[Bug 1376973] [NEW] ppc64el: The 'grub-ieee1275' package failed to install

[Paulo F. Smorigo]

Public bug reported:

For some reason the installation fails if you format the disk before
install Ubuntu on it. Looking at /var/log/syslog I saw those messages:

Oct  3 00:21:28 in-target: Installing for powerpc-ieee1275 platform.
Oct  3 00:21:28 in-target: grub-install: error: the PReP partition is not empty. If you are sure you want to use it, run dd to clear it: `dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda1'.
Oct  3 00:21:28 in-target: dpkg: error processing package grub-ieee1275 (--configure):
Oct  3 00:21:28 in-target:  subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

PReP partition needs to empty or have an old elf inside it, otherwise,
GRUB will refuse to install it.


Steps:
 - qemu-img create disk1.raw 10G
 - mkfs.ext4 -F disk1.raw
 - qemu-system-ppc64 -enable-kvm -M pseries -smp 1 -m 1G -nographic -nodefaults -serial stdio -drive file=disk1.raw -cdrom ../ubuntu_daily/utopic-server-ppc64el_2014-10-02.iso -boot d
 - Default options. Use "Guided - use entire disk"

Using daily image from Oct 2.


Additional Info:

Before the installation:

Disk /home/pfsmorigo/projects/ubuntu/disk1.raw: 10.7GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End     Size    File system  Flags
 1      0.00B  10.7GB  10.7GB  ext4


After the installation:

Disk /home/pfsmorigo/projects/ubuntu/disk1.raw: 10.7GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:

Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name  Flags
 1      17.4kB  8018kB  8001kB
 2      8018kB  10.2GB  10.2GB  ext4
 3      10.2GB  10.7GB  506MB

** Affects: debian-installer (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

** Attachment added: "syslog"
   https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1376973/+attachment/4222909/+files/syslog

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1376973

Title:
  ppc64el: The 'grub-ieee1275' package failed to install

Status in “debian-installer” package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  For some reason the installation fails if you format the disk before
  install Ubuntu on it. Looking at /var/log/syslog I saw those messages:

  Oct  3 00:21:28 in-target: Installing for powerpc-ieee1275 platform.
  Oct  3 00:21:28 in-target: grub-install: error: the PReP partition is not empty. If you are sure you want to use it, run dd to clear it: `dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda1'.
  Oct  3 00:21:28 in-target: dpkg: error processing package grub-ieee1275 (--configure):
  Oct  3 00:21:28 in-target:  subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

  PReP partition needs to empty or have an old elf inside it, otherwise,
  GRUB will refuse to install it.

  
  Steps:
   - qemu-img create disk1.raw 10G
   - mkfs.ext4 -F disk1.raw
   - qemu-system-ppc64 -enable-kvm -M pseries -smp 1 -m 1G -nographic -nodefaults -serial stdio -drive file=disk1.raw -cdrom ../ubuntu_daily/utopic-server-ppc64el_2014-10-02.iso -boot d
   - Default options. Use "Guided - use entire disk"

  Using daily image from Oct 2.

  
  Additional Info:

  Before the installation:

  Disk /home/pfsmorigo/projects/ubuntu/disk1.raw: 10.7GB
  Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
  Partition Table: loop
  Disk Flags:

  Number  Start  End     Size    File system  Flags
   1      0.00B  10.7GB  10.7GB  ext4

  
  After the installation:

  Disk /home/pfsmorigo/projects/ubuntu/disk1.raw: 10.7GB
  Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
  Partition Table: gpt
  Disk Flags:

  Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name  Flags
   1      17.4kB  8018kB  8001kB
   2      8018kB  10.2GB  10.2GB  ext4
   3      10.2GB  10.7GB  506MB

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