NonRAID – fork of unRAID array kernel module

Summary

NonRAID - unRAID storage array compatible kernel driver NonRAID is an fork of the unRAID system's open-source md_unraid kernel driver for supported kernels, but targeting primarily Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, enabling UnRAID-style storage arrays with parity protection outside of the commercial UnRAID system. Unlike in UnRAID, where the driver replaces kernels standard md driver, the NonRAID driver has been separated into it's own kernel module ( md_nonraid ). This allows it to be easily added as a DKMS module on Ubuntu and Debian based systems, without needing to patch the kernel or replace the standard md driver. We do however replace the standard raid6_pq module with our patched version, as the upstream driver depends on those patches for the parity calculations. While this is a fork, we try to keep the changes to driver minimal to make syncs with upstream easier. The driver currently has patches to rebrand and separate the module from md , and a single patch to prevent kernel crashes if starting the array without importing all disks first. Warning ☢️ This is an experimental project, the driver has not really been tested outside of virtualized dev environment and data loss is a possibility. This is intended for DIY enthusiasts who want to try out the disk array tech without installing UnRAID. Use at your own risk, and always have backups! Installation This has been tested on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, but the DKMS driver should work on any kernel version between 6.6 - 6.8. For Ubuntu/Debian based systems, download the latest kernel module dkms package from releases, and install it and the prerequisites: sudo apt install dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r) build-essential sudo dpkg -i nonraid-dkms_*.deb sudo update-initramfs -u -k all Note Updating the initramfs is needed to make sure the new raid6_pq module is used, as otherwise the unpatched module gets loaded by other modules depending on it during initramfs, at least on Ubuntu 24.04. Future kernel upgrades should automatically rebuild...