[Bug 898012] Re: cannot install grub to zeroed mbr

[Launchpad Bug Tracker]

[Expired for grub2 (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60
days.]

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

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Title:
  cannot install grub to zeroed mbr

Status in grub2 package in Ubuntu:
  Expired

Bug description:
  Background: Looking at raw data for my MBR I saw grub had not
  overwritten old data from previous installation that was wiped on
  suspicion of rootkit infection.  I zeroed MBR manually and grub could
  not install.  Restoring old MBR allows grub install to complete
  without error.  However, since grub-install does not fully overwrite
  existing data, a user who wants confidence the entire MBR is clean
  must zero it out.  This behavior could make cleaning bootkits
  impossible.

  Steps to reproduce:

  Step 1 sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=63
  Step 2 sudo grub-install /dev/sda (error below)

  
  Error messages:
  sudo grub-probe --device-map="/boot/grub/device.map" --target=fs -v /boot/grub
  grub-probe: info: Scanning for dmraid_nv RAID devices on disk hd0.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: scanning hd0 for LVM.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: no LVM signature found.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: Scanning for mdraid09 RAID devices on disk hd0.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: Scanning for mdraid1x RAID devices on disk hd0.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: Scanning for mdraid09 RAID devices on disk hd0.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: Scanning for mdraid1x RAID devices on disk hd0.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: scanning hd0 for LVM.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: no LVM signature found.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: info: /dev/sda3 starts from 62926848.
  grub-probe: info: opening the device hd0.
  grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 117210240.
  grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda3.  Check your device.map.


  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
  Package: grub-common 1.99-12ubuntu5
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-13.22-generic 3.0.6
  Uname: Linux 3.0.0-13-generic i686
  ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
  Architecture: i386
  Date: Tue Nov 29 22:31:25 2011
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release i386 (20111011)
  ProcEnviron:
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: grub2
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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