LinuxMint 17 doesn't install on RAID root

[Mithun Bhattacharya]

I used the v2 livedisk iso currently available on the linuxmint website and attempted to install it on my desktop where / and /boot are both on a single RAID1 partition. There are a few problems which can be easily solved.

1. mdadm is still not included by default - I don't see why it can't be added even if Ubuntu doesn't. I had to apt-get before starting the installation process. If there are issues with the installation it wastes a lot of time and bandwidth trying to apt-get mdadm every time till you succeed.
2. Installation fails to install grub on the hard disk. grub-install doesn't work even if you quit the installer and try it in a chroot environment.

The following steps got my installation working without any further intervention.

cd /target
mount -t proc proc proc/
mount -t sysfs sys sys/
mount -o bind /dev dev/
chroot .
apt-get mdadm grub2

The solution turned out to be very simple and it is something which should be fixed by LinuxMint irrespective of whether Ubuntu chooses to fixes it or not at their end.

[JP Vossen (jp-jpsdomain)]

+1 for adding mdadm to the Mint images. It's a single small package and would be a significant help to intermediate users and helpful for advanced users who are trying to use a Live image to repair or recover.

I didn't notice the grub problem, it installed for me. It didn't *work* at all, because I'd fresh installed Mint 17 onto /dev/md? devices, but it was at least there. Some 'mount --bind', 'chroot', 'apt-get' and grubs commands post-install and it works.

I think the real fix here is to either add software RAID support to the installer, or provide an "alternate" installer like Ubuntu used to. (Sigh. I guess you need to use Ubuntu Server, Netboot, or Lubuntu alternate (14.04 at least) for this now. See https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2012-August/035675.html.) But I get why they are dropped and that this is a tiny use-case. Still, with Encrypted LVM support, how much more work is software RAID?

[JP Vossen (jp-jpsdomain)]

I lied. The grub install did NOT work, I got an error:
Executing 'grub-install /dev/sda' failed.
This is a fatal error

But that IS really interesting, since I told it to install to '/dev/md1' and NOT '/dev/sda'... No amount of trying to use other things worked, and telling the installer to not use a bootloader did not enable the continue button. I had to cancel out of it, and then it said it crashed. :-(

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

Did you try the steps I gave - that worked for me at least.

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Effects me too.

I am new at this.

What directory should I choose for Target? Under cd /Target.

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

/target is wherever you mounted your hard disk after booting off the livedisk.

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Thank you very much. I am sorry that I do not know but how do I find out the mount of the two ssd's that I have fakeraided?

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

So where are you right now - are done with the installation or starting it ?

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

I'm done with the install. It failed to install grub and the installer crashed.

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

At this point you restart the livedisk and then open a terminal and do the steps I gave earlier.

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Yea but I do not know what the target is.

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

I give up. Now linux mint boots to a black screen.
I'm done with linux.

Ty op.

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

That would be unfortunate but if you are still interested you can paste the output of

fdisk -l

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Fdisk -l does nothing.

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

Sorry I forgot you probably have to switch to root - this should get you there before running fdisk -l

sudo bash

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

mint@mint ~ $ sudo bash
mint ~ # fdisk -l

WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sda'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.

Disk /dev/sda: 128.0 GB, 128035676160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15566 cylinders, total 250069680 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 500129791 250064895+ ee GPT

Disk /dev/sdb: 128.0 GB, 128035676160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15566 cylinders, total 250069680 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/sdb doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/sdc: 15.6 GB, 15635316736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1900 cylinders, total 30537728 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x1df80bb6

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 * 2048 30537727 15267840 b W95 FAT32

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

So you have a EFI GPT partition - have you ever been able to boot off such a partition ? This is a very BIOS specific question so only you can answer whether your BIOS can handle the newer partitions. Assuming you are working with previously created and working RAID partitions this answer would be yes.

