[Bug 584324] Re: grub2 fails when being installed in a partition

[Marcus Tomlinson]

This release of Ubuntu is no longer receiving maintenance updates. If
this is still an issue on a maintained version of Ubuntu please let us
know.

** Changed in: grub2 (Ubuntu)
       Status: Confirmed => Incomplete

-- 
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/584324

Title:
  grub2 fails when being installed in a partition

Status in grub2 package in Ubuntu:
  Incomplete

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: grub-pc

  I did a fresh install of Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" LTS Desktop Edition
  in a logical partition (sda10) and chose within the "Advanced Options"
  to install the boot loader in the same partition, because I wanted to
  chainload it via another grub. See e.g. the following example image:

  http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/extra/LINUX/large
  /ubuntu1004installation-large_008.jpg

  However, after a restart, the boot loader of Ubuntu 10.04 failed. :(

  I then booted Ubuntu 10.04 directly via the first grub with the
  following boot entries:

  title Ubuntu Linux 10.04 (sda10)
    root (hd0,9)
    kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda10 ro quiet splash
    initrd /initrd.img

  Then I tried to reinstall grub2 within Ubuntu 10.04:

  $  sudo grub-install /dev/sda10
  /usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.  This is a BAD idea..
  /usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is discouraged..
  /usr/sbin/grub-setup: error: if you really want blocklists, use --force.

  However, installing grub in a partition instead of the MBR isn't a
  "BAD idea" per se when using different OSs. I think that it's a good
  idea to install the boot loader in the same partition as the OS and
  use a central boot loader to chainload the other boot loaders. There
  might be problems with blocklists in some cases, but I never had any
  in several years. So I tried the "force" option:

  ]$ sudo grub-install --force /dev/sda10
  /usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR.  This is a BAD idea..
  /usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is discouraged..
  Installation finished. No error reported.

  As you can see, it just doesn't work. :(

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/584324/+subscriptions