I'm setting up a brand new file server using Debian Squeeze. I have a mixed setup of disks where I have 500GB x 4 and 1TB x 3 all SATA and a small 2GB Transcend IDE Flash module for the base OS install.
I would like to setup two RAID-0s from the 500GB drives and then use those two raid devices and the 1TB drives to make a large RAID-5 array.
Maybe this will make it clearer:
RAID-0 md0 = sda1 & sdb1 (Formatted to Linux Auto-raid)
RAID-0 md1 = sdc1 & sdd1 (Formatted to Linux Auto-raid)
RAID-5 md2 = md0, md1, sde1, sdf1, sdg1 (Formatted to Physical LVM)
LVM: /var (1GB) /tmp (1GB) swap (2g) /data (rest of space)
(I realize this setup is a little bizarre and you probably have many issues with the way its setup but this is the best option I have given the current situation of the disks and where the data on those disks is located)
Booting up the Debian Installer gets to the partitioner, I can make the initial two RAID-0 devices, however when I try to format those devices to "Physical Volume for RAID" that is NOT an option. Once out of the installer and booted into a debian install, I can make the RAID devices no problems at all.
What gives? Am I missing something? Should I try to Alt over to a BusyBox terminal and format the RAID devices that way, then see if the Debian installer lets me setup the drives the way i want? Should I give it another go now that the RAID devices are created? Any help would be much appreciated.