[Bug 797544] Re: grub2 waits forever for keystroke before booting default OS. headless server. hang.

[bascuppen]

For me... solved it by noticing that after I use
sudo umount /boot
the command 
ls /boot
still showed directory content. Therefore, every adjustment to the file /etc/default/grub  would be written to the directory on /dev/sda1 that is mounted over my boot directory on /dev/sda3. However, during boot, mounts won't take place after a selection is made in the grub menu (either manual or by timeout)

So, I remounted my partition:
sudo mount /boot
and noted the partition I made long time ago as a boot partion by issuing the command:
mount|grep boot
I then unmounted the boot partition, moved the directory out of the way, and made a new mount point, and mounted again by:
sudo umount /boot && sudo mv /boot /boot.backup && sudo mkdir /boot  && sudo mount /boot
After that, I installed the correct info to the mbr (master boot record):
sudo grub-install --recheck /dev/sda 
Edited the configuration file /etc/default/grub and ran update-grub.

Hope this helps people who stumble upon this bug looking for a solution.
Bear in mind you only try these commands when you know what each command
does, and understand the underlying logic. I leave it to you to
determine if you use MBR or uefi, or want a unbootable system.

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to grub2 in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/797544

Title:
  grub2 waits forever for keystroke before booting default OS.  headless
  server. hang.

Status in grub2 package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: grub2

  After a seemingly-routine "apt-get update" on an Ubuntu 10.10  server, the machine hangs on boot. 
  It is sitting at the grub2 prompt, waiting in vain for someone to come along and press <enter>.

  I have tried two workarounds:

  ---------------------------------------------
  Edit /etc/grub.d/00_header to remove the check for recordfail in:

  make_timeout ()
  {
      echo "set timeout=1"
  }
  --------------------------------------------------------------------
  In /etc/default/grub set
   GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=2
  ---------------------------------
  Then "sudo update-grub"

  Now I'm pretty dang stuck.  There is plenty of forum activity on this
  issue, but no true solutions.

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/797544/+subscriptions