[Bug 1237519] [NEW] Grub2 fails to install to non-standard device path

[Brandon Hansen]

Public bug reported:

Running the Ubuntu Server installer in UEFI mode fails to install the
Grub bootloader.  Attached is the syslog output that shows grub-
installer failed with error code 1.  I have seen this on Ubuntu 12.04,
12.10, and 13.04.  I believe the problem is that Grub is looking for
device paths that match something like '/dev/sdX' or '/dev/hdX' but the
device I am installing to does not follow that convention.

The reason I believe it is looking for specific devices paths is if,
during installation after my device has been partitioned, I escape into
the shell (using alt+f2) and create a hard link from my device name and
its partitions, to a device name that matches 'sdX', then Grub begins to
install.  For example, if my device name is /dev/fioa and has partitions
/dev/fioa1, /dev/fioa2, and /dev/fioa3, I map those partitions to
something like /dev/sdc, /dev/sdc1, /dev/sdc2, and /dev/sdc3 and
continue with the installation onto /dev/sdc.  By doing this, Grub will
begin to install on the device.

Possibly useful background information:

- The operating system and all files install just fine without problem,
it is the last step of installing the bootloader that fails.

- In order to have the device recognized during installation, I either
need to run 'insmod' from a terminal or we have to manually modify
initrd to include our .ko file because it is not a standard disk driver.
Using either method does not affect the outcome of Grub2 failing to
install.

- Even though grub begins to install after creating the hard links
mentioned above, it does not finish successfully due to the linked paths
(e.g. /dev/sdc) not being in the device map.  That is a separate issue,
but may be expected behavior and would likely need a separate ticket if
it needed to be reported at all.

** Affects: grub2 (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

** Attachment added: "syslog up to point of Grub installation failure"
   https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1237519/+attachment/3869379/+files/syslog

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1237519

Title:
  Grub2 fails to install to non-standard device path

Status in “grub2” package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Running the Ubuntu Server installer in UEFI mode fails to install the
  Grub bootloader.  Attached is the syslog output that shows grub-
  installer failed with error code 1.  I have seen this on Ubuntu 12.04,
  12.10, and 13.04.  I believe the problem is that Grub is looking for
  device paths that match something like '/dev/sdX' or '/dev/hdX' but
  the device I am installing to does not follow that convention.

  The reason I believe it is looking for specific devices paths is if,
  during installation after my device has been partitioned, I escape
  into the shell (using alt+f2) and create a hard link from my device
  name and its partitions, to a device name that matches 'sdX', then
  Grub begins to install.  For example, if my device name is /dev/fioa
  and has partitions /dev/fioa1, /dev/fioa2, and /dev/fioa3, I map those
  partitions to something like /dev/sdc, /dev/sdc1, /dev/sdc2, and
  /dev/sdc3 and continue with the installation onto /dev/sdc.  By doing
  this, Grub will begin to install on the device.

  Possibly useful background information:

  - The operating system and all files install just fine without
  problem, it is the last step of installing the bootloader that fails.

  - In order to have the device recognized during installation, I either
  need to run 'insmod' from a terminal or we have to manually modify
  initrd to include our .ko file because it is not a standard disk
  driver.  Using either method does not affect the outcome of Grub2
  failing to install.

  - Even though grub begins to install after creating the hard links
  mentioned above, it does not finish successfully due to the linked
  paths (e.g. /dev/sdc) not being in the device map.  That is a separate
  issue, but may be expected behavior and would likely need a separate
  ticket if it needed to be reported at all.

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