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Mount Raid Arrays After Ubuntu Server Install

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Keith Lewis edited this page Feb 18, 2026 · 8 revisions

🛡️ Ubuntu RAID 5: Post-Install Mounting & Recovery Guide

If you created a RAID 5 array during the Ubuntu Server installation but it isn't showing up in your file system or CasaOS, this guide will help you "import" that storage, mount it safely, and make it permanent.

🚀 Step 1: Assemble the Array

Even if the RAID was created during setup, the new OS needs to "discover" it. We use mdadm to scan the disks and assemble the virtual device.

# Scan all drives and reassemble any detected RAID arrays
sudo mdadm --assemble --scan

Note

This command tells the kernel to find the RAID metadata on your disks. It will usually create a device named /dev/md127 or /dev/md0.

🔍 Step 2: Identify Your RAID

Now, let's verify that the array is active and find its UUID. The UUID is a unique "fingerprint" that ensures we mount the correct disks every time.

# View your disk hierarchy
lsblk

# Get the UUID for your RAID device (replace md127 if yours is different)
sudo blkid /dev/md127

Expected Output: Look for TYPE="raid5" and copy the UUID="your-unique-id-here".

📁 Step 3: Create a Mount Point

Linux needs a folder to "attach" the RAID to. We will create a professional path at /mnt/Main_Storage.

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/Main_Storage

🛠️ Step 4: Make it Permanent (The "No-Fail" Mount)

To ensure your RAID mounts automatically when you reboot—and to prevent your server from crashing if a drive is missing—we must edit the File Systems Table (fstab).

  1. Open the config file:
sudo nano /etc/fstab
  1. Add this line to the bottom (using your UUID):
UUID=7b31a8a9-78c0-4660-a69a-f9334dcf45dd  /mnt/Main_Storage  ext4  defaults,nofail,x-systemd.device-timeout=10  0  2

💡 Why these settings?

  • nofail: If a drive dies or is unplugged, your ZimaBoard will still boot up so you can fix it.
  • timeout=10: Tells the system not to wait more than 10 seconds for the RAID to appear during boot.

✅ Step 5: Test the Configuration

Never reboot without testing your fstab first! If there is a typo, this command will catch it.

# Attempt to mount everything in fstab
sudo mount -a

# Check if it worked
df -h | grep Main_Storage

🏠 Step 6: View in CasaOS

Once the RAID is mounted at /mnt/Main_Storage, CasaOS will automatically see it.

  1. Open the CasaOS Dashboard.
  2. Go to the Files app.
  3. Main_Storage will now appear as a usable drive for your media and containers! 🎊

🚨 Troubleshooting & Health Checks

Want to see the health of your 18TB drives? Use these commands:

  • Check RAID Status: cat /proc/mdstat
  • Detailed Health Report: sudo mdadm --detail /dev/md127

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