As for partition being used I made a mistake - you shouldn't have to go looking for your partitions. Firstly check whether you can run the mdadm command if it isn't part of the distribution then do
apt-get install mdadm

Then run this command to start the previously created RAID partitions.
mdadm --assemble --scan

At this point you should have a /dev/md0 or something similar - the following command will tell you more
cat /prod/mdstat

Now you setup your boot partition as /target - assuming /dev/md0 is your boot partition it would go something like this
mount /dev/md0 /target

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

My boot boot partition is the efi partition. Give me a few I'll post my partitions.

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Before I start is my partitiin table correct?http://i.imgur.com/dmEaAz6.jpg

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

Ok so most of the work is already done - just do the following assuming you have already created the /target folder as root
mount /dev/md126p5 /target

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Sudo /prod/mdstat command not found.

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Here is gnu parted output with mdadm installed and configured.
mint@mint ~ $ sudo parted
GNU Parted 2.3
Using /dev/sda
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) exit
  align-check TYPE N check partition N for TYPE(min|opt)
        alignment
  check NUMBER do a simple check on the file system
  cp [FROM-DEVICE] FROM-NUMBER TO-NUMBER copy file system to another partition
  help [COMMAND] print general help, or help on
        COMMAND
  mklabel,mktable LABEL-TYPE create a new disklabel (partition
        table)
  mkfs NUMBER FS-TYPE make a FS-TYPE file system on
        partition NUMBER
  mkpart PART-TYPE [FS-TYPE] START END make a partition
  mkpartfs PART-TYPE FS-TYPE START END make a partition with a file system
  resizepart NUMBER END resize partition NUMBER
  move NUMBER START END move partition NUMBER
  name NUMBER NAME name partition NUMBER as NAME
  print [devices|free|list,all|NUMBER] display the partition table,
        available devices, free space, all found partitions, or a particular
        partition
  quit exit program
  rescue START END rescue a lost partition near START
        and END
  resize NUMBER START END resize partition NUMBER and its file
        system
  rm NUMBER delete partition NUMBER
  select DEVICE choose the device to edit
  set NUMBER FLAG STATE change the FLAG on partition NUMBER
  toggle [NUMBER [FLAG]] toggle the state of FLAG on partition
        NUMBER
  unit UNIT set the default unit to UNIT
  version display the version number and
        copyright information of GNU Parted
(parted) print
Error: Invalid argument during seek for read on /dev/sda
Retry/Ignore/Cancel? i
Error: The backup GPT table is corrupt, but the primary appears OK, so that will
be used.
OK/Cancel? ok
Backtrace has 8 calls on stack:
  8: /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libparted.so.0(ped_assert+0x31) [0x7f0fe89a34b1]
  7: /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libparted.so.0(+0x3f5f6) [0x7f0fe89d35f6]
  6: /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libparted.so.0(ped_disk_new+0x49) [0x7f0fe89a8f99]
  5: parted() [0x406dff]
  4: parted(interactive_mode+0x101) [0x40db71]
  3: parted(main+0x153d) [0x4065bd]
  2: /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xf5) [0x7f0fe8181ec5]
  1: parted() [0x406617]

You found a bug in GNU Parted! Here's what you have to do:

Don't panic! The bug has most likely not affected any of your data.
Help us to fix this bug by doing the following:

Check whether the bug has already been...

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

Just do what I gave in #19

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

In #19 I am still stuck on targer. I have no idea what to put for Target.

How do I list the partitions to so I know the names, and I don't even know the name of the raid array.

I am lost...

