Hi, OS: Ubuntu Server 12.04.5 I'm setting up a fileserver with 4 new harddrives. It's a clean installation and I'm going to use 2 drives for RAID1 (Ubuntu Software RAID) and the other 2 as standard harddrives (for backup). I got this far. Setting up the RAID1 and installing OS, swapfiles etc. But how do I mount/format the 2 other drives? (non-RAID). By using Fdisk and Fstab?? I've been reading quite a few sites now and Ubuntu Server documentation, but there's so many ways to do it. Pease point me in the right direction
Extended? Fileformat! Ext4 and FAT32? Hi Srijan, OK!? why extended? I'm no guru, so I'm asking because I don't know anything about it, not because I'm in doubt of your suggestion Fileformat! Ext4 and FAT32? I've got to WD harddisks as backup drives, as you know - but is it possible to make one of them using a filesystem which, can be used in a windows box? Thinking about 1 backup disk using e.g. FAT32 and the other one EXT4. Data is the same on each drive anyway. Am I being a fool here? I know there's some issues with filenames and other stuff when using FAT32, but maybe you know a filesystem which could do the trick? I know there's software (win) which reads Linux partitions, but I'm sure you get the idea Any ideas? STATUS 6:37pm When setting up RAID1 (Ubuntu Software RAID), I'm able to make partition and format the 2 backups drives as well. But, I'm not sure about this. Do I choose "Primary" or "Logical" for these two backup drives? You wrote about "extended" and according to the reading I've been doing so far, I need to choose "Logical" to get extended. I never understod it completely. All I know is that it has something to do with problems with large harddrives. The need for several partitions to be able to use all of e.g. 4Tb harddrive. And maximum numbers of primary partitions on one system is 4 which in some casesis not enough and therefore logical partitions is needed etc. etc. Not sure about this, but this is what I recall. There's only 4 harddrives on this system and I think it will stay that way. So, how do I go on? Format the 2 WD 1Tb BackUp drives as Primary/Logical? This is where I found it: http://askubuntu.com/questions/179362/how-to-create-partitions-in-ubuntu-while-installing Thanks for helping me Srijan...
See in any OS you can have maximum 4 Primary partitions, so I will suggest to have either 2 or 3 Primary partition. You can have either up to four primary partitions, or up to three primary partitions and an extended partition. You can create several new partitions in an extended partition. If you wish to get access of the backup data in windows then I will suggest NTFS not FAT32. Yes you need to have logical first then it can have extended. See if I need to face the same scenario then I will do it like that 1+1 WD hardisk with RAID which will be Primary partition then 1WD harddisk will be primary for backup 1WD harddisk will be either primary or extended. See if I use last harddisk as extended then in future I am free to add more drives in the Ubuntu 12.04 server. So I suggested like that.
Format 1 disk as EXT4 and the other as NTFS Hi Srijan, OK I think I'm going to chose 1 as Ext4 and 1 as NTFS, so that backup data can be accessed quickly in both windows and linux if both RAID disks should fail Can you point me in the right direction? I didn't think that Linux could format NTFS. Only seen FAT32 in the list over partitions possible. I completed the setup, and the system has named the two backup disks sda & sdb, the two RAID disks was sda & sdb. This is because it's a combi mobo with both IDE and SATA. IDE disks has been converted into SATA. Will upgrade mobo later on, but for now, this is how it is So, can you point me in the right direction? Installation of OS Ubuntu Server 12.04 done and the RAID is setup using sdc & sdd. Now I need to format and "mount"? the two backup disks, WD 1Tb. Haqven't done formatting manually in Linux before, only through installation disk. And I've been reading about it. Read something about the need for mounting the disks and config the system so that they'll mount on boot. Sorry for the newbie question. Thanks
Linux supports NTFS formatting check http://linux.die.net/man/8/mkfs.ntfs At the time of installation of Ubuntu 12.04 just make RAID of the two partitions, at that time you can either connect the backup drives or not if you wish to connect it later. Better just create the server with RAID for two harddisks. After server build attach the backup drives and format them in any file format e.g. 1into ext3/ext4 and second into NTFS/fat32. Linux supports all these type of partitions. For formatting you can use either parted or gparted utilty
Hi Srijan, It's exactly what I would like to do If you know the procedure/the right commandsw, will you then show me these?? I finished the server setup, RAID1 and everything and now we need to format from CLI. If you can show me the right steps I would be very greatfull: I know these commands can ruin all the other work if not done properly .
If you have only CLI the use it like this Conect your first hardisk and run (if parted is not installed) Then use http://linoxide.com/file-system/parted-command-to-create-partition-greater-than-2tb/ Then after 1st Harddisk build connect second harddisk the follow all the steps in the above guide except the last step for the partition file format of NTFS with command the drive name will vary in your case.
If you have graphical installation the just install gparted Run the gparted with root and it will work graphically with very ease.
