When using a genkernel initrd built with the --mdadm option on hard drives partitioned in the 'Windows LDM Style' aka 'Windows Dynamic Disks', boot fails when trying to pivot to the newroot on my md block device, and i must: 1> Drop out to a shell 2> Run 'mdadm --assemble' 3> Exit the shell and pass '/dev/md4' to the boot agent I suspect this is caused by genkernel's initrd assuming that the partition types are set to 'Linux Raid AutoDetect'. This is impossible because the partitions from which I build my mdadm/lvm arrays must be created and administrated by the windows 'disk management' tool, or window's raid will 'break'. As a result I must manually assemble my partitions within the initrd's minimal shell environment before i can boot. Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. Build and properly set up an initrd using genkernel --mdadm on a system with disks using 'windows software raid' aka 'dynamic disks' (which is NOT the same as FakeBiosRaid) 2. Boot up computer. Actual Results: Boot fails when pivoting from the root partition on the initrd to the newroot partition, which on my case is /dev/md4. The partition must be manually --assembled at that time in order to boot. Expected Results: Boot I think that this is caused by genkernel assuming that the partitions will be set to 'Linux RAID Autodetect', however this is an impossibility (for instance) when the disks implement partitions in the 'Windows Dynamic Disks style'. Also, I cannot use grub, again, because it does not play well with 'Dynamic Disks' so any suggestions for a better workaround (which must exist) must not be exclusive of Lilo. I listed this as a major bug because, especially in light of the lack of documentation on the matter, it prevents the 'optimal' (imo) software raid setup in the case of dual booting with windows AND also using software raid in windows. (The 'less optimal' (imo) solution for dual booting Windows and Linux with software RAID is to use the much-less-flexible 'Windows Bios Fake RAID'.)
What is the contents of the /etc/mdadm.conf in your initramfs? It should have DEVICE and ARRAY statements to match your array. If you dump yourself to the debug shell of the initramfs, and use the manually sysfs interface to the kernel MD, can you assemble the RAID successfully?
i didnt put the dodmraid option in the lilo append "" directive