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

mkdir /target
mount /dev/md126p5 /target

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

mint@mint ~ $ ls -l /dev/mapper
total 0
crw------- 1 root root 10, 236 Sep 27 01:12 control
mint@mint ~ $ ls -l /dev/mapper/control
crw------- 1 root root 10, 236 Sep 27 01:12 /dev/mapper/control
mint@mint ~ $

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

ok ran into a problem.

mint@mint /target $ sudo mount -t proc proc proc/
mint@mint /target $ sudo mount -t sysfs sys sys/
mint@mint /target $ sudo mount -o bind /dev dev/
mint@mint /target $ sudo chroot .
mint / # apt-get mdadm grub2
E: Invalid operation mdadm
mint / # sudo apt-get mdadm grub2
sudo: unable to resolve host mint
E: Invalid operation mdadm
mint / #

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Unable to resolve host?

mint / # sudo apt-get grub2
sudo: unable to resolve host mint
E: Invalid operation grub2

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Maybe my partition table is screwed up because when I try to run gparted I get the following error.

mint@mint ~ $ sudo gparted
======================
libparted : 2.3
======================

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 7 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 6 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 26 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 25 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 32 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 31 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 35 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 34 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 38 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 37 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 41 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 40 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 44 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 43 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 47 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 46 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 50 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 49 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 53 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 52 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 56 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 55 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 59 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 58 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 62 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 61 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 81 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 80 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 84 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 83 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 87 was not found when attempting to remove it

(gpartedbin:4682): GLib-CRITICAL **: Source ID 86 was not found when attempting to remove it
Inva...

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

#26 - It is apt-get install mdadm grub2
#27 - Did you have internet access before doing the chroot ?
#28 - If your partition was corrupt mdadm would also complain What does the following say ?
cat /proc/mdstat

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

I cannot mount anything.

mint@mint /target $ sudo mount /dev/md126p5 /target
mount: /dev/md126p5 already mounted or /target busy
mount: according to mtab, /dev/md126p5 is already mounted on /target
mint@mint /target $ sudo mount -t sysfs sys sys/
mount: mount point sys/ does not exist
mint@mint /target $ sudo unmount /dev/md126p5 /target
sudo: unmount: command not found
mint@mint /target $ sudo mount -o bind /dev dev/
mount: mount point dev/ does not exist
mint@mint /target $ chroot .
chroot: cannot change root directory to .: Operation not permitted
mint@mint /target $ sudo chroot .
chroot: failed to run command ‘/bin/bash’: No such file or directory
mint@mint /target $

#27. Yes, I am atm copying stuff and putting it in the comment box and submitting.

mint@mint ~ $ cat /proc/mdstat
Personalities : [raid0]
md126 : active raid0 sda[1] sdb[0]
      250064896 blocks super external:/md127/0 32k chunks

md127 : inactive sdb[1](S) sda[0](S)
      4520 blocks super external:imsm

unused devices: <none>
mint@mint ~ $

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Ok. I rebooted back into LM live usb.

Installed mdadm and configured it.

Mounted everything and it went well.

I am stuck at

mint@mint ~ $ cd /target
mint@mint /target $ sudo chroot .
mint / # sudo apt-get install mdadm grub2
sudo: unable to resolve host mint
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  grub-gfxpayload-lists grub-pc grub-pc-bin
Suggested packages:
  desktop-base
Recommended packages:
  default-mta mail-transport-agent
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  grub-efi-amd64 grub-efi-amd64-signed
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  grub-gfxpayload-lists grub-pc grub-pc-bin grub2 mdadm
0 upgraded, 5 newly installed, 2 to remove and 273 not upgraded.
Need to get 1,421 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,519 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main grub-pc-bin amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main grub-pc amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main grub-gfxpayload-lists amd64 0.6
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main mdadm amd64 3.2.5-5ubuntu4.2
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe grub2 amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/grub2/grub-pc-bin_2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/grub2/grub-pc_2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/grub-gfxpayload-lists/grub-gfxpayload-lists_0.6_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/m/mdadm/mdadm_3.2.5-5ubuntu4.2_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/grub2/grub2_2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?
mint / #

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

OK you are not following the instructions.

sudo bash
mount /dev/md126p5 /target
cd /target
mount -t proc proc proc/
mount -t sysfs sys sys/
mount -o bind /dev dev/
chroot .
apt-get mdadm grub2

