# HELP: mdadm: unexpected failure opening /dev/md0 SOLVED

## Moriah

In trying to set up a new raid1 mirror for some benchmarking, I ran into this:

```

ezekiel ~ #  mdadm -C /dev/md0 -n 3 -l 1 /dev/sdb /dev/sdc /dev/sdd

mdadm: unexpected failure opening /dev/md0

ezekiel ~ # cat /proc/mdstat

cat: /proc/mdstat: No such file or directory

```

I am not sure whether /proc/mdstat should be there before I start the first raid, but it seems strange to me that it is missing.  

Anybody seen this before, or know whats wrong?

----------

## Veldrin

are the raid modules (raid1 in your case) loaded? or at least built in?

/proc/mdstat shows raid/md related information, such are available partitions, array status et all...

----------

## Moriah

Further examination has revealed that this machine was not configured as I thought it was.  A backup image of the boot drive has been made and the entire installation is being done over again -- correctly this time (I hope!).    :Embarassed: 

----------