Hi Srijan, I only use CLI. No graphic what so ever. And I'm a little sad because if you use the "basic server" option, then graphic appears. Don't like that in a server. I started with computers back in the Basic, Comal80, DOS etc. days. This is why I love Linux! Or one of the reasons If both harddrives are installed and the server is assembled, do I need to uninstall one disk? Lets call them BD1-sdc & BD2-sdd
Hi Srijan, Do I really have to uninstall the harddrive, and only connect the one at a time, format that one and then install the next? Please look below. Do I need "Parted" when the 2 backup harddrives are only 1 Tb each? It's maybe easier to use "parted" instead of the normal "fdisk" Do I need to edit "/etc/fstab" to make the system mount drive on boot-up??? This is where I'm at: Code: # lshw -C disk *-disk description: ATA Disk product: WDC WD10EZEX-08M vendor: Western Digital physical id: 0.0.0 bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0 logical name: /dev/sda version: 01.0 serial: WD-WCC3F5688801 size: 931GiB (1TB) configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=00066956 *-disk description: ATA Disk product: WDC WD10EZEX-08M vendor: Western Digital physical id: 0.0.0 bus info: scsi@1:0.0.0 logical name: /dev/sdb version: 01.0 serial: WD-WCC3F5687943 size: 931GiB (1TB) configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=000a01de *-disk description: ATA Disk product: WDC WD20EFRX-68E vendor: Western Digital physical id: 0.0.0 bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0 logical name: /dev/sdc version: 80.0 serial: WD-WCC4M8ETLKZ1 size: 1863GiB (2TB) capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=0003b949 *-disk description: ATA Disk product: WDC WD20EFRX-68E vendor: Western Digital physical id: 0.0.0 bus info: scsi@3:0.0.0 logical name: /dev/sdd version: 82.0 serial: WD-WCC4M8NXCX42 size: 1863GiB (2TB) capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=0001a342 Code: # fdisk -l Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes Disk identifier: 0x000a01de Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes Disk identifier: 0x00066956 Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System Disk /dev/sdc: 2000.4 GB, 2000398934016 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243201 cylinders, total 3907029168 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes Disk identifier: 0x0003b949 Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sdc1 2048 3905535 1951744 fd Linux raid autodetect /dev/sdc2 * 3905536 3907028991 1951561728 fd Linux raid autodetect Disk /dev/sdd: 2000.4 GB, 2000398934016 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243201 cylinders, total 3907029168 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes Disk identifier: 0x0001a342 Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sdd1 2048 3905535 1951744 fd Linux raid autodetect /dev/sdd2 * 3905536 3907028991 1951561728 fd Linux raid autodetect Disk /dev/md0: 1997 MB, 1997471744 bytes 2 heads, 4 sectors/track, 487664 cylinders, total 3901312 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes Disk identifier: 0x00000000 Disk /dev/md0 doesn't contain a valid partition table Disk /dev/md1: 1998.3 GB, 1998264795136 bytes 2 heads, 4 sectors/track, 487857616 cylinders, total 3902860928 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes Disk identifier: 0x00000000 Disk /dev/md1 doesn't contain a valid partition table I tried but f..... it up, so I've been making a clean installation of all, RAID1 etc.
partprobe or not??? Hi, When making the partition using fdisk, do I set partition type? Or is it enough to just make a partition and then format the partition using the right filesystem with "mkfs"? I'm asking because I wan't to know how to use the basic tools, and I'm confused after reading http://superuser.com/questions/317724/difference-between-file-system-created-by-fdisk-and-file-system-created-by-mkfs. Do I choose partition type during "fdisk". If, which one is the right one for NTFS?? Code: 86 NTFS volume set 87 NTFS volume set 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT If this is needed, then which one is right for FAT32 for the other backup disk. I've managed to partition "sda" (sda and sdb is the two backup drives in this case) with one primary partition. So now we have "sda1" and "sdb1". Now I'm going to format the first backup disk (sda) with "ntfs" filesystem, doing this: # mkfs -t ntfs /dev/sda1 And then I'm going to format the second backup disk this way: # mkfs -t fat32 /dev/sdb1 But!! This site, the one you showed me does it another way using another pkg: http://linux.die.net/man/8/mkfs.ntfs But you use this instead of mkfs -t . Please explain the difference and why you guru's are doing that. Trying to understand Do I use this "partprobe" to "update kernel" or not??? here's the site using "partprobe": http://rbgeek.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/how-to-add-2nd-hard-drive-to-ubuntu/ It's these things I'm very unsure about! And if I have to edit "/etc/fstab" to be able to use the drive permanently (after reboot). I read the ubuntu server tutorial, and there's a lot of knowledge, almost to much. I can't decide what to do Sorry for these newbie questions
Hey Dan, Do one thing use any basic Ubuntu(Or any Linux based desktop). Install there gparted and format the drives in desired format i.e. NTFS/FAT32 and ext3/ext4 graphically. Further connect the drives in the Ubuntu Server and mount them at two different mount points and then fire th RSYNC command as stated earlier. It will be very easier process to accomplish the task.
