[clue-tech] Linux on a Dell PowerEdge 2300?

[David Anselmi]

William wrote:
[...]
> I believe this machine has the hardware hot-swappable RAID controller.  When I compare it to the
> "Installation and Troubleshooting Guide" that came with it, there are many indicators that this
> option was installed:  6 drive configuration, no locking bar across all the drive faces, and the
> drive status indicator lights function.  The PERC Configuration program (hardware, available on
> boot via <Ctrl+M>) version is (which I assume is sadly outdated if there were 4 major versions):
> 2.38 Feb 24, 1999 Standard

If you've got the PERC configurator you've got hardware RAID.  So you 
configure it via PERC.  Dell may have a BIOS update for it that might be 
useful to you (but make sure you know how to get it installed--they have 
a program for that too).  They also have setup CDs you can boot and 
configure the RAID and partitions more easily than PERC, if you can get 
one that works with your hardware.

Linux should see the RAID as one or more disks (depending how you 
configure the RAID) and so it should work even without a special driver. 
  You may need a driver for Linux to talk to the RAID controller or 
monitor status and whatnot, but you can probably do all of that from 
PERC too (except that you have to reboot to get to it).

Dave