[Bug 669481] Re: Timeout should not be -1 if $recordfail

[Scott Moser]

For anyone watching this bug, the easy fix here for 12.10 and later (we intend to backport to 12.04) is:
 echo GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT=0 | sudo tee -a /etc/default/grub
 sudo update-grub

the 'update-grub' is necessary to make the change take affect, and also
to avoid a config-file prompt on grub upgrade.

** Description changed:

  Binary package hint: grub2
  
  My experience is that $recordfail is not always written successfully,
  which is by default tested in grub.cfg (through grub.d/00_header)
  
  This causes grub2 to set timeout=-1 which removes the timeout for bootup
  in these cases.
  
  On computers which have not been configured for "USB Legacy" in the BIOS
  but use USB keyboards, this looks as if grub has frozen - because the
  keyboard does not respond. The consequence is that the computer won't
  boot without either knowledge on how to configure BIOS (and what) or
  using a PS/2 keyboard (not always available or possible to plugin).
  
  My suggestion is that Ubuntu recognizes $recordfail but instead of
  disabling timeout (-1) it should be set to a relatively high value (such
  as 10 seconds). This will be enough to alert the user on what option is
  booting, and that the computer hasn't frozen, as well as enabling
  false/known failures to be ignored.
  
  Maybe a future addition to recognising $recordfail is to have a warning
  on the boot menu, but that is outside the scope of this report.
  
  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
  Package: grub-pc 1.98+20100804-5ubuntu3
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.35-generic-pae 2.6.35.4
  Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic-pae i686
  Architecture: i386
  Date: Mon Nov  1 15:33:30 2010
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
  ProcEnviron:
-  LANG=en_US.UTF-8
-  SHELL=/bin/bash
+  LANG=en_US.UTF-8
+  SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: grub2
+ 
+ Related bugs:
+  * bug 1035279: instance hangs at grub prompt after reboot followed by euca-reboot-instances 
+  * bug 872244: grub2 recordfail logic prevents headless system from rebooting after power outage

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/669481

Title:
  Timeout should not be -1 if $recordfail

Status in “grub2” package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in “grub2” source package in Precise:
  Triaged

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: grub2

  My experience is that $recordfail is not always written successfully,
  which is by default tested in grub.cfg (through grub.d/00_header)

  This causes grub2 to set timeout=-1 which removes the timeout for
  bootup in these cases.

  On computers which have not been configured for "USB Legacy" in the
  BIOS but use USB keyboards, this looks as if grub has frozen - because
  the keyboard does not respond. The consequence is that the computer
  won't boot without either knowledge on how to configure BIOS (and
  what) or using a PS/2 keyboard (not always available or possible to
  plugin).

  My suggestion is that Ubuntu recognizes $recordfail but instead of
  disabling timeout (-1) it should be set to a relatively high value
  (such as 10 seconds). This will be enough to alert the user on what
  option is booting, and that the computer hasn't frozen, as well as
  enabling false/known failures to be ignored.

  Maybe a future addition to recognising $recordfail is to have a
  warning on the boot menu, but that is outside the scope of this
  report.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
  Package: grub-pc 1.98+20100804-5ubuntu3
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.35-generic-pae 2.6.35.4
  Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic-pae i686
  Architecture: i386
  Date: Mon Nov  1 15:33:30 2010
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
  ProcEnviron:
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: grub2

  Related bugs:
   * bug 1035279: instance hangs at grub prompt after reboot followed by euca-reboot-instances 
   * bug 872244: grub2 recordfail logic prevents headless system from rebooting after power outage

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