Can I install Ubuntu MATE in RAID 0?

Support & Help Requests
#1

Hello, I am loving Ubuntu MATE on my laptop, but I would like it on my Desktop as well. I have all the Intel ports taken up by Intel RAID0 and Windows 8.1 (my business machine). What I would like to do is use the two free Marvell ports with TWO 32GB SSD’s that never get used for anything. I dont want to use Ubuntu with only 32GB, so I want to combine the two into one 60GB drive for Ubuntu MATE use. I see tutorials for Ubuntu in general and ALL of them seem to point to using Ubuntu Server in order to run Ubuntu in RAID.

So, my question is do I still need to install Ubuntu Server, and then install MATE GUI? Or is there a way to install Ubuntu MATE in RAID 0? I want to use the Marvel ports because they are easily turned off and on via a BIOS switch, which I can not do with the Intel ports. Then during BIOS boot all I have to do is hit the F8 key, and it will ask me what boot device, I then select the “Marvel sata controller” and Ubuntu will immediately bootup. I am going to physically remove all Intel sata cable from the system during Ubuntu install so that the installer does not see the other OS. I do NOT want GRUB taking over the machines bootup, which is why I will install Ubuntu without the other “windows” drives present.

Anyway, can Ubuntu MATE be installed using RAID, or do I need to install Server edition first? Thanks for any pointers on how to accomplish what I seek. Oh, and by the way I already did this before, that is running Ubuntu 12.04 on one controller and Windows on the other and just physically turning off the Ubuntu Marvel controller when that OS was not needed and it worked brilliantly for me, so the only difference now will be the RAID part of it and MATE desktop. Thanks

#2

I am in no way qualified to answer this. But, if the option is not there wen trying to install for the live system, it probably means that the packages needed are not installed by default. I had this problem when i wanted to use btrfs with Linuxmint. if tou knoe the necessary packages install them with apt or aptitude and then see if the options show up.

N.B. I am in no way qualified to answer this

#3

Ubiquity doesn’t have any facilities for creating RAID install targets. You’ll have to create them manually and then use Ubiquity manual partition options.

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#4

Wow, are you saying that if I use the live Server installer (debian installer), and then simply quit AFTER the raid set has been built. I could then boot up to the Ubuntu MATE live image and Ubiquity will see and use the raid set? I assume while in the debian installer I do NOT need to assign the swap area or the system area and can simply do that in Ubiquity?

Interesting, why is there not a guide for such a task? I may have to record the entire procedure and make my own How-To guide on that… lol

Thanks for the information.

@xaitec, I wonder if the debian installer can be installed and run from the live image of Ubuntu MATE?

#5

One way i know to find out :smile:

#6

Well if there is a way, I am not finding the instructions listed anywhere. Going to try Ubuntu Server text based installer, and then see if the Ubuntu MATE installer see’s the raid set already created. If so, then all I have to do in UMATE live is assign the swap partition and the / partition. I think… lol

#7

If you motherboard supports hardware RAID you just set it up in the BIOS/EFI and then use Ubiquity as Martin said. That’s what I did on my workstation.

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#8

One, I thought Ubuntu Desktop does not support FakeRAID out of the box? and two, I also thought I read that it is no where near as robust as the built in software raid?

if performance is just as good, I might like that option better. However, I do NOT know how to perform that option, and I do know how to use the Server installer to create raid sets.

EDIT: Wow, Ubuntu MATE supports my BIOS raid out of the box. I’ve never seen that work before. This is probably the happiest Ubuntu day of my life… And I thought I was happy when MATE became an official flavor, lol…

Thanks guys for the guidance…