Bug 1070997

Summary: F20 Install on RAID1 disk set seems impossible
Product: [Fedora] Fedora Reporter: Bob Gustafson <bobgus>
Component: anacondaAssignee: Anaconda Maintenance Team <anaconda-maint-list>
Status: CLOSED NOTABUG QA Contact: Fedora Extras Quality Assurance <extras-qa>
Severity: high Docs Contact:
Priority: unspecified    
Version: 20CC: anaconda-maint-list, bobgus, dshea, g.kaviyarasu, jonathan, mkolman, vanmeeuwen+fedora
Target Milestone: ---   
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: x86_64   
OS: Linux   
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version: Doc Type: Bug Fix
Doc Text:
Story Points: ---
Clone Of: Environment:
Last Closed: 2014-02-28 22:45:25 UTC Type: Bug
Regression: --- Mount Type: ---
Documentation: --- CRM:
Verified Versions: Category: ---
oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team: --- Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:
Attachments:
Description Flags
After selecting disks and clicking 'done'
none
After clicking on 'Custom Partitioning' and then on '+' none

Description Bob Gustafson 2014-02-27 21:49:16 UTC 
Description of problem:

I am on a new system with 3 disks (2x2tb, 1x1tb) + DVD drive

I have previously installed F20 on the 1tb disk (to give flexibility)

I would like to be able to partition the 2x2tb disks so they both have 
2mb GPT, 512mb software raid ext4 boot, 40gb software raid swap, 1.xxgb software raid.

On top of the 1.xxgb software raid, I can put lvm.

I can do all this by booting from the 1tb disk and running gparted and dmraid.

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However, when I then use the F20 install DVD, anaconda says I don't have enough space on my selected disks - the space is all used up by my created partitions.

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If I then use the F20 install DVD to 'reclaim space', one of the first things anaconda wants to do is assign mount points. I can do this with the first 1tb disk /boot, swap, /. But then when I get to the 2nd 2tb disk, I can't assign /boot, swap, / again, because those mount points are all used up.

There doesn't seem to be a place where I can tell anaconda that I want some of those partitions to be Raid1 pairs.

Is there a work around?


Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):

Fedora 20 - anaconda (version not visible)

How reproducible:

I have spent a couple of hours trying to find a work around.

Steps to Reproduce:
1.
2.
3.

Actual results:

F20 not installed on Raid1

Expected results:

It would be nice to have anaconda accept previous partitions, including previous raid and lvm installations.

Additional info:

3rd disk - 1tb - has latest yum update.
Comment 1 Bob Gustafson 2014-02-28 16:26:43 UTC 
The documentation:

9.14.1. Adding and Configuring Partitions
...
If you configured your disks in the shell prompt, click the arrow button at the bottom of the left-hand pane before you begin partitioning. In the resulting dialog, click Rescan disks. This enables the installer to take advantage of your changes.

(The 'arrow button' is a circular arrow - looks like a refresh - not a straight arrow)

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It would be nice if the Rescan disks would allow those found disks (/dev/mdx) to be used for the installation, but no - somehow anaconda thinks those disks/partitions are untouchable - and insists on trying to install in the 1mb chinks between partitions.

Maybe something additional needs to be done to the pre-configured raid disks so they can be recognized as installation candidates by anaconda.

Is there a checklist of what is acceptable to anaconda?
Comment 2 Bob Gustafson 2014-02-28 17:15:02 UTC 
Using Live disk:

The code used to install Fedora20 on disks is the same - and has the same problems.

Perhaps I can copy a Fedora to those configured partitions and then use FedUp?
Comment 3 David Lehman 2014-02-28 21:11:35 UTC 
It might help if you attached the /tmp/anaconda.log and /tmp/storage.log files to this bug report.

I can tell you in advance that you do not need to set mountpoints for block devices you do not plan to use as part of the OS installation you are currently configuring.

Also, to set a mountpoint for an existing block device you would 1) select the device on the left side of the screen and then 2) configure it in the right side of the screen. Clicking the "+" (plus) button adds a new device on which to place the new mountpoint/filesystem, which does not sound like what you want.
Comment 4 Bob Gustafson 2014-02-28 22:34:03 UTC 
Created attachment 869221 [details]
After selecting disks and clicking 'done'

2.10 MB is not enough to do anything.
Comment 5 Bob Gustafson 2014-02-28 22:38:45 UTC 
Created attachment 869224 [details]
After clicking on 'Custom Partitioning' and then on '+'
Comment 6 Bob Gustafson 2014-02-28 22:42:37 UTC 
(In reply to David Lehman from comment #3)
> It might help if you attached the /tmp/anaconda.log and /tmp/storage.log
> files to this bug report.

I am submitting two photographs instead of logs.

With 2.10 MB of storage available to anaconda, I'm not sure where it would store the logs.

> 
> I can tell you in advance that you do not need to set mountpoints for block
> devices you do not plan to use as part of the OS installation you are
> currently configuring.

Yes, I go along with that.

> 
> Also, to set a mountpoint for an existing block device you would 1) select
> the device on the left side of the screen and then 2) configure it in the
> right side of the screen. Clicking the "+" (plus) button adds a new device
> on which to place the new mountpoint/filesystem, which does not sound like
> what you want.

There really isn't any device on the left to work with. See pictures.
Comment 7 David Shea 2014-02-28 22:45:25 UTC 
Anaconda configures partitions top-down from mount-points, instead of bottom-up from devices. Add the mount point, and it will appear on the left side. From there you can choose RAID as the device type, configure the raid level, and choose on which devices you want to create the RAID.
Comment 8 Bob Gustafson 2014-03-01 16:19:13 UTC 
I guess I should have titled the bug a bit differently - something like:

  F20 Install on (an already configured) RAID1 disk set seems impossible.

That it is NOTABUG is an artifact of a policy decision made by someone - possibly within the anaconda group.
Comment 9 Martin Kolman 2014-03-03 15:27:40 UTC 
(In reply to Bob Gustafson from comment #6)
> With 2.10 MB of storage available to anaconda, I'm not sure where it would
> store the logs.
During the installation Anaconda is running from a ramdisk and logs are stored inside it in /tmp. The logs are copied to persistent storage (to /var/log/anaconda) only at the end of a (successful) installation. But you can at any time during the installation just scp them to another machine or save them to flash drive (from the shell running on TTY2).