# RAID Controller changes the name every boot

## euduca

Hello.

I'm trying to install the Gentoo in our server, but I have problems with the RAID controller.

The RAID's name changes in boot:   :Mad:  

Boot Live-USB startup:

```
gentoo dodmraid
```

------------------------------------------

```
# dmraid -s

*** Group superset .ddf1_disks

--> Active Subset

name   : ddf1_4c5349202020202080862682000000003ba3fb0d00000a28

size   : 974608384

stride : 128

type   : mirror

status : ok

subsets: 0

devs   : 3

spares : 0

```

After every reboot, I get device mapper name changing (examples below):

```

name   : ddf1_4c5349202020202080862682000000003ba3fb0d000000a28

name   : ddf1_4c5349202020202080862682000000003b43jkd0000000a28

name   : ddf1_4c5349202020202080862682000000003b897t0d000000a28

```

I upgraded the BIOS, my server board is the Intel 5000XVN/XLS. I tried some workarounds and I read many forums and manuals. But i didn't solve this issue.  :Embarassed: 

My hardware:

```
livecd ~ # lspci 

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 5000X Chipset Memory Controller Hub (rev 31)

00:02.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset PCI Express x8 Port 2-3 (rev 31)

00:03.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset PCI Express x4 Port 3 (rev 31)

00:04.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset PCI Express x8 Port 4-5 (rev 31)

00:05.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset PCI Express x4 Port 5 (rev 31)

00:06.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset PCI Express x8 Port 6-7 (rev 31)

00:07.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset PCI Express x4 Port 7 (rev 31)

00:08.0 System peripheral: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset DMA Engine (rev 31)

00:10.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset FSB Registers (rev 31)

00:10.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset FSB Registers (rev 31)

00:10.2 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset FSB Registers (rev 31)

00:11.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset Reserved Registers (rev 31)

00:13.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset Reserved Registers (rev 31)

00:15.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset FBD Registers (rev 31)

00:16.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 5000 Series Chipset FBD Registers (rev 31)

00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB/3100 Chipset PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev 09)

00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB/3100 Chipset UHCI USB Controller #1 (rev 09)

00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB/3100 Chipset UHCI USB Controller #2 (rev 09)

00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB/3100 Chipset UHCI USB Controller #3 (rev 09)

00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB/3100 Chipset UHCI USB Controller #4 (rev 09)

00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB/3100 Chipset EHCI USB2 Controller (rev 09)

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev d9)

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB/3100 Chipset LPC Interface Controller (rev 09)

00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB IDE Controller (rev 09)

00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB SATA AHCI Controller (rev 09)

00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 631xESB/632xESB/3100 Chipset SMBus Controller (rev 09)

01:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6311ESB/6321ESB PCI Express Upstream Port (rev 01)

01:00.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6311ESB/6321ESB PCI Express to PCI-X Bridge (rev 01)

02:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6311ESB/6321ESB PCI Express Downstream Port E1 (rev 01)

02:02.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6311ESB/6321ESB PCI Express Downstream Port E3 (rev 01)

04:00.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 80003ES2LAN Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Copper) (rev 01)

04:00.1 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 80003ES2LAN Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Copper) (rev 01)

0c:0c.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc ES1000 (rev 02)

```

I solved a similar problem,  I have other server with the RAID bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801JIR (ICH10R) SATA RAID Controller. Using an Intel Live-CD, with the app called WebConsole2. In this app I changed the RAID's name, and the name didn't change after the boot. But the Live-CD doesn't work with the server board S500XVN/XSL.

Thanks.

Duca

----------

## Jaglover

Machiavellian question: Server obviously does not multi-boot. Why dmraid?

http://skrypuch.com/raid/

----------

## s4e8

You should upgrade to dmraid 1.0.0.rc16 or newer boot disk.

```

                /*

                 * Because the LSI bios changes the timestamp in the

                 * metadata on every boot, we have to neutralize it

                 * in order to allow for persistent names.

                 *

                 * Using a dummy string "47114711" for that.

                 */

                if (!strncmp((char *) vd->guid, "LSI", 3))

                        strncpy(buf + prefix + 32, "47114711", 8);

```

----------

## euduca

Hi Jaglover, I used the option dodmraid  at boot. I think, this is the only way to recognize de raid at boot. I don't know other way.

```
linux: gentoo dodmraid
```

s4e8, I'll try  :Exclamation:   :Exclamation:   :Exclamation:   :Exclamation:   :Exclamation:   :Exclamation:   :Exclamation:   :Exclamation: 

Thanks.

----------

## Jaglover

If dmraid recognizes your hardware then you do not have hardware RAID, your choices are software RAID (with mdadm) or fake RAID with dmraid.

Did you read http://skrypuch.com/raid/ ? It explains better than I why you should not use fake RAID (dmraid).

In case you didn't know, Intel ICH10R is SATA controller, not hardware RAID, dmraid you are using is fake RAID, i.e. software RAID that can be set up in BIOS.

----------

## euduca

Wow Jaglover!   :Shocked: 

I read the article. Thanks, I did not realize that. 

Duca.   :Very Happy: 

----------

