BTS

Issue665

Title grml2usb fails with grub2: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.
Priority bug Status resolved
Superseder Nosy List gebi, mika
Assigned To mika Topics

Created on 2009-04-25.08:06:13 by gebi, last changed 2009-12-21.09:01:34 by mika.

Messages
msg2795 (view) Author: mika Date: 2009-12-21.08:56:42
* bailey wrote in grml's BTS on 20091221 / 02:19:

> The problem still exists in version 1.97.1 and it seems no option --grub-mbr 
> there.
> I installed 1.97.1 from source and want write loader in sda2, resulted in the 
> same error:
> grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.
>  This is a BAD idea.
> grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be installed in this
> setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is
> discouraged.
> grub-setup: error: If you really want blocklists, use --force.

I just upgraded the version of grml2usb in the grml-stable
repository, please upgrade grml2usb to the latest version.

regards,
-mika-
msg2794 (view) Author: bailey Date: 2009-12-21.01:19:26
The problem still exists in version 1.97.1 and it seems no option --grub-mbr 
there.
I installed 1.97.1 from source and want write loader in sda2, resulted in the 
same error:
grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.
 This is a BAD idea.
grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be installed in this
setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is
discouraged.
grub-setup: error: If you really want blocklists, use --force.
msg2539 (view) Author: mika Date: 2009-10-23.22:41:42
Fixed via implementation of --grub-mbr option. Closing this issue.
msg2345 (view) Author: mika Date: 2009-07-08.09:41:29
* Michael Gebetsroither <bts@bts.grml.org> [20090708 05:23]:

> with lastest grub2 and grml2usb the following happens

> # grml2usb ~gebi/data/grml-medium_2009.05.iso
[...]
> Installing default MBR
> grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.
>  This is a BAD idea.
> grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be installed in this
> setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is
> discouraged.
> grub-setup: error: Cannot read `/grub/core.img' correctly
[...]

Broken grub2 from Debian/unstable (yeah, I talked to grub
developers) where grub can't be installed to PTR anymore.
Option --force should fix that but that's broken as well.
So I can't do anything against your broken grub2 version. ;)

Thorsten and I are thinking about how to get rid of this grub2 hell,
yeah - it sucks. :(

regards,
-mika-
msg2344 (view) Author: gebi Date: 2009-07-08.03:22:55
with lastest grub2 and grml2usb the following happens

# grml2usb ~gebi/data/grml-medium_2009.05.iso
~gebi/data/grml64-medium_2009.05.iso /dev/sdb1
Executing grml2usb version 0.9.7
Using ISO /home/gebi/data/grml-medium_2009.05.iso
Identified grml flavour "grml-medium".
Copying files. This might take a while....
Note: grml flavour grml-medium is being installed as the default booting system.
Using ISO /home/gebi/data/grml64-medium_2009.05.iso
Identified grml flavour "grml64-medium".
Copying files. This might take a while....
cp: cannot create regular file
`/tmp/grml2usbcn6H-0/boot/addons/bsd4grml/LICENCE.TXT': File exists
Note: you can boot flavour grml64-medium using 'grml64-medium' on the commandline.
Installing default MBR
grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.
 This is a BAD idea.
grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be installed in this
setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is
discouraged.
grub-setup: error: Cannot read `/grub/core.img' correctly
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 1736, in <module>
    main()
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 1728, in main
    handle_bootloader(device)
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 1673, in handle_bootloader
    install_bootloader(device)
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 679, in install_bootloader
    install_grub(device)
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 632, in install_grub
    logging.critical("Fatal: error executing grub-install (please check the
grml2usb FAQ)" % error)
UnboundLocalError: local variable 'error' referenced before assignment
grml2usb ~gebi/data/grml-medium_2009.05.iso  /dev/sdb1  0,74s user 4,59s system
9% cpu 55,012 total
msg2220 (view) Author: mika Date: 2009-05-16.22:01:41
Gebi, ping :) Any news?

regards,
-mika-
msg2217 (view) Author: mika Date: 2009-05-06.06:57:56
* Michael Gebetsroither <bts@bts.grml.org> [20090506 02:13]:

> # grub-install --grub-setup=/bin/true --recheck --no-floppy
> --root-directory=/mnt/tmp /dev/sdb1
> Installation finished. No error reported.
> This is the contents of the device map /mnt/tmp/boot/grub/device.map.
> Check if this is correct or not. If any of the lines is incorrect,
> fix it and re-run the script `grub-install'.

