Re: [cobalt-users] My experience upgrading a RaQ3 - HD, Memory, and OS

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Toby Miller wrote:

> I have read MANY posts on this list about upgrading a RaQ3's Hard Drive,
> Memory, and even the OS to the RaQ4 OS.  I recently upgraded a RaQ3
> (standard model not the 3i) and thought I'd share how it went and what the
> procedure was.

Sounds good, Toby <smile>.

> Next came the OS install. Booted an Wintel machine with the RaQ4i OS restore
> CD and followed the instructions for the install.

Did you use one of the listed ethernet cards, or were you just lucky?

> (remember this WAS a RaQ3 and is now a RaQ4)

Not really.  It's still only got a 300 mHZ processor.

> CD to root/root directory ==> cd /root
> Unmount /home ==> umount /home
> Change /home partition to new size ==> cfdisk
> Write changes to /home partition (usually hda4)
> Make filesystem/format ==> mkfs /dev/hda? (where ? is the # for /home)
> Re-mount /home partition ==> mount /home
> CD to root ==> cd /
> Un-tar copy of /home ==> tar xvf /hometmp/home.tar home
> Remove backup of /home ==> rm -r /hometmp

Perhaps a bit easier, but a bit more expensive, had you used ghost.

> Now reboot the RaQ from the LCD panel.
> Once rebooted DF now shows 38Gb for the /home partition
> AND SO DOES THE GUI!!!  So now I have a old RaQ3 that is now a RaQ4 with
> 512Mb RAM and 40Gb of disk space.  You CAN go above 32Gb limit.

We've found the latest restore CD seems to handle larger drives without
a limit, but that could be to having a newer bios as well.

> My next project for this RaQ is to install the DupliDisk2 RAID
> solution provided by Arco products to make this little RaQ4(3?) a RAID1
> server.  The DupliDisk2 is an IDE RAID1 controller that is slotless and
> requires NO OS support.  Great solution.  www.arcoide.com

Does your RaQ have two independent IDE connectors?  If so, then you can
use the RaQ4R restore CDROM and use the RaQs software RAID.  Most linux
kernel hackers will tell you it's faster than all but the most
sophisticated RAID controllers, and based on experience, I tend to'
agree with them.

That saves you $279 if it works for you.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Linux and Cobalt/Sun/RaQ Consulting
nobaloney.net, P. O. Box 52672, Riverside, CA  92517
voice: +1 909 778-9980  *  fax: +1 909 548-9484