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install disk-detect/multipath/enable=true

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jmc
Posts: 2
Joined: 2022-05-18 13:48

install disk-detect/multipath/enable=true

#1 Post by jmc »

I would like to install Debian 11 to a fibrechannel SAN, I can see I am supposed to add a 'install disk-detect/multipath/enable=true' to the boot command.
But if I press "E" on the installer menu item, I get a few lines, none of which seem to make a difference if I add the line.

See: https://wiki.debian.org/DebianInstaller ... athSupport

Code: Select all

setparams 'Install'

  set background_color=black
  linux /install.amd/vmlinuz vga=788 --- quiet
  initrd /install.amd/initrd.gz
When adding *disk-detect/multipath/enable=true* to either setparams or the line starting with linux, no multipathd nor /dev/mapper/mpath devices appears, and I cannot figure out how I am supposed to add multipath-tools/multipath-tools-boot in busybox...

Does anyone have a guide or hint to do this?

jmc
Posts: 2
Joined: 2022-05-18 13:48

Re: install disk-detect/multipath/enable=true

#2 Post by jmc »

Update.

Code: Select all

setparams 'Install'

  set background_color=black
  linux /install.amd/vmlinuz vga=788 --- install disk-detect/multipath/enable=true quiet
  initrd /install.amd/initrd.gz
provides the `multipath` command, but nothing is detected, seemingly because multipath.conf+tools+module are missing?

I've finally settled on the following to get it working...

Install debian to lvm on single "disk", and after install dropping to shell before rebooting, and forcing lvm to ignore the others paths (disks) so I avoid duplicate PV warnings and activating the volume group.
Then mounting and chrooting into the installation, and installing multipath-tools+boot, and editing lvm.conf + multipath.conf as needed and adding dm_multipath to initramfs-tools/modules and dist-detect... to the grub conf cmdline.
Run update-initramfs -u and update-grub, and that gives me a working debian install that boots from multipath FC san.

I am sure there is a simpler way, but this seems to work.

bahimy
Posts: 1
Joined: 2022-05-31 06:25

Re: install disk-detect/multipath/enable=true

#3 Post by bahimy »

May be slightly offtopic, but I believe it is convenient to place routine how to get over similar task I had at hand.

I have got two iSCSI gateways with the same target behind them. On the host there are two interfaces configured to be iSCSI initiators pointing at the iSCSI gateways over distinct subnets. My task was to set up Debian 11 on multipath device over iSCSI.
  1. Did not use any boot commands at all;
  2. followed installer to disk detection with manually configuring main network interface;
  3. escaped to the installer main menu and executed a shell;
  4. in the shell got network settings and iSCSI sessions over iBFT

    Code: Select all

    modprobe iscsi_ibft
    iscsistart -N
    iscsistart -b
  5. got back to the installation menu and continued with installation process to any of two iSCSI devices;
  6. after the installation is complete went to the shell again; chroot to new OS:

    Code: Select all

    mount --bind /sys /target/sys
    mount --bind /proc /target/proc
    mount --bind /dev /target/dev
    chroot /target
    in chroot configure iSCSI

    Code: Select all

    echo 'iscsi_ibft' >> /etc/initramfs-tools/modules
    echo 'ISCSI_AUTO=true' > /etc/iscsi/iscsi.initramfs
    in chroot set up multipath (substitute device name accordingly or provide actual WWID)

    Code: Select all

    apt-get update
    apt-get install multipath-tools
    multipath -a /dev/sdX
    apt-get install multipath-tools-boot
    to the point initramfs was updated several times but I updated it manually anyway

    Code: Select all

    update-initramfs -u
  7. exited the shell and rebooted to my new OS on multipath device.
Last edited by bahimy on 2022-09-29 15:40, edited 2 times in total.

kwslavens
Posts: 1
Joined: 2022-09-07 16:55

Re: install disk-detect/multipath/enable=true

#4 Post by kwslavens »

This post helped a LOT!

The documentation is terrible and doesn't explain where to use the install disk-detect option. A friend and I figure it out... At the install menu go to help then go to the F7 "special boot parameters - Various Disk Drives" section. This will give you a boot: prompt with an example of install aic7xxx.aic7xxx=no_probe. This boot: prompt is where you use the "install disk-detect/multipath/enable=true"... This will load the modprobe driver and multipath in the installer. This does not make the install work perfect but its a start. Before you install grub, complete the config in the shell for multipath and make sure a multipath -v2 -d looks correct. Grub still doesn't seem to us the multipath config correctly but it does use a uuid to target root and seems to work fine.

I've got 99% working correctly My only concern is that I can't seem to get root / mounted as /dev/mapper/maptha so that a path failure doesn't kill the root volume. I think it will require a reboot and then come back up on a different path. I may be wrong on that. Still working on it!
Last edited by kwslavens on 2022-09-07 17:08, edited 1 time in total.

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