Bug#623946: grub-pc: M/C unbootable if primary bootable flag not set
Rustom Mody
Version: 1.98+20100804-14
Severity: normal
I moved my boot partition to a logical sector
Running dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc said it had gone through without error
However the disk remained unbootable until a primary (or extended) partition
was flagged as bootable
It would be good if grub install were to warn about installing to a logical
partition with bootable flag set
-- Package-specific info:
*********************** WARNING grub-setup left core.img in filesystem
*********************** BEGIN /proc/mounts
/dev/disk/by-uuid/2cbdf0f8-3c5f-4e04-80e3-f9b971c02a4f / ext4 rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/sda5 /boot ext4 rw,relatime,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/sda8 /opt ext4 rw,relatime,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/sda6 /home ext4 rw,relatime,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/sda9 /download ext4 rw,relatime,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/sda10 /dataDir ext4 rw,relatime,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
*********************** END /proc/mounts
*********************** BEGIN /boot/grub/device.map
(hd0) /dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3160215A_9RX0CCBE
(hd1) /dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3500418AS_9VMWXCC9
*********************** END /boot/grub/device.map
*********************** BEGIN /boot/grub/grub.cfg
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos7)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 2cbdf0f8-3c5f-4e04-80e3-f9b971c02a4f
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 02c0b58e-0695-460b-a6f5-a2b1e667c18c
set locale_dir=($root)/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
set timeout=5
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos7)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 2cbdf0f8-3c5f-4e04-80e3-f9b971c02a4f
insmod png
if background_image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/spacefun-grub.png; then
set color_normal=light-gray/black
set color_highlight=white/black
else
set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-686' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 02c0b58e-0695-460b-a6f5-a2b1e667c18c
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-686 ...'
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686 root=UUID=2cbdf0f8-3c5f-4e04-80e3-f9b971c02a4f ro
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
}
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-686 (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 02c0b58e-0695-460b-a6f5-a2b1e667c18c
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-5-686 ...'
linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686 root=UUID=2cbdf0f8-3c5f-4e04-80e3-f9b971c02a4f ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows NT/2000/XP (on /dev/sdb1)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd1,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set a40ced6c0ced39c6
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-686 (on /dev/sdb5)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set f0f0647c-39c9-4624-af1a-46082f9a27c7
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686 root=UUID=f0f0647c-39c9-4624-af1a-46082f9a27c7 ro resume=/dev/sda12
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
}
menuentry "Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 2.6.32-5-686 (recovery mode) (on /dev/sdb5)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set f0f0647c-39c9-4624-af1a-46082f9a27c7
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686 root=UUID=f0f0647c-39c9-4624-af1a-46082f9a27c7 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (on /dev/sdb6)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set a94f07a6-a5da-4029-9933-9181c3e7c5c9
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=a94f07a6-a5da-4029-9933-9181c3e7c5c9 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sdb6)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set a94f07a6-a5da-4029-9933-9181c3e7c5c9
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=a94f07a6-a5da-4029-9933-9181c3e7c5c9 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
*********************** END /boot/grub/grub.cfg
-- System Information:
Debian Release: wheezy/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.6.32-5-686 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_US, LC_CTYPE=en_US (charmap=ISO-8859-1)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Versions of packages grub-pc depends on:
ii debconf [debconf-2.0] 1.5.38 Debian configuration management sy
ii grub-common 1.98+20100804-14 GRand Unified Bootloader, version
ii libc6 2.11.2-11 Embedded GNU C Library: Shared lib
ii libdevmapper1.02.1 2:1.02.63-3 The Linux Kernel Device Mapper use
ii ucf 3.0025+nmu1 Update Configuration File: preserv
grub-pc recommends no packages.
