[Bug 1373161] [NEW] server 14.04.1 fails to install grub to /dev/sda /dev/sdb

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First Bug post, looked through the list and didn't see anything similar.
Sorry if its a duplicate.

This issue (bug?) Grub fails to install on a Software RAID mirror, has
occurred on all(6 installations) of our Supermicro X9DRH server
motherboards when installing Ubuntu 14.04 AND using 2 drives in a
Software mirror.

We've come up with a solution, but I think the installer IS trying to do
the correct process, its just getting lost.

We create identical partitions on each disk(formatted Software RAID),
and in the same order so everything lines up.

When the first Software RAID partition is created, a 1MB partition in
the first section of the disk is created(as is should be for the
GRUBbios).

Then we use the RAID Tools to Mirror the partitions.

Then we start the install process.

When it gets to the Install Grub process it attempts to install to
/dev/sda and /dev/sdb, which should be correct for the boot loader to be
on both Mirrors.  It then fails and can't be fixed by any process short
of aborting grub install, completing the install without GRUB.  Then
booting from another source and attempting repairs to GRUB.

I can solve the problem by re-formatting the disks creating a /boot
partition on each disk of 10MB and formatting them GRUBbios(Im going
from memory).

Then GRUB installs fine.

Our partitioning schema is below.

0. /boot (10MB) -choose grubbios formatting(Ubuntu only)
1: / (50GB)
2: /tmp (50GB)
3: /var (50GB)
4 extended
5: swap (256GB)
6: /Local (remainder)
7 /Scratch if you need scratch space for server.

Our Ubuntu boxes are used for CPU and GPU computations.

For fun I made a single SW RAID partition on each disk, mirrored the
partitions and installed Ubuntu, the same result occurred.

I attached a photo of our partitioning schema.

Thanks!

Todd
Todd Williams
Network and Systems Manager
Division of Social Sciences - Cognitive Science, Communication, Linguistics & Psychology
University of California San Diego
9500 Gilman Dr. MS 0109
858-534-8231
t1williams at ucsd.edu
toddwilliams at mac.com

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


** Tags: bot-comment
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server 14.04.1 fails to install grub to /dev/sda /dev/sdb
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1373161
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