i'm looking for a Linux OS for HTPC that will work with RAID 5 created by BIOS

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Luke Johnston

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Nov 30, 2013
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Hi everyone. It would be great if someone could help me.
I'm currently building a HTPC and plan on using 5 HDD in RAID 5 array. But I'm hoping i can use a Linux OS instead of Windows. Something like OpenELEC. But will that work with a BIOS made RAID 5 HDD array? Or is there another Linux OS I could use that will?
 
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Luke Johnston

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Nov 30, 2013
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Thanks ex_bubblehead. Do you know if OpenELEC will read from the RAID after using the ZFS software?
 
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skittle

skittle

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Dec 27, 2006
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NOTE: ZFS is a filesystem that has built in RAID. Unfortunately it is not included in the Linux kernel and must be compiled separately as a module. http://zfsonlinux.org/

Maybe you do not know much about linux systems but OpenELEC is an embedded distrobution. It is not easy to compile a new kernel for ZFS support with an embedded distrobution ;)

If you want to use ZFS suggest using full linux distrobution like "xbmcbuntu" or any (Linux distrobution) instead of OpenELEC.
http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=XBMCbuntu

ZFS alternative: BTRFS. Similar features as ZFS and built into the Linux kernel so OpenELEC can use it. With the caveat that RAID5/6 support is somewhat experimental.
 
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Luke Johnston

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Nov 30, 2013
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Thanks skittle. very helpful. You're right. I don't have much experience with Linux but want to learn :) I think i will go with the simple BIOS RAID for OpenELEC. I've read some good reviews on OpenELEC.
I'm wanting a fast booting Media Centre for the HTPC and from what i've read it's a pretty good media centre OS.
Is there any other distributions of Linux that performs better then OpenELEC?
 
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Ijack

Ijack

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I would recommend that you forget about the BIOS RAID. In essence it is a form of software RAID and you would get the same, or better, performance by using the Linux software RAID. (And note that RAID 5 performance can be terrible on any software RAID.) There is the same consideration as with ZFS that you will need special drivers to use the BIOS RAID which may or may not be supplied with OpenELEC.

In fact, I would forget about RAID altogether and concentrate on keeping good backups of your data (something which RAID does not supply). RAID 5 is useful in a commercial environment where any downtime costs money (and you use dedicated hardware RAID controllers) but in a home environment 24x7 uptime is rarely essential so it has little advantage other than to give you a false sense of security that you are backing up your data.
 
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skittle

skittle

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Oh yes OpenELEC does not include *any* Software/FakeRAID support. Not mdadm or dmraid. So you cannot use BIOS raid at all.

I agree with Ijack. Really there is no need for RAID. XBMC will have its database seamlessly merge files across two drives so the fact that two drives exist is transparent to any user. preferable to keep backups of your media in case of corruption or failure.

As far as performance? Well that is a subjective opinion. I use OpenELEC at home because it offers set and forget HTPC and works without any configuration. Its "Wife and Kid friendly". However as you are discovering now, you are sort of limited to software that developers wish to include as it is not a full linux distrobution
 
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Luke Johnston

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My main reason for wanting a RAID is for in case of HDD failure. I'm using 5 x 1tb WD red drives and to have a separate NAS for back up is costly item and and extra cost on electricity. For what i am trying to achieve would i be best just to use Win 7?
 
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Ijack

Ijack

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Just my opinion (based on many years of managing servers), but RAID, and RAID 5 in particular, is fairly useless for this purpose, for the following reasons:

User error and/or filesystem corruption are far more common causes of data loss than hardware failure. RAID does nothing to secure against such eventualities. It also doesn't secure against the possibility of the entire machine being destroyed by - for example - fire or flood.

The SMART hardware on modern hard disks is so efficient at predicting disk failure that RAID is unnecessary. SMART warnings will give you plenty of notice of when a disk needs replacing.

If you ever need to move the array to another computer there can be problems unless it uses identical hardware to the original. This, of course, doesn't occur with discrete drives.

Performance of RAID 5, in particular, on non-dedicated controllers is poor because the CPU has to perform the parity calculations. So you end up buying an extra hard disk to degrade performance and still provide no protection against the most common causes of data loss.

If your data is important, and difficult to replace, then a separate backup (in the perfect scenario, kept offsite) is essential IMO. The one situation where RAID 5 is useful is when 24x7 operation is a requirement and servers cannot be taken offline, i.e. in a commercial environment. Even in that case (even more so) a completely separate backup solution is a requirement.
 
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Luke Johnston

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Nov 30, 2013
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Thank you to both of you for your help. Ijack i get what you are saying however i will continue with RAID, purely for the experience. I've never setup or used a RAID and this would be a chance to play around with one.
skittle i'll use XBMCbuntu with ZFS
 
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skittle

skittle

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maybe also use option RAID-Z or RAID-Z2instead of RAID5..
 
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