# [Solved] Help with intel imsm fakeRaid

## Ginta

I had a system with this fakeraid working in this same machine in the past, but had to reinstall it from scratch.

This time, I followed up every steps on the handbook, and the same what I did before, but leads me to an unbootable system, as root partition is in the raid, which mdadm is unable to detect. I am using genkernel with mdadm enabled, tried default config and custom one with same results:

 /dev/md* entries are missing from busybox shell (are they autogenerated?)

mdadm --detail-platform returns

mdmon: imsm capabilities not found for controller: /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.2 (type SATA)

But on live CD it is correct output (did it misses something on kernel?)

Tried mdadm-4.0 and mdadm-3.4 with same results.

The fact that on Gentoo's liveCD the fakeraid is working correctly, excludes some problem with it, but... I am really out of ideas of what to try, I don't even know what is really happening here..

Some advice? Thanks

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## NeddySeagoon

Ginta,

Root on raid requires an initrd.

There are two sorts of fake raid.  BIOS fake raid, which uses the dm-raid kernel module.

A 'container' which you use, that uses mdadm.

In both cases user space tools are required to start the raid before root can be detected, if root is on the raid.

These go in the initrd.

The only reason to use fakeraid is that you need to share the raid set with another operating system that does not understand mdadm raid sets.

The /dev/md* entries are autogenerated by the kernel' (DEVTMPFS option) once the raid set is assembled and started.

Tell us how you made both your kernel and initrd?

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## Ginta

I used genkernel to generate kernel and initrd, enabling the --mdadm and domdadm kernel command line.

Those command outputs are the result when I type shell, and get a busybox shell from genkernel's initrd.

Also, userspace tools are installed on that initrd as well as on the system.

EDIT: I have windows installed also on that imsm raid0 (that was created with the uefi bios menu)

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## NeddySeagoon

Ginta,

In the busybox shell, after a failed boot, look at the init script.

cat init or more init.

Follow it through a line at a time.  Type it at the shell prompt if you need to.

This way you can see which command  fails.

Also, 

```
ls /sbin/md*
```

should show mdadm and friends.

You can also run the init script from the shell prompt.  If that works, there is a timing issue somewhere.

As the script failed, you may get errors trying things that worked at boot.

Like proc is already mounted.  That's harmless.

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## Ginta

I fixed it, by doing two things, not sure which of the two solved it finally:

Downgrade gperf, so eudev can be compiled to latest version

Copy liveDVD's kernel config, and use it as a template for genkernel-next' config+install

One of that two steps solved the issue, thanks for your attention  :Smile: 

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