Problem setting up RAID/LVM at installation (Denis Melnikov)

[Patrick Ploss]

Since I regularly use the ubuntu alternate install CD and convert it to edubuntu, I'll chime in here... 

The 'default' alternate install includes X and all the other packages the Live CD install includes as default, except when it runs in low memory mode. Hopefully anything you are trying to run edubuntu on is not going to be in low memory mode (I occasionally see it because some of our older systems here look identical to the not quite so old systems and don't have the ram for much of anything).

The only disc it is going to know of is the same alternate ubuntu install CD used for the initial install. Using any other disc will mess it up. This is the same for every version of ubuntu I've played with...

If he was running in gnome he could use synaptic to fix the error as well. Though they basically do the same thing.

As it is, my process toward getting working edubuntu desktops (since most of my machines can't use PCXE and can run gnome et all just fine) is to install ubuntu from the alternate install CD (only have 128 MB of ram which isn't enough for the live CD). Then after install boot into Linux (I ignore the request to take the install disc out as I'd just need to put it back in and it does give the option 'boot from first HDD) and update. Restart when prompted after the updates install and when I get back in use the software source tool to open up more packages for install (because I need a few things that are back ported and things in universe). Use synaptic to search for and install edubuntu (I install all five listed options for a few different reasons). Reboot so Edubuntu takes effect and then go back and install all the extras for my users.

I've never had one completely fail this way and I've done this same process to nearly 30 PC's so far... 

-----Original Message-----
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 10:44:05 +0100
From: Gavin McCullagh <gmccullagh at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Problem setting up RAID/LVM at installation
To: edubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
Message-ID: <20070417094405.GB12614 at gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi,

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007, Denis Melnikov wrote:

> > Edubuntu-desktop should add the extra software and packages to give you
> > a desktop edubuntu system.  Depending on whether you want Edubuntu as a
> > thin client server, you may need to install the package edubuntu-server
> > and do
> > 	sudo ltsp-build-client
> 
> By the way, will X desktop start automatically after installing
> these packages?

Does it not already?  If you installed ubuntu, the X desktop should already
be there.  That's unless you chose the ubuntu "server" install profile.  If
you did that then, yes, edubuntu-desktop will pull in the X desktop system.

> > > aptitude copied packages from the CD and then asked to insert
> > > Ubuntu CD. After I'd inserted the CD and pressed <Enter>,
> > > aptitude aborted with segmentation fault. Now I can neither
> > > `aptitude remove` nor repeat the installation.
> 
> I forgot to mention that I'd inserted the Ubuntu Alternate CD
> used for installation. May it be the matter?

This is not clear.  Which CD did it ask for and which did you put in?  I'm
not certain but I don't know if the edubuntu-desktop package is on the
Ubuntu Alternate CD.

> I can't reproduce the error now since I'm far from the server.
> But it catched on edubuntu-artworks and slocate packages,
> and a keyword was 'diverse' (or 'disperse' - sorry for my weak
> memore).

I think you need to bring a pen and paper with you next time.  The errors
are there to help us understand what's going on.  Without them, we really
have very little chance.

> > > How can I revert the system state back to the one just after
> > > `apt-cdrom add`?
> > 
> > Having done the above, I think you should be able to do
> > 
> > 	sudo aptitude remove edubuntu-desktop
> > 	sudo aptitude autoremove
> 
> I tried both, no success.

I'm afraid "no success" isn't enough information.  You need to tell us what
error it gave.  Also, you don't say whether you tried 
	dpkg --configure -a
and what result that gave.

> I think RAID(1,5) is a must for a server engaged in education.

I'm inclined to agree, not so much "for a server engaged in education" but
for any server with many users dependant on it.  Edubuntu thin client
servers would be a good example of this.  RAID1 seems the most obviously
simple and useful to me.

> Moreover, provided a server has two or more disks the installer
> must suggest to configure softRAID and of course LVM
> (regardless of quantity of disks).

Personally, I'm a little less convinced of the value of LVM when balanced
against the complexity it adds.  Particularly given that if necessary it's
possible to change disks and upgrade and expand just with software RAID.
Either way though, we don't want to over-complicate the install process.  I
guess a question like:

 "Your server has two hard disks available.  Edubuntu can be installed
  either to one disk only or to both so that all information is copied to
  both disks (called "RAID1").  RAID1 is recommended for servers as should
  a hard disk fail over time, a RAID1 system can continue using the one
  remaining disk until you replace the failed disk.  However, you will have
  half as much disk space available.  Select install to [1] a single disk
  or [2] both disks."

if properly worded might not scare people too much.  If selected it could
just use the standard partition layout across the two disks unless
advanced partitioning is chosen.

Anyway, it'll be up the developers what they think is best.

> In addition, as Edubuntu intended for education it should educate from
> the very beginning, i.e. installation. I myself had first known of LVM
> when installing ScientificLinux (RedHat derivative).

Could you elaborate on that?  Do you mean the install should be
educational?  Edubuntu (as I understand it) is a system aimed for use in
education, as opposed to a system aimed to educate its users/admins.  I
suspect that a school teacher tasked with setting up edubuntu with little
knowledge of linux will already have a fairly steep learning curve without
adding detailed knowledge of LVM and RAID.

Gavin




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