# Linux RAID hanging?

## mverrilli

I'm posting from work, so I might not have all the details...

The setup:

Brand new 1.2 gentoo installation using the stage3 tarball.

```
Dual P3 450mhz

onboard ide: 

  /dev/hda1 swap 

  /dev/hda2 /boot ext2

fastrak/66 card:

  /dev/md0 / xfs raid0

    /dev/hde1 linux autoraid

    /dev/hdg1 linux autoraid
```

I am not using the fastrak raid, I have no disks set up in an fastrak array, I am using linux's built in software raid.  

Everything boots up fine, everything runs fine under normal load.  (Although I haven't added X yet...)  Gentoo rocks.    :Very Happy: 

The problem:

When I compile for long periods of time... eventually the compile freezes.  It doesn't matter what I compile, just that it is usually a large compile.  Any programs that are already running, like telnet, top, etc work fine.  Anything that requires going to disk hangs.  

How do I fix this?  What can I do to get the information I need to track down the issue?  Is there a known problem doing this?

----------

## rommel

i think if it were my system i would redo the install...this time from stage1...and then choose the vanilla kernel...and you might as well forget xfs unless there is a very specific feature that you need that it offers that ext3 doesnt....i got terrible through put using xfs and lsr on an smp system...run hdparm -t /dev/md0 adn see what it gives you....i am not saying these things will solve you problem but i think the stage1 and vanilla kernel might help

----------

## mverrilli

Well, I haven't taken that advice just yet... but I might if this didn't fix it.

In the linux config, I had support for my promise card compiled in, but I didn't have the Special UDMA feature and Special Fastrak feature compiled in.  I don't know exactly what these are, but I enabled them.  

Started my long emerge kde, and it has been running for 3 hours almost... so the problem might be licked.

----------

## rommel

oh yeah absolutely enable those options...i ahd a fast track tx2 and enabled all that and had lsr 0 screaming...did you do the hdparm -t /dev/md0 before and after (you should ahve just to see the difference)

----------

## mverrilli

I didn't do it before... although I still have the old kernel, I could do it just to test it out.  :Smile:   It's still compiling, so I'll do it when it's done (tomorrow? hehe).  

While compiling I get 34Mb/sec.  I've done zero tweaks, though.  

So... compiling many hours now without a freeze, I'm guessing those options fixed me.  I'll post my before and after rates later.

----------

## rommel

cool....it will be interesting to see the difference anyway..but hopefully you will run smoothly now.

----------