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

I get errors.

mint@mint ~ $ sudo mdadm --assemble --scan
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and 840
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and PROS
mdadm: Container /dev/md/imsm0 has been assembled with 2 drives
mdadm: Started /dev/md/Samsung with 2 devices
mint@mint ~ $ sudo bash
mint ~ # mount /dev/md126p5 /target
mount: mount point /target does not exist
mint ~ # mkdir /target
mint ~ # mount /dev/md126p5 /target
mint ~ # cd target
bash: cd: target: No such file or directory
mint ~ # cd /target
mint target # mount -t proc proc proc/
mint target # mount -t sysfs sys sys/
mint target # mount -o bind /dev dev/
mint target # chroot .
mint / # apt-get install mdadm grub2
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  grub-gfxpayload-lists grub-pc grub-pc-bin
Suggested packages:
  desktop-base
Recommended packages:
  default-mta mail-transport-agent
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  grub-efi-amd64 grub-efi-amd64-signed
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  grub-gfxpayload-lists grub-pc grub-pc-bin grub2 mdadm
0 upgraded, 5 newly installed, 2 to remove and 273 not upgraded.
Need to get 1,421 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,519 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main grub-pc-bin amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main grub-pc amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main grub-gfxpayload-lists amd64 0.6
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main mdadm amd64 3.2.5-5ubuntu4.2
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe grub2 amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3
  Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'
E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/grub2/grub-pc-bin_2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/grub2/grub-pc_2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/grub-gfxpayload-lists/grub-gfxpayload-lists_0.6_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/m/mdadm/mdadm_3.2.5-5ubuntu4.2_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/grub2/grub2_2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?
mint / # sudo apt-get install mdadm grub2
sudo: unable to resolve host mint
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  grub-gfxpayload-lists grub-pc grub-pc-bin
Suggested packages:
  desktop-base
...

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Ok, I tried ubuntu as well. I get the same problem. Looks to be pretty much screwed.

root@ubuntu:~# cd /target
root@ubuntu:/target# cd
root@ubuntu:~# sudo mount /dev/md126p5 /target
root@ubuntu:~# cd /target
root@ubuntu:/target# sudo mount -t proc proc proc/
root@ubuntu:/target# sudo mount -t sysfs sys sys/
root@ubuntu:/target# sudo mount -o bind /dev dev/
root@ubuntu:/target# chroot .
root@ubuntu:/# sudo apt-get install mdadm grub2
sudo: unable to resolve host ubuntu
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  grub-gfxpayload-lists grub-pc grub-pc-bin postfix
Suggested packages:
  desktop-base procmail postfix-mysql postfix-pgsql postfix-ldap postfix-pcre
  sasl2-bin dovecot-common postfix-cdb postfix-doc
Recommended packages:
  default-mta mail-transport-agent
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  grub-efi-amd64 grub-efi-amd64-signed
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  grub-gfxpayload-lists grub-pc grub-pc-bin grub2 mdadm postfix
0 upgraded, 6 newly installed, 2 to remove and 106 not upgraded.
Need to get 2,505 kB of archives.
After this operation, 5,127 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main grub-pc-bin amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3
  Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main grub-pc amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3
  Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main grub-gfxpayload-lists amd64 0.6
  Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main mdadm amd64 3.2.5-5ubuntu4.2
  Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main postfix amd64 2.11.0-1ubuntu1
  Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe grub2 amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3
  Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'
E: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/grub2/grub-pc-bin_2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/grub2/grub-pc_2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/grub-gfxpayload-lists/grub-gfxpayload-lists_0.6_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/m/mdadm/mdadm_3.2.5-5ubuntu4.2_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/p/postfix/postfix_2.11.0-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/grub2/grub2_2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'

E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

Make sure you have your internet access enabled before you start the process - preferably using a ethernet cable.

