SoftRAID + replacing first disk with boot partition
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Description
The SoftRAID documentation is pretty extensive, but it's missing the scenario where you have to replace the first disk in the system and it contains the boot partition.
If the server is configured well such that the /boot partition is within a mirrored or parity RAID, then copying the partition table from any of the good disks should do the trick, like the guide currently shows you how to do.
However some Linux installers make it difficult to configure the /boot partition to be within the RAID (for whatever reason), and in those cases you may have the /boot partition existing only on the first disk in the system. This means when the first disk is removed, the server will no longer be bootable so as to be able to add the new disk back into the array while the server is booted/live.
Since OVH DC staff do not copy the partition table from the removed disk to the new disk upon replacement, it would be very handy to include in the guide a way to save the /boot partition to an image file before ejecting the bad disk from the array. Then instructions could be provided to restore that /boot partition after the disk has been replaced (while in recovery mode).
TIA for the consideration.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with the existing SoftRAID guide and identify its instructions for copying partition tables and replacing disks. Verify the recovery-mode steps for preserving and restoring a standalone /boot partition; done means the guide covers first-disk replacement without leaving the server unbootable.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- linux
- Domain
- documentation, operating-systems
- Issue type
- Documentation
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100