More RAID-1 problems

[Jeffrey Ross]

jeff at bubble.org wrote:
>> I've again run into a problem with RAID-1 on my system.  I can mount all
>> the raid volumes using the linux rescue boot option from the install CD.
>>
>>
>>
>> What I have done so far (while using the rescue CD)
>>
>> verified that the UUID's listed in the /etc/mdadm.conf file are correct
>> (mdadm -D /dev/mdX matches what's in the conf file).
>> Reinstalled grub with "grub-install /dev/sda" and "grub-install /dev/sdb"
>> Reviewed bugzilla bugs 447818 & 444237 and tried modifying the
>> /etc/rc.sysinit file to create the arrays at boot time.
>>
>> Any suggestions would really be appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Jeff
>>     
>
> I extracted the initrd file and looked at the file "init".  in this file
> I can see the following (relevant) information..
>
>
>
> it appears as the mdadm is not starting properly or assembling the array
> properly.  Can anybody confirm if the init file appears correct?  I
> tried modifying the mdadm line to remove the /dev/md3 (and 6) and it
> tried to assemble all the volumes but said that /dev/mdX (listed all
> my array volums) didn't exist with "mdadm: no devices found for /dev/md..."
>
>
> Thanks, Jeff
>
>   
Just thought I'd post a follow-up, the problem has been solved and I 
learned something new in the process.

I extracted the files from the initrd file but didn't realize that a 
copy of the mdadm.conf file is stored there as well.  Sometime between 
the last two kernel updates I had modified the /etc/mdadm.conf file with 
incorrect settings for the arrays, I had then installed a new kernel 
update which picked up my bad /etc/mdadm.conf file and inserted it into 
the initrd.  Once I learned that a copy of the conf file is stored in 
the initrd it was a simple process to manually adjust the initrc file 
with the correct file. 

Problem solved!

Only remaining question, if I should adjust the /etc/mdadm.conf file 
again how can I get the initrc file to update without having to manually 
uncompress and extract the cpio archive and then re-archive and 
re-compress it by hand?

Thanks, Jeff