Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

[Thisita]

Has anybody else noticed that you can't install GRUB to a partition, only the MBR?
I prefer to install it to the /boot/ (hd(0,2) for me) partiton, but the options in the installer only allow for the MBR (hd(0)).

This may not be on the other disks, but this is from the AMD64 Desktop CD http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/re...ktop-amd64.iso

I've tried to manually install grub myself, but I keep getting either:
- File not found when "find /boot/grub/stage1"
- Unable to resolve 'Ubuntu'

[Qqmike]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

Solved ...

Live Kubuntu CD
Step 4: Manual (partitioning method)
Step 5: Indicate where to put what (root (/), home, swap)
Step 6: Advanced button at lower right -- click it! Then say where (hdx,y) to put GRUB or to a MBR ((hd0), (hd1), etc.)

[Qqmike]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

Recently:
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3102279.0

[Thisita]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

Aye, I was able to do that with the Alpha4 disk, but the new installer only allows for hd(0) without editing.
I have seperate partitions for root, boot, swap (of course XD), and home

[Qqmike]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

I see. As you can tell, I'm not "there."
Hopefully, the final will be back to what it should be.

[Thisita]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

Oky doke, well, is there a way to upgrade to alpha6 from within an Alpha4 install? or is this merely the same as hitting upgrade in the package manager?

[errol]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

I don't know if this is the same problem described above but I only encountered a grub problem when trying to use ext4. I did a fresh install (after formating root) to ext4 and on boot my computer which is a dual boot (windows vista ) only saw the windows. I tried correcting the grub with a grub repair disk (manual and automatic tries) to no avail. It was only when I re-installed using ext3 that I was able to boot the alpha6.
Errol

[Qqmike]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

@ errol. Don't know if this is related, but will drop it here fyi:
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3099193.0

[Oceanwatcher]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

As I had read this thread, I was aware there might be a problem when I installed alpha6 on my laptop as dual boot.

I used ext3 and manual partition. As I am shown the summary page just before the install will begin, there is an "Advanced" button down to the right. After clicking it, I get some choices for the boot manager. But the only choice I get for where to install it is sda. Not sda3 that I would like to have... So I presume it is installed on the MBR (also not mentioned).

[Qqmike]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

Step 6: Advanced button at lower right
=> where to put GRUB

You have to type it in the box after deleting whatever is there (by default).
Best to type it in GRUB notation: (hdx,y).
Default is (hd0) = the MBR of the first BIOS boot drive.
Usually, (hd0) = sda.

In the usual PC setup, sda3 will be (hd0,2).
GRUB counts from zero, not from one.
-- How To GRUB Methods - Toolkit
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081671.0


Best way to do this if you are unsure:
Start up the Live Kubuntu CD.
Enter a live session (i.e., do not Install yet).
Open Konsole.
sudo fdisk -lu
Study the output.
then do
sudo grub
and then
grub>geometry (hd<Press the Tab key now)
(do not type the symbols <,>; no space after hd))
Then explore each drive returned:
grub>geometry (hd0)
grub>geometry (hd1)
etc.

Identify your drives in notation sdXn and (hdx,y).
Write it down on paper (or copy/print).

Exit Konsole by typing
exit

Desktop in live session > click the Install icon and go, armed with all the information you'll ever need.

[Oceanwatcher]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

Actually, I was not given any boxes to type in. Just a drop-down menu. That was the irritating part. If it had been a box for typing, I would have tried... Maybe there was a box for typing, it was just not clear that you could type there

Anyway - my laptop is running fine. Have started documenting the process. Will write a blogpost about it.

[Qqmike]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

Hmmm ... I just noticed this is for 9.04, which I haven't tried yet. Thanks for the heads-up, I'll watch for this. Nothing wrong with the drop-down list * as long as it is correct and complete *. I've used other distros (notably sidux, recently) that do this very well.

The other choice--if given it--would be to NOT install GRUB through the Kubuntu installer; then afterwards, assuming the GRUB image files were installed (/usr/lib/grub/i386-pc), you'd have to manually install GRUB where you wanted it, and since you couldn't boot into it, you'd have to do so from Live CD (or by chrooting).

We'll see, huh? Sounds like yours was not a good time with it, tough [EDIT: "though"; although "tough" might also apply, huh? ) Thanks.

[tiagobt]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

I'm using Kubuntu Jaunty Beta and I've noticed the same problem. The "Advanced" button at the lower right corner shows a drop-down menu with a single option: /dev/sda (which installs GRUB to the MBR). If I choose not to install GRUB, the files /boot/grub/stage1 and /grub/stage1 are not generated, making it hard to restore GRUB later on. I couldn't find the folder /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc either.

This issue is specially significant to Intel Apple users who want to have both Windows and Linux. The only way to do this is installing GRUB to the Linux partition, which is currently not possible. Apparently, this issue is Kubuntu-specific: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1123945.

Is this the expected behavior or a confirmed bug?

Thanks,
Tiago

[Qqmike]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

tiagobt, your post is well done. I just hope you are wrong!

If that dropdown list uses Linux notation, like sda, it is useless and can not be trusted.
But, if there is no other option other than the dropdown list, this is not good for Kubuntu. People nowadays are using flash drives, external drives, and more than one internal drive & OS, so there must be a capability to install GRUB correctly.
I shall not over-react with a rant yet, not this early in the morning.

You'd have to get GRUB files from elsewhere, like from Super Grub Disk (just copy the GRUB files from the iso -- my how-to shows how). BUT, even then, we must hope that everything else is in-place and consistent (e.g., ext4 filesystem issues if there are any? inode sizes? etc.)., so that the SGD GRUB can boot JJ. And, you'd have to build a menu.lst (sudo update-grub, perhaps?).

Well, thanks for the heads-up. Hopefully this will be fixed before release.

[tiagobt]

Re: Install Grub to a Partition - Alpha6

Qqmike, thanks for the help. I decided to take a few screenshots to prove my point...

The first screenshot shows my partition table, which has quite a few partitions. As you can see, I was trying to format /dev/sda3 as ext3 and use it as the Linux root partition. My swap partition is /dev/sda6.

The second screenshot shows the advanced installation options. The drop-down list is open and shows a single option for boot loader placement (/dev/sda). Notice that the list uses Linux notation instead of GRUB notation.

There's a chance this issue is specific to my hardware (a second generation MacBook), but I had no problem with Hardy or Intrepid. Do you think I should open a bug in launchpad?

Tiago