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Yes, internet access is enabled. That is how I was communicating to this bug comments section with all errors ect. I even ping google.com and got ton responses same with ping us.archive.ubuntu.com and got responses.

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

I don't understand it.

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

ok you are probably missing /etc/resolv.conf - try this before the chroot

cp /etc/resolv.conf /target/etc/

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

ok everything went fine as too using

sudo mkdir /target
sudo bash
mount /dev/md126p5 /target
cd /target
mount -t proc proc proc/
mount -t sysfs sys sys/
mount -o bind /dev dev/
cp /etc/resolv.conf /target/etc/
chroot .
apt-get mdadm grub2

I should have copied the first time, the output. I am sorry I didn't. But windows still boots up. No grub menu or anything.

But I went to reconfigure grub again but this is the end result.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mkdir /target
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo bash
root@ubuntu:~# mount /dev/md126p5 /target
root@ubuntu:~# cd /target
root@ubuntu:/target# mount -t proc proc proc/
root@ubuntu:/target# mount -t sysfs sys sys/
root@ubuntu:/target# mount -o bind /dev dev/
root@ubuntu:/target# cp /etc/resolv.conf /target/etc/
root@ubuntu:/target# chroot .
root@ubuntu:/# apt-get install mdadm grub2
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
mdadm is already the newest version.
grub2 is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 106 not upgraded.
root@ubuntu:/#

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

And for grub configuration the only options of installing grub to were three devices. and I selected all three with the space bar.

/dev/sda
/dev/sdb
/dev/sdc

No raid arrays showed or anything.

If you want me to, I will install linux mint and do everything over.

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

Ok, here come big burtha "alot of text".

mint@mint ~ $ sudo apt-get install mdadm
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Recommended packages:
  default-mta mail-transport-agent
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  mdadm
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 361 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,191 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main mdadm amd64 3.2.5-5ubuntu4 [361 kB]
Fetched 361 kB in 0s (375 kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously unselected package mdadm.
(Reading database ... 175257 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../mdadm_3.2.5-5ubuntu4_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking mdadm (3.2.5-5ubuntu4) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.6.7.1-1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for doc-base (0.10.5) ...
Processing 41 changed doc-base files, 6 added doc-base files...
Registering documents with scrollkeeper...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-16) ...
Setting up mdadm (3.2.5-5ubuntu4) ...
Generating mdadm.conf... done.
 Removing any system startup links for /etc/init.d/mdadm-raid ...
update-initramfs is disabled since running on read-only media
update-grub is /usr/sbin/update-grub
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: error: failed to get canonical path of `/cow'.
 * Starting MD monitoring service mdadm --monitor mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and 840
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and PROS
                                                                         [ OK ]
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-16) ...
mint@mint ~ $ sudo mdadm --assemble --scan
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and 840
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and PROS
mdadm: Container /dev/md/imsm0 has been assembled with 2 drives
mdadm: Started /dev/md/Samsung with 2 devices
mint@mint ~ $ sudo mkdir /target
mint@mint ~ $ sudo bash
mint ~ # mount /dev/md126p5 /target
mint ~ # cd /target
mint target # mount -t proc proc proc/
mint target # mount -t sysfs sys sys/
mint target # mount -o bind /dev dev/
mint target # cp /etc/resolv.conf /target/etc/
mint target # chroot .
mint / # apt-get mdadm grub2
E: Invalid operation mdadm
mint / # apt-get install mdadm grub2
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  grub-gfxpayload-lists grub-pc grub-pc-bin
Suggested packages:
  desktop-base
Recommended packages:
  default-mta mail-transport-agent
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  grub-efi-amd64 grub-efi-amd64-signed
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  grub-gfxpayload-lists grub-pc grub-pc-bin grub2 mdadm
0 upgraded, 5 newly installed, 2 to remove and 273 not upgraded.
Need to get 1,421 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,519 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main grub-pc-bin amd64 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.3 [882 kB]
Get:2 http://arch...

