VLBI Wiki | Main / DiskInstallAndTest

Installing a set of 4 removable disks

This assume the system has been configured to mount 4 disks at boot time. If it has previously been used with less than 4 removable disks see the section below.

Shut down the PC
Unlock and remove any removable disks
Insert new disks and lock them in. Mske sure you give then a solid push in
Boot the PC. If it hangs ("No operation system found") then you may need to configure the BIOS. See the notes on this below
Log on as root, then:

Re-create the software RAID set (optional this erases all data)

 > mdadm --stop /dev/md0
 > mdadm -C /dev/md0 -n 4 -l 0 /dev/hd[egik]1

Reformat the RAID disk (optional this erases all data)

 > formatdisk.pl -l "LABEL" /dev/md0

 > mount /data/removable

Test the new drives from the vlbi account:

 > cd /data/removable
 > mkdir test
 > cd test

Quick test

 > diskspeed

Check for data rates at or above 600 Mbps.

Configuring the BIOS

Sometimes when the removable IDE disks are added or removed the bios reorders its internal disk ids and gets the boot disk wrong. It will complain about "No Operating System Found"