> (hd0)   /dev/sda
> (hd1)   /dev/sdb

> -> but grub isn't installed bootable

> # grub-install --grub-setup=/bin/true --recheck --no-floppy
> --root-directory=/mnt/tmp /dev/sdb 
> Installation finished. No error reported.
> This is the contents of the device map /mnt/tmp/boot/grub/device.map.
> Check if this is correct or not. If any of the lines is incorrect,
> fix it and re-run the script `grub-install'.

> (hd0)   /dev/sda
> (hd1)   /dev/sdb

> -> here too,  grub isn't bootable (old syslinux comes up, same as above)

Ok. And if you re-execute grub-install without the --grub-setup
option now (as --grub-setup is supposed to prepare the core.img):
does it work then?

Thanks for testing!

regards,
-mika-
msg2216 (view) Author: gebi Date: 2009-05-06.00:12:49
# grub-install --grub-setup=/bin/true --recheck --no-floppy
--root-directory=/mnt/tmp /dev/sdb1
Installation finished. No error reported.
This is the contents of the device map /mnt/tmp/boot/grub/device.map.
Check if this is correct or not. If any of the lines is incorrect,
fix it and re-run the script `grub-install'.

(hd0)   /dev/sda
(hd1)   /dev/sdb

-> but grub isn't installed bootable

# grub-install --grub-setup=/bin/true --recheck --no-floppy
--root-directory=/mnt/tmp /dev/sdb 
Installation finished. No error reported.
This is the contents of the device map /mnt/tmp/boot/grub/device.map.
Check if this is correct or not. If any of the lines is incorrect,
fix it and re-run the script `grub-install'.

(hd0)   /dev/sda
(hd1)   /dev/sdb

-> here too,  grub isn't bootable (old syslinux comes up, same as above)
msg2215 (view) Author: mika Date: 2009-05-04.20:16:02
Can you please try manually running:

  # grub-install --grub-setup=/bin/true --recheck --no-floppy --root-directory=/
tmp/foo /dev/sdX1

where /tmp/foo is the mountpoint of /dev/sdX1 (being /dev/sdb1 in your example)?

thx && regards,
-mika-
msg2207 (view) Author: gebi Date: 2009-04-25.08:06:10
# grml2usb ~gebi/data/JUXlala_2.0_de_2009_04_08.iso /dev/sdb1                  
                                                                                
Using ISO /home/gebi/data/JUXlala_2.0_de_2009_04_08.iso
Identified grml flavour "juxlala".                                             
                                                                                
Copying files. This might take a while....
Warning: bsd4grml not found (that's fine if you don't need it                  
                                                                                
Note: grml flavour juxlala is being installed as the default booting system.
Installing default MBR                                                         
                                                                                
grub-setup: error: Cannot read `/grub/core.img' correctly
Traceback (most recent call last):                                             
                                                                                
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 1648, in <module>
    main()                                                                     
                                                                                
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 1640, in main
    handle_bootloader(device)                                                  
                                                                                
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 1590, in handle_bootloader
    install_bootloader(device)                                                 
                                                                                
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 654, in install_bootloader
    install_grub(device)                                                       
                                                                                
  File "/usr/sbin/grml2usb", line 609, in install_grub
    raise Exception("error executing grub-install")                            
                                                                                
Exception: error executing grub-install
History
Date User Action Args
2009-12-21 09:01:34mikasetstatus: needs-progress -> resolved
2009-12-21 08:56:43mikasetmessages: + msg2795
2009-12-21 01:19:29baileysetstatus: resolved -> needs-progress
messages: + msg2794
2009-10-23 22:41:42mikasetstatus: needs-progress -> resolved
messages: + msg2539
2009-07-28 17:18:48mikasetstatus: need-eg -> needs-progress
title: grml2usb prints backtrace (grub2) -> grml2usb fails with grub2: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.
2009-07-08 09:41:32mikasetmessages: + msg2345
2009-07-08 03:22:56gebisetmessages: + msg2344
2009-05-16 22:01:43mikasetmessages: + msg2220
2009-05-06 06:57:59mikasetmessages: + msg2217
2009-05-06 00:12:51gebisetmessages: + msg2216
2009-05-04 20:16:03mikasetstatus: unread -> need-eg
assignedto: mika
messages: + msg2215
nosy: + mika
2009-04-25 08:06:13gebicreate