Tablet 32GB boot and 512GB SD card make as one?

[Raymond Day]

Got Ubuntu server on a tablet that has 32GB built in and I have a 512GB SD card plug in it. I wanted to use LVM to make the boot or partition 3 the full size of the 512GB SD card.

Not sure how to do it. Here is some commands I did.

root@rayday-tablet:~# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/loop0: 55.33 MiB, 58007552 bytes, 113296 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop1: 55.37 MiB, 58052608 bytes, 113384 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop2: 70.58 MiB, 73990144 bytes, 144512 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop3: 67.77 MiB, 71041024 bytes, 138752 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop4: 30.95 MiB, 32432128 bytes, 63344 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop5: 30.96 MiB, 32440320 bytes, 63360 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 28.93 GiB, 31037849600 bytes, 60620800 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: FE8F2415-AE2E-4C88-8357-18CD1E0539A3

Device           Start      End  Sectors  Size Type
/dev/mmcblk0p1    2048  1050623  1048576  512M EFI System
/dev/mmcblk0p2 1050624  3147775  2097152    1G Linux filesystem
/dev/mmcblk0p3 3147776 60618751 57470976 27.4G Linux filesystem


Disk /dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv: 20 GiB, 21474836480 bytes, 41943040 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/sda: 931.53 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors
Disk model: 2115
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 33553920 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xa8ad6ad4

Device     Boot Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sda1           1 1953524910 1953524910 931.5G 83 Linux


Disk /dev/mmcblk2: 476.73 GiB, 511868665856 bytes, 999743488 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: ADECBC6D-31EB-4586-ACBB-4C2C9AFD4012

Device         Start       End   Sectors   Size Type
/dev/mmcblk2p1    34 999743454 999743421 476.7G Linux filesystem
root@rayday-tablet:~# lvscan
^C  Interrupted...
  Giving up waiting for lock.
root@rayday-tablet:~# df -h
Filesystem                         Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
udev                               1.8G     0  1.8G   0% /dev
tmpfs                              376M  3.2M  373M   1% /run
/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv   20G   15G  3.7G  81% /
tmpfs                              1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /dev/shm
tmpfs                              5.0M     0  5.0M   0% /run/lock
tmpfs                              1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
/dev/mmcblk0p2                     976M  199M  711M  22% /boot
/dev/sda1                          916G  468G  402G  54% /mnt/1TB_SSD
/dev/loop0                          56M   56M     0 100% /snap/core18/1885
/dev/loop1                          56M   56M     0 100% /snap/core18/1932
/dev/loop2                          71M   71M     0 100% /snap/lxd/16922
/dev/loop3                          68M   68M     0 100% /snap/lxd/18150
/dev/loop4                          31M   31M     0 100% /snap/snapd/9607
/dev/loop5                          31M   31M     0 100% /snap/snapd/9721
/dev/mmcblk0p1                     511M  7.8M  504M   2% /boot/efi
tmpfs                              376M     0  376M   0% /run/user/0
root@rayday-tablet:~# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/loop0: 55.33 MiB, 58007552 bytes, 113296 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop1: 55.37 MiB, 58052608 bytes, 113384 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop2: 70.58 MiB, 73990144 bytes, 144512 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop3: 67.77 MiB, 71041024 bytes, 138752 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop4: 30.95 MiB, 32432128 bytes, 63344 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/loop5: 30.96 MiB, 32440320 bytes, 63360 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 28.93 GiB, 31037849600 bytes, 60620800 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: FE8F2415-AE2E-4C88-8357-18CD1E0539A3

Device           Start      End  Sectors  Size Type
/dev/mmcblk0p1    2048  1050623  1048576  512M EFI System
/dev/mmcblk0p2 1050624  3147775  2097152    1G Linux filesystem
/dev/mmcblk0p3 3147776 60618751 57470976 27.4G Linux filesystem


Disk /dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv: 20 GiB, 21474836480 bytes, 41943040 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/sda: 931.53 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors
Disk model: 2115
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 33553920 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xa8ad6ad4

Device     Boot Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sda1           1 1953524910 1953524910 931.5G 83 Linux


