Bug#402416: Important data loss with Debian/GNU 3.1 (Sarge), kernel 2.6.18 and RAID1 software

[Catalin COMAN]

Hi Neil,

Thank you for your email.
The source of problems is "mdadm -a" (hot add) in Debian 3.1 with kernel
2.6.18. I'm using Debian and software RAID1 for many years and
everything is fine (5 or 6 servers are running from 2001 almost
uninterrupted). With the kernel 2.6.15.4 the command "mdadm -a" works
but with the 2.6.18 the synchronization is very short, actually doesn't
exists, and after that the md device is compromised. The version of
mdadm is 1.9.0-4sarge1.

Coman Catalin


Neil Brown wrote:
> On Saturday December 16, ccoman at seanet.ro wrote:
> 
>>Don't use the Debian/GNU 3.1 with software RAID1 and kernel 2.6.18.
>>I tested with SCSI and IDE drives with different controllers and PCs
>>and IMPORTANT DATA LOSS can occur. It seems to be a problem with mdadm,
>>maybe a new version of mdadm is required.
> 
> 
> If you could report specific details - preferably to
> linux-raid at vger.kernel.org - I would love to heard about it.
> I am not aware of any significant problems in 2.6.18 that aren't fixed
> in a later -stable release (e.g. 2.6.18.5).
> Data loss is very unlikely to be a problem with mdadm.
> 
> Thanks,
> NeilBrown