it on my Ubuntu server. And I couldn't get it boot after I successfully configured RIAD5 during ubuntu server's installation. By the end, after I read the Installation SoftwareRAID, I figured out it's because my RAID 5 configuration for the /boot partition was wrong. Since the /boot filesystem cannot use any softRAID level other than 1 with the stock Ubuntu bootloader.

Ok, here is my version of Software RAID5 installation for Ubuntu Server on IBM ThinkCentre 8189-KJU (Known as M50).

Basically I had 3 PCs 160GB Seagate Barracuda 7200 Hard Disk Drives which connected to 2 IDE Channels on IBM ThinkCentre Desktop PC. The 1st and 2nd Hard Disk connected to the 1st IDE Channel, and the 3rd one and DVD drive connected to the 2nd IDE Channel.


Basically I planned 200MB space on both sda (which is Hard Disk1) and sdb (which is Hard Disk 2) for the /boot partition with RAID1, 2GB space on both sda and sdb for the swap partition with RAID1, and left of space (around 158GB) on sda, sdb and almost everything on sdc for the root partition / with RAID5.

So here is the setup:

• sda - 200MB sda1 RAID1 /boot
  145GB sda5 RAID5 /
  2GB sda6 RAID1 swap


• sdb - 200MB sdb1 RAID1 /boot
  145GB sdb5 RAID5 /
  2GB sdb6 RAID1 swap


• sdc - 200MB sdc1 - No going to use.
  145GB sdc5 RAID5 /
  2GB sdc6 - Not going to use.

As I said before, since the /boot file system cannot be running on RAID5, but only RAID1. Also I left most space to RAID5 for the root / file system which include all my data files as well. For the swap, I think you can configure it either RAID1 or RAID5, it's doesn't matter, but I configured as RAID1 in my setup, since I think RIAD1 should have enough protection and faster than RAID5 system.

Ok, I am not going to go through every steps for setting up the Ubuntu Server, but only the steps for configure RAID system:

• From the "Partition Disks" dialog box, select "Manually edit the partition table".


• Select the 1st disk ("sda")


• Say "Yes" to "Create a new empty partition" select "physical volume for RAID", not the default "Ext3 journaling file system".


• TO be continue ...