[Mithun Bhattacharya (mithnb)]

Try running the following at the end after installing mdadm in the chroot.
update-grub

[visuallausiv (johnkurzejajr)]

yea, no go. It's not gonna go. Something is severely messed up. Whether it be my system or debian based distros.

I'll check back in a year see if the bug has been patched.

Ty for your time.

mint@mint ~ $ sudo apt-get install mdadm
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Recommended packages:
  default-mta mail-transport-agent
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  mdadm
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 361 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,191 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main mdadm amd64 3.2.5-5ubuntu4 [361 kB]
Fetched 361 kB in 0s (382 kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously unselected package mdadm.
(Reading database ... 175257 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../mdadm_3.2.5-5ubuntu4_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking mdadm (3.2.5-5ubuntu4) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.6.7.1-1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for doc-base (0.10.5) ...
Processing 41 changed doc-base files, 6 added doc-base files...
Registering documents with scrollkeeper...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-16) ...
Setting up mdadm (3.2.5-5ubuntu4) ...
Generating mdadm.conf... done.
 Removing any system startup links for /etc/init.d/mdadm-raid ...
update-initramfs is disabled since running on read-only media
update-grub is /usr/sbin/update-grub
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: error: failed to get canonical path of `/cow'.
 * Starting MD monitoring service mdadm --monitor mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and 840
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and PROS
                                                                         [ OK ]
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-16) ...
mint@mint ~ $ sudo mdadm --assemble --scan
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and 840
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and PROS
mdadm: Container /dev/md/imsm0 has been assembled with 2 drives
mdadm: Started /dev/md/Samsung with 2 devices
mint@mint ~ $ sudo mkdir /target
mint@mint ~ $ sudo bash
mint ~ # mount /dev/md126p5 /target
mint ~ # cd /target
mint target # mount -t proc proc proc/
mint target # mount -t sysfs sys sys/
mint target # mount -o bind /dev dev/
mint target # cp /etc/resolv.conf /target/etc/
mint target # chroot .
mint / # sudo apt-get install mdadm
sudo: unable to resolve host mint
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
mdadm is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 273 not upgraded.
mint / # update-grub
Generating grub configuration file ...
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and 840
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and PROS
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and 840
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and PROS
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and 840
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung ...

[verdy_p (verdy-p)]

mint@mint ~ $ sudo mdadm --assemble --scan
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and 840
mdadm: only give one device per ARRAY line: /dev/md/Samsung and PROS

This is a bug in mdadm: it incorrectly configured /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf because your existing RAID volumes have a space in their name.

Apparently your 2 existing RAID volumes are named "Samsung 840" and "Samsung PROS". RAID volumes that are created directly from Linux (mdadm --conf) don't have this problem because spaces will not be present. But RAID volumes can be created and named directly from the Intel RAID BIOS and do not have these restrictions (and they insert spaces by default between the volume group name and the subname for one of its volumes.

You need to edit /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf to surround the volume names in 'quotation marks'.

Then the mount points in /dev/md can correctly be aliased.

Note: it is not possible to rename existing volumes in the existing RAID configuration to remove/replace these spaces in the leading metadata special partition (the operation is not authorized or not supported by the Intel RAID firmware).

So mdadm needs to be patched and properly detect volume names with spaces. However It correctly detects the presence of "[" or "]" or "/" in these volume names and replace them by underscores for naming the Linux devices (but a warning should be displayed).

Probably mdadm should include a tool to rename volumes in RAID metadata. For now it does not work at all, so we need the manual patch after "sudo mdadm --assemble --scan", by editing mdadm.conf: this should not happen, and in my opinion the quotes should always be added in the mdadm.conf so that it will correctly parse, but it may also happen that RAID volumes could also include one of these quotes (single or double) in their name, and apparently there's no correct support in the existing parser of the mdadm.conf file to support correct escaping and use of the correct quotation marks.