[linux-lvm] failing hard drive

[Tim Milstead]

Bryn M. Reeves wrote:

SNIP
>> It would be nice if I could just dd the failing drive onto the new drive
>> and replace it (using linux on a cd) but I have no reason to believe
>> this will work - will it?
>>     
>
> This should work OK, although as usual with backups you want to make
> sure that nothing is writing to the disk while you take the dd - using a
> rescue CD would be fine, or deactivating the volume group before
> starting (but if it includes your root file system then you will need to
> use a rescue CD).
>   
I have made the copy using a rescue CD and an external USB drive. 
Fitting the replacement internally is going to be difficult hence the 
question about doing it this way. Are you sure? I was just worried that 
perhaps LVM looked beyond a simple '/dev/hde' referred to drives in some 
deeper way e.g. serial number, model, make etc.
>   
>> Has anyone got a step by step guide of what to do? I guess I must shrink
>> the filesystem and then whatever that sits on.
>>     
>
> That may work, but you'll need to make enough space within the VG to
> accommodate all the data that is currently stored on the failing hde.
>
> To do this, you first have to shrink file systems from the VG, then
> shrink the logical volumes (LVs) that the file systems are sitting on.
>
> Another option would be to add the new drive to the system and run:
>
> pvcreate /path/to/new/disk
>
> followed by:
>
> vgextend <VG name> /path/to/new/disk
>   
Thanks.
> To temporarily bring the VG up to 10 disks to allow you to remove the
> failing member. You should then find the "pvmove /dev/hde" works as
> expected (assuming the new disk is at least as big as the one you are
> replacing).
>   
Yes, but given the space constraints I'd rather avoid this.
>   
>> This seems to depend on the version of LVM one is running. I have no
>> idea what version comes with Fedora Core 4 or how to find out.
>>     
>
> You'll have lvm2 in FC4, although it's a relatively old version now.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Bryn.
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