Installer fails to install GRUB when using XFS (AMD64 Flight 6)

[Geoff]

Forgot to say, the error message was 'friendly,' that is, something to
the effect of "GRUB did not install.  This could be because you chose
not to install it, or because you are using an unsupported
architechture."  I don't recall the exact message.

Geoff wrote:

> Short version:  The installer failed to isntall GRUB when using XFS.
> There *may* be other factors contributing to the problem.
>
> My setup-
> Ubuntu-server Flight 6, AMD64
> Tyan Transport GT20 barebones rig (nForce 4 chipset, etc), Athlon 64 X2,
> and...
> 3ware 8006-2LP 2 port raid controller, 2x250 drives as a RAID 