====== Disk in Use ======

See also **[[computing:storage:raid_metadata_removal|RAID Metadata Removal]]**

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=242935

http://diehealthy.org/linux/dmraids-metadata-mdadm

http://www.sturge.ca/?p=108

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=667317

:!: This commonly occurs after using a drive in BIOS-based RAID or when re-using a drive that was previosly used in the older dmraid-style software RAID.

===== Possible Error Messages =====

When using or preparing a disk or partition for use on Linux, you may see an error such as one of these:

<file>
/dev/sdxx is apparently in use by the system; will not make a filesystem here!

Device or resource busy

mount: /dev/sdxx already mounted or /mount/point busy
</file>

===== Determine the Problem =====

  - Check if the filesystem is already mounted
    * <file>mount</file>
    * <file>cat /etc/mtab</file>
  - Check if LVM is involved
    * <file>pvs</file>
    * <file>vgs</file>
    * <file>lvs</file>
  - Check if Linux software RAID is involved
    * <file>dmsetup status</file>
    * <file>dmsetup ls</file>
    * <file>dmraid -r</file>

===== Fix the Problem =====

//Carefully// try one of these options based on what you found (in no particular order):

    * <file>dmsetup remove xxxxxxxx</file>
    * <file>dmraid -r -E</file>
    * <file>dmraid -r -E -f [pdc,nvidia]</file>
    * <file>dmraid -r -E /dev/sd[a,b,c...]</file>