Ghost MD ADM: RAID Array Appearing on Boot - Tech Support Mystery
Recently, a new Ubuntu user reported an issue with their server setup using Proxmox. The user mentioned that whenever the system boots, MD127 RAID arrays appear in the Webmin console. In this article, we will discuss the possible causes and solutions for this issue.
Understanding MD RAID Arrays
MD RAID (Linux MD RAID) is a software-based RAID implementation that provides data redundancy and performance improvements by combining multiple physical disks into a single logical unit. MD RAID arrays can be configured in various levels, including RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, and RAID 10.
Possible Causes of MD RAID Arrays Appearing on Boot
There are several reasons why MD RAID arrays might appear on boot even if they are not configured or not needed. Some of the common causes include:
- Legacy BIOS Configuration: If the RAID controller is configured in the BIOS instead of the operating system, the system might boot with the RAID arrays detected.
- Automatic Detection: Ubuntu might automatically detect RAID arrays during the boot process, even if they are not configured in the operating system.
- Proxmox Configuration: Proxmox might be configured to boot with RAID arrays, even if they are not needed for the virtual machines.
Solutions
To resolve the issue of MD RAID arrays appearing on boot, you can try the following solutions:
Solution 1: Disable RAID in BIOS
If the RAID controller is configured in the BIOS, you can try disabling it to prevent the system from booting with the RAID arrays detected. To do this, restart the system and enter the BIOS setup menu by pressing the appropriate key (usually F2, F10, or F12) during boot. Once in the BIOS menu, locate the RAID controller settings and disable it. Save the changes and exit the BIOS menu.
Solution 2: Disable MD RAID in Ubuntu
If the RAID arrays are being automatically detected during the boot process, you can try disabling MD RAID in Ubuntu. To do this, edit the GRUB bootloader configuration file. Open a terminal and type:
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
Locate the line that starts with "GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT" and add "md=no" to the end of the line. Save and exit the file, then update the GRUB configuration by typing:
sudo update-grub
Reboot the system to test the changes.
Solution 3: Configure Proxmox to Boot without RAID
If Proxmox is configured to boot with RAID arrays, you can try configuring it to boot without them. To do this, edit the Proxmox configuration file. Open a terminal and type:
sudo nano /etc/pve/config.pve
Locate the line that starts with "storage.map.md" and set it to "false". Save and exit the file, then restart the Proxmox service by typing:
sudo systemctl restart pve-manager
In this article, we discussed the possible causes and solutions for the issue of MD RAID arrays appearing on boot in a Ubuntu server using Proxmox. We covered the basics of MD RAID, possible causes, and solutions, including disabling RAID in BIOS, disabling MD RAID in Ubuntu, and configuring Proxmox to boot without RAID.