[Bug 736743] Re: environment block not implemented on btrfs

[Daniel Richard G.]

Short of implementing btrfs environment-block support for GRUB, we need
a better workaround that doesn't involve manually hacking config files.

The scripts in /etc/grub.d/ can determine the type of the root
filesystem---we see this in /etc/grub.d/10_linux, assigning to GRUBFS---
so there's no reason why the workaround Colin gave in comment 10 cannot
be automated.

I'm attaching a proof-of-concept patch, against /etc/grub.d/00_header as
of Quantal, that conditionalizes inclusion of the grubenv code on the
type of the root filesystem. If "/" is on btrfs, then a warning is
printed, and an alternate bit of code is put into /boot/grub/grub.cfg.

Ubuntu folks: Can we get something like this in, for the time being? The
"sparse file not allowed" error prompt is a rough edge that *needs* to
go away.

** Patch added: "Proof-of-concept patch against /etc/grub.d/00_header"
   https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/736743/+attachment/3504802/+files/lp736743-poc-fix.patch

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/736743

Title:
  environment block not implemented on btrfs

Status in GRand Unified Bootloader:
  New
Status in “grub2” package in Ubuntu:
  Triaged

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: grub2

  I just installed natty alpha 3 on a samsung NC10 netbook. When booting, immediately after the grub screen I see the error message:
  'sparse file not allowed. 
  press any key to continue'
  after pressing any key the boot continues as normal.

  This is with btrfs on / and a separate ext4 partition for /home. I had
  created the btrfs partition manually (i.e. in a shell outside
  ubiquity) simply running mkfs.btrfs /dev/sda1 and it was not
  reformatted in ubiquity.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
  Package: grub-pc 1.99~rc1-4ubuntu1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-6.34-generic 2.6.38-rc7
  Uname: Linux 2.6.38-6-generic i686
  Architecture: i386
  Date: Thu Mar 17 11:14:52 2011
  EcryptfsInUse: Yes
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Alpha i386 (20110302)
  ProcEnviron:
   LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   LC_MESSAGES=en_GB.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: grub2
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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