[Bug 1778848] Re: Support for grub upgrades with bios+uefi bootloader targets

[Łukasz Zemczak]

** Merge proposal linked:
   https://code.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/shim/+git/shim-signed/+merge/348584

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1778848

Title:
  Support for grub upgrades with bios+uefi bootloader targets

Status in grub-installer package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in grub2 package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in grub2-signed package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in shim-signed package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in ubiquity package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in grub-installer source package in Bionic:
  New
Status in grub2 source package in Bionic:
  Confirmed
Status in grub2-signed source package in Bionic:
  New
Status in shim-signed source package in Bionic:
  New
Status in ubiquity source package in Bionic:
  New

Bug description:
  [Impact]

  There are multiple use cases which require both BIOS and UEFI bootloaders installed on a target image and to keep them both updated.
  - cloud images on clouds that support both BIOS and UEFI boot in alternate instance types
  - PC installs that should remain bootable in the face of firmware upgrades or reconfigurations

  This currently doesn't work because 'grub-install' selects its install
  target based on which of grub-pc or grub-efi-amd64 is installed.

  In cosmic we have introduced a --auto-nvram grub-install option that
  automatically determines if we're running with NVRAM access or not and
  if yes, updates the NVRAM contents. This allows such dual BIOS-UEFI
  bootloader setups to work. Same changes are required to be backported
  to bionic for our cloud images.

  [Test Case]

  Basic grub2 grub-install test:
   * Boot up a bionic system in UEFI mode.
   * Upgrade grub2-common to the version in -proposed.
   * Run `grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --auto-nvram` and make sure it succeeds.
   * Boot up a bionic system in legacy BIOS mode.
   * Upgrade grub2-common to the version in -proposed.
   * Run `grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --auto-nvram` and make sure it succeeds (actually not doing anything).

  Install test for UEFI (repeat for both server-live, server and desktop):
   * Download the latest bionic -proposed-enabled image.
   * Make sure the image includes the -proposed version of grub2, grub2-signed, shim-signed and grub-installer (and/or ubiquity).
   * Install the system normally on an EFI system.
   * Reboot and make sure the system is bootable.

  Install test for legacy BIOS (repeat for both server-live, server and desktop):
   * Download the latest bionic -proposed-enabled image. 
   * Make sure the image includes the -proposed version of grub2, grub2-signed, shim-signed and grub-installer (and/or ubiquity).
   * Install the system normally on a BIOS system.
   * Reboot and make sure the system is bootable.

  TODO: Add cloud image testing.

  [Regression Potential]

  The backport introduces a change in the dependency chain for grub
  which, in some cases, can lead to systems loosing their ability to
  boot. Basically the symptoms to look for is the inability of booting
  the installed system on EFI or BIOS. A lot of testing and dogfooding
  will be required to make sure no installation-case has been broken by
  this.

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