Versions of packages grub-pc suggests:
ii desktop-base 6.0.6 common files for the Debian Deskto
-- debconf information:
grub2/kfreebsd_cmdline:
grub2/device_map_regenerated:
* grub2/linux_cmdline:
* grub-pc/install_devices_empty: true
grub-pc/install_devices_failed: false
* grub-pc/chainload_from_menu.lst: true
grub-pc/kopt_extracted: true
* grub-pc/install_devices:
grub-pc/postrm_purge_boot_grub: false
grub-pc/install_devices_failed_upgrade: true
grub-pc/disk_description:
grub2/kfreebsd_cmdline_default: quiet
grub-pc/partition_description:
* grub-pc/install_devices_disks_changed:
* grub2/linux_cmdline_default:
* grub-pc/mixed_legacy_and_grub2: false
--
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Colin Watson
> I moved my boot partition to a logical sector
> Running dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc said it had gone through without error
> However the disk remained unbootable until a primary (or extended) partition
> was flagged as bootable
>
> It would be good if grub install were to warn about installing to a logical
> partition with bootable flag set
I don't think this is any of GRUB's business, honestly. GRUB itself
doesn't care whether the partition is marked bootable or not. If
anything cares, it will be your BIOS - but only some BIOSes care about
this.
--
Colin Watson [cjwa...@debian.org]
Rustom Mody
> On Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 11:05:07PM +0530, Rustom Mody wrote:
>> I moved my boot partition to a logical sector
>> Running dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc said it had gone through without error
>> However the disk remained unbootable until a primary (or extended) partition
>> was flagged as bootable
>>
>> It would be good if grub install were to warn about installing to a logical
>> partition with bootable flag set
>
> I don't think this is any of GRUB's business, honestly. GRUB itself
> doesn't care whether the partition is marked bootable or not. If
> anything cares, it will be your BIOS - but only some BIOSes care about
> this.
Exactly so -- in a logical world!
Unfortunately Intel boards/BIOSes sometimes treat as unbootable a disk
in which the bootable flag is on in a logical partition -- not so
logical :D
Also I agree that this is not a debian problem but primarily a grub
issue so maybe I take it up there?
In summary: a recipe for those reaching here through a search engine:
1. grub-install makes an unbootable system if a logical partition is
marked as bootable
(and says the installation is problem-free to boot !)
2. Just turn on the bootable flag on some (probably irrelevant)
primary/extended partition
3. This is so at least for (some) intel boards
Colin Watson
> On Mon, Apr 25, 2011 at 12:35 AM, Colin Watson <cjwa...@debian.org> wrote:
> > On Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 11:05:07PM +0530, Rustom Mody wrote:
> >> I moved my boot partition to a logical sector
> >> Running dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc said it had gone through without error
> >> However the disk remained unbootable until a primary (or extended) partition
> >> was flagged as bootable
> >>
> >> It would be good if grub install were to warn about installing to a logical
> >> partition with bootable flag set
> >
> > I don't think this is any of GRUB's business, honestly. GRUB itself
> > doesn't care whether the partition is marked bootable or not. If
> > anything cares, it will be your BIOS - but only some BIOSes care about
> > this.
>
> Exactly so -- in a logical world!
> Unfortunately Intel boards/BIOSes sometimes treat as unbootable a disk
> in which the bootable flag is on in a logical partition -- not so
> logical :D
Yes, I'm aware of that. I'm not sure how that makes it any of GRUB's
business, though - GRUB doesn't touch the bootable flag (unless
explicitly told to) and doesn't itself care about how it's set.
> Also I agree that this is not a debian problem but primarily a grub
> issue so maybe I take it up there?
What I just said above was that this isn't a GRUB problem. GRUB is not
causing the problem (the BIOS would refuse to boot *any* boot loader,
not just GRUB). I don't think it makes any more sense to handle it in
GRUB upstream than it would to handle it in Debian GRUB.
Wouldn't the correct place to issue a warning be in the partitioning
software that allowed you to create this partition layout? That seems
more sensible and useful to me.
> In summary: a recipe for those reaching here through a search engine:
> 1. grub-install makes an unbootable system if a logical partition is
> marked as bootable
No. Your system was unbootable anyway due to the partition layout,
regardless of the boot loader that's installed. grub-install merely
does not help.
--
Colin Watson [cjwa...@debian.org]