Grub not installing properly in android-6.0 image on CN60 chromebox

[ma...@xemi.net]

Attempted to fresh install Android 6.0-r2 (32 bit) on a few chromebox setups I have.

Previously these had Android 4.4 installed and was running with no issues.  The 16GB SSDs were cleaned and unpartitioned.

Installation from USB-ISO goes smoothly, basically by doing this:

1.  Start with unpartitioned/unformatted SSDs (I always do this)

2.  Boot with Android-ISO USB

3.  Install Android.

4.  Step where it asks to format SSD, I typically select Do Not Format.  I assume it gets formatted somehow later, as I see installation proceed.

5.  Select Y to install grub

6.  Select Y to make /system r/w

7.  Installation completes, but upon reboot, grub doesn't even boot.  Stays on boot screen indicating "Booting from Hard Disk..."

Anyone seen error like this?

I am guessing there is some error during the installation of grub, but the installation proceeds anyway somehow.

I am able to install Ubuntu 16 just fine -- that appears to be using grub. 

Hard to even debug at this point, b/c I can't even boot grub.  My next step is to inspect the grub installation.

I tried to use a Live CD of linux and attempted to install grub manually. .I noticed a peculiar error "The file /boot/grub/stage1 not read correctly".

I'm thinking it's running into this same error during the Android-x86 grub installation.

Is there a way to make the install process more verbose?

[Chih-Wei Huang]

2017-01-21 14:04 GMT+08:00 <ma...@xemi.net>:
> Attempted to fresh install Android 6.0-r2 (32 bit) on a few chromebox setups
> I have.
>
> Previously these had Android 4.4 installed and was running with no issues.
> The 16GB SSDs were cleaned and unpartitioned.
>
> Installation from USB-ISO goes smoothly, basically by doing this:
>
> 1. Start with unpartitioned/unformatted SSDs (I always do this)
> 2. Boot with Android-ISO USB
> 3. Install Android.
> 4. Step where it asks to format SSD, I typically select Do Not Format. I
> assume it gets formatted somehow later, as I see installation proceed.
> 5. Select Y to install grub
> 6. Select Y to make /system r/w
> 7. Installation completes, but upon reboot, grub doesn't even boot. Stays
> on boot screen indicating "Booting from Hard Disk..."

After grub installed, you may check if it's OK
on console 5 (Alt-F5).
You may also enable debug mode (add DEBUG=2 to cmdline)
and check /tmp/log on console 2/3 (Alt-F2 / F3).

> Anyone seen error like this?
>
> I am guessing there is some error during the installation of grub, but the
> installation proceeds anyway somehow.
>
> I am able to install Ubuntu 16 just fine -- that appears to be using grub.
>
> Hard to even debug at this point, b/c I can't even boot grub. My next step
> is to inspect the grub installation.
>
> I tried to use a Live CD of linux and attempted to install grub manually. .I
> noticed a peculiar error "The file /boot/grub/stage1 not read correctly".
> I'm thinking it's running into this same error during the Android-x86 grub
> installation.
>
> Is there a way to make the install process more verbose?

--
Chih-Wei
Android-x86 project
http://www.android-x86.org

[ma...@xemi.net]

Thanks for the tips. So far, I was able to work around the issue by simply installing debian, using its grub2 and adding the android item to grub2.

I'll do what you described on the other chromeboxes when I get to them tomorrow.  Something funny is going on with my grub install from the android-6.0-r2 iso.