Ubuntu 14.04 LTS install with FakeRaid (DMRaid) - unable to install GRUB

[Alvin Llanos]

Decided to annihilate Windows 7 from my dad's computer and install Ubuntu 14.04 LTS on it... and I thought Windows 7 was problematic (for my dad to use - in my case - install). Tried numerous things, but too tired (and upset) to explain. Have to figure out what to do now. I'm assuming this is an issue with linux lack of support (or updated support) for dmraid or fakeraid. Despite searching the vast internet for clues on how to get this resolved, each time it it concludes to GRUB not being able to install. Thought I was close bypassing dmraid and using mdadm to manually create raid partitions, but it too concluded to the same fate - of GRUB not being able to install.

I'm pretty new to the Linux-scene. Have been using Windows since 3.1, but have started to ween off it with other successful installs of linux (ubuntu, xubuntu, linux mint..).

The installation seems to recognize the fakeraid partitions as it completely went through the entire installation with the exception of the GRUB installation.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: ubiquity 2.18.8.6
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-30.40~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt3
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-30-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.7
Architecture: amd64
CasperVersion: 1.340
Date: Sat Jun 6 02:03:10 2015
InstallCmdLine: file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash -- maybe-ubiquity
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20150218.1)
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: grub-installer
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

For fakeraid, you need to install grub to the raid device rather than one of the component disks. That is to say, /dev/mapper/nvidia_cedbaadh ( though you also appear to have a pdc controller fakeraid, which is odd ).

[Alvin Llanos (al-llanos)]

I was able to get around it. But used only 3 of the 6 drives in the
system. Disabled the onboard RAID and used SoftRAID via Ubuntu 14.04
Server, then went with Xubuntu-desktop (for minimalistic aesthetics).
Booted install with NODMRAID option and answered No when asked to
Activate onBoard SATA RAID, then used Ubuntu to setup SoftRAID. Created
3 non-RAID partitions (at the beginning of each striped drive - for boot
loader), then made the raid parts for swap & root. Installed but
declined on MBR install for Grub2 (since it didn't work last time for
me), but managed to install it on the 3 non-RAID partitions I created on
each of the drives (as I set them all bootable; /dev/sda /dev/sdb
/dev/sdc). Despite seeing the loading sequences (somehow, the splash
doesn't show despite modifying the grub config file to "quiet splash")
it works. Thanks for the reply.

On 06/06/2015 09:19 PM, Phillip Susi wrote:
> For fakeraid, you need to install grub to the raid device rather than
> one of the component disks. That is to say, /dev/mapper/nvidia_cedbaadh
> ( though you also appear to have a pdc controller fakeraid, which is odd
> ).
>
>
> ** Changed in: grub-installer (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Invalid
>