[Bug 2045498] [NEW] Default EFI bootloader isn't installed leaving system unbootable

[Shantur Rathore]

Public bug reported:

Hi,

I am using Curtin via MAAS to setup ARM based systems running u-boot firmware.
Current state of u-boot doesn't support EFI variables and hence needs grub update_nvram: false setting.

There is not EFI Boot entry created for the newly installed OS and there
is no default bootloader EFI/BOOT/BootXXXX.efi so there is way for
firmware to know which bootloader to load.

grub-install also has --removable option which forces grub to also install default bootloader in EFI/BOOT/BootXXXX.efi but curtin doesn't use this.
This bootloader is also needed when NVRAM is cleared and system needs to boot. Some systems don't have support to select EFI files to boot and they are rendered unbootable.

As a fix, curtin could

1. Always setup a default bootloader by adding --removable flag here
https://github.com/canonical/curtin/blob/master/curtin/commands/install_grub.py#L340

2. Setup a default bootloader when update_nvram is false.

Thanks

** Affects: curtin
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to curtin.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2045498

Title:
  Default EFI bootloader isn't installed leaving system unbootable

Status in curtin:
  New

Bug description:
  Hi,

  I am using Curtin via MAAS to setup ARM based systems running u-boot firmware.
  Current state of u-boot doesn't support EFI variables and hence needs grub update_nvram: false setting.

  There is not EFI Boot entry created for the newly installed OS and
  there is no default bootloader EFI/BOOT/BootXXXX.efi so there is way
  for firmware to know which bootloader to load.

  grub-install also has --removable option which forces grub to also install default bootloader in EFI/BOOT/BootXXXX.efi but curtin doesn't use this.
  This bootloader is also needed when NVRAM is cleared and system needs to boot. Some systems don't have support to select EFI files to boot and they are rendered unbootable.

  As a fix, curtin could

  1. Always setup a default bootloader by adding --removable flag here
  https://github.com/canonical/curtin/blob/master/curtin/commands/install_grub.py#L340

  2. Setup a default bootloader when update_nvram is false.

  Thanks

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/curtin/+bug/2045498/+subscriptions