Disk /dev/mmcblk2: 476.73 GiB, 511868665856 bytes, 999743488 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: ADECBC6D-31EB-4586-ACBB-4C2C9AFD4012

Device         Start       End   Sectors   Size Type
/dev/mmcblk2p1    34 999743454 999743421 476.7G Linux filesystem
root@rayday-tablet:~# parted /dev/mmcblk2
GNU Parted 3.3
Using /dev/mmcblk2
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) print
Model: SD SC512 (sd/mmc)
Disk /dev/mmcblk2: 512GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:

Number  Start   End    Size   File system  Name      Flags
 1      17.4kB  512GB  512GB  ext4         512GB-SD

(parted) quit
root@rayday-tablet:~# parted /dev/mmcblk0
GNU Parted 3.3
Using /dev/mmcblk0
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) resizepart
Partition number? 3
End?  [31.0GB]?
free(): invalid pointer
Aborted (core dumped)
root@rayday-tablet:~# lvextend
  No command with matching syntax recognised.  Run 'lvextend --help' for more information.
root@rayday-tablet:~# lvextend --size 512G /dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv
  Insufficient free space: 125952 extents needed, but only 1895 available
root@rayday-tablet:~#

So what would be the right way to do this if can?

-Raymond Day

[LHammonds]

You could set it up so that the boot and root are on the 32GB and all others are on the 512GB such as /var, /usr, /home, /opt and /tmp

I have documented how to slice up partitions using the "legacy" installer but have not yet integrated the new method to do it with the new "live" installer which is a bit tricky but it is possible to get the exact same result during initial setup.

LHammonds

[Raymond Day]

Booted a live USB on it. Wanted to see if can just install fresh using the 512GB SD card inside it. Sees it as /dev/mmcblk2 and the built in 32GB flash as /dev/mmcblk1

Not sure how I did it but got it so it did not error saying could not format the 512GB SD card. I had to click on some how were the box was checked on it. But I could not click on the box to set it like that.

Any way it's been at the like thinking cereal icon going around for all most a hour now. So I don't think it's going to install.

Is there away to set it for LVM to use both the 32GB and 512GB as one drive?

Not sure how to set this up to install it. I am using the desktop Ubuntu 20.04 on a USB key.

It be neat to use it like that. Had it running on the 32GB and it fills it up.

-Raymond Day

[CelticWarrior]

Is there away to set it for LVM to use both the 32GB and 512GB as one drive?

Not sure how to set this up to install it. I am using the desktop Ubuntu 20.04 on a USB key.

Yes, there's a way but you don't want to do that.
With or without LVM what makes sense here is having the root in the 32GB drive and a separated /home is the bigger one.

[TheFu]

Yes, there's a way but you don't want to do that.
With or without LVM what makes sense here is having the root in the 32GB drive and a separated /home is the bigger one.

^^^^^
exactly this.
Just because something is possible, that doesn't make it a good idea.

But if you insist and accept this very,very, risky setup, just do a normal install w/ LVM on 1 of the drives, then add the other drive into the same VG as the first AFTER the INSTALL is complete. Then you can create and expand LVs as you like. Any of the LVM tutorials should provide sufficient guidance for this.

Did I mention how bad an idea this was? I lost 80% of my data doing exactly this about 20 years ago. Are you prepared to lose all your data? That's what will happen if either drive fails. Of course, if you have great backups, go for it.

[Raymond Day]

Booted a live Ubuntu and did commands like this:

root@ubuntu:/media# vgextend vgubuntu /dev/mmcblk2p1
root@ubuntu:/media# lvextend -l +29818 /dev/vgubuntu/root

It seemed like it made the LVM 32GB and 128GB SD card in side it.

Then went to install Ubuntu 20.04 server and it auto sees the LVM and looks like it's the big size. I say to install on it.

Reboot and it just goes to the GRUB menu now. I installed the server again but same just boots to GRUB.

How can I fix this. Did I make the LVM wrong? Can I install it as LVM and then add the 128GB later to it?

-Raymond Day

[TheFu]

Please re-read post #5 above.

[LHammonds]

Like TheFu and others said, we do not recommend the combination like this...but...to do it, follow what TheFu said. To make this easier to understand....TAKE OUT THE 512GB card.

Install onto the 32 GB using LVM. You can use the atomic method of letting it do everything for you or you can slice-n-dice the partitions how you want manually...just make sure /boot is outside LVM.

Once you have the OS working, then install the 512 GB card and boot it up.

You can then use fdisk to format the card for Linux LVM, then add it to the LVG and use lvextend and resize2fs as noted in the "Add More Drives" section of my tutorial.

Taking out the 512GB card is not required but should give you clarity on what you should be doing since it seems you missed the point.

When I install my servers, I always start off on a 25 GB disk and for the most-part, that is sufficient unless it will be a repository of some kind.

LHammonds

[Raymond Day]

Looks like that 512GB SD card is bad now. I put a new 128GB SD card in it and works good.

Took the SD card out and installed Ubuntu server 20.04.1 as LVM. If I left it it in seen the 32GB and 128GB as one drive but would just boot to grub menu then.

Put the SD card in and just don't know how to add it.

I guess do some "lvm lvextend" command.

A command that my help.

root@rayday-tablet:~# lvmdiskscan -l
  WARNING: only considering LVM devices
  /dev/mmcblk0p3    [      27.40 GiB] LVM physical volume
  /dev/mmcblk2      [     116.48 GiB] LVM physical volume
  0 LVM physical volume whole disks
  2 LVM physical volumes
root@rayday-tablet:~#

This is what it looks like but they are not linked as one drive.

root@rayday-tablet:~# df -h
Filesystem                         Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
udev                               1.8G     0  1.8G   0% /dev
tmpfs                              376M  1.8M  374M   1% /run
/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv   27G  6.2G   20G  25% /
tmpfs                              1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /dev/shm
tmpfs                              5.0M     0  5.0M   0% /run/lock
tmpfs                              1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
/dev/mmcblk0p2                     976M  105M  805M  12% /boot
/dev/loop1                          72M   72M     0 100% /snap/lxd/16099
/dev/loop0                          55M   55M     0 100% /snap/core18/1880
/dev/mmcblk0p1                     511M  7.8M  504M   2% /boot/efi
/dev/loop2                          30M   30M     0 100% /snap/snapd/8542
tmpfs                              376M     0  376M   0% /run/user/0
/dev/loop3                          56M   56M     0 100% /snap/core18/1932
/dev/loop4                          31M   31M     0 100% /snap/snapd/9721
/dev/loop5                          68M   68M     0 100% /snap/lxd/18150
root@rayday-tablet:~#

root@rayday-tablet:~# parted -l
Model: Linux device-mapper (linear) (dm)
Disk /dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv: 29.4GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End     Size    File system  Flags
 1      0.00B  29.4GB  29.4GB  ext4


Error: /dev/mmcblk2: unrecognised disk label
Model: SD SD128 (sd/mmc)
Disk /dev/mmcblk2: 125GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: unknown
Disk Flags:

Model: MMC SLD32G (sd/mmc)
Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 31.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:

Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name  Flags
 1      1049kB  538MB   537MB   fat32              boot, esp
 2      538MB   1612MB  1074MB  ext4
 3      1612MB  31.0GB  29.4GB


Error: /dev/mmcblk0boot0: unrecognised disk label
Model: Generic SD/MMC Storage Card (sd/mmc)
Disk /dev/mmcblk0boot0: 4194kB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: unknown
Disk Flags:

Error: /dev/mmcblk0boot1: unrecognised disk label
Model: Generic SD/MMC Storage Card (sd/mmc)
Disk /dev/mmcblk0boot1: 4194kB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: unknown
Disk Flags:

root@rayday-tablet:~#

So how do I get it to to see the 32GB and 128GB as one drive?

Thank you.

-Raymond Day

[LHammonds]

I already gave you a link that shows every command you need.

You just need to substitute the device/drive paths in the tutorial for your devices....e.g. /dev/sd* ---> /dev/mmc*