On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:59:17 +0000, "Robin Hill" [off-list ref]
said:

On Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 02:48:09AM -0800, whollygoat@letterboxes.org
wrote:

[snip]

quoted

# mdadm -E /dev/hde1

    Array Slot : 0 (0, 1, 2, 3, failed, empty, 4)
   Array State : Uuuuu 1 failed

Sorry for bringing up this new instance of the same old 
problem yet one more time.

I'd say this is just an artifact of how the array creation works,
Because it starts as a degraded array, initially one of the RAID devices
is flagged as missing/faulty (so you have member numbers 0, 1, 2 and 3
in the array, 4 flagged as missing/faulty, and 5 & 6 as spares).  When
it does the initial build, it uses member number 6, leaving 5 as the
spare.  This leaves you with 1 "failed" member and one "empty" (the
spare - it's not part of the array so doesn't have a Device Number).

Unfortunately I don't have any RAID5 arrays around now to check whether
I see the same here.  However, if the system's working fine otherwise
then I certainly wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks for the reply.  Unfortunately, I can't claim to be enjoying a
finely working system.  Since your reply, I've tried unplugging the ide
expansion cards from the pci but, and playing around with the ide
cables.

I've managed to pull off one create run where the end result showed no
"failed" or "empty" slots for --examine.  Unfortunately, I have not been
able to reproduce that "clean" run, even with the same card removed.  So
I 
am guessing that it is either an ide cable or the sole ide card I have
not
been able to remove (kernel oopses when this card is not plugged into
the 
bus).

Ta,

wg
some bad h/w somewhere.
-- 
  
  whollygoat@letterboxes.org

-- 
http://www.fastmail.fm - The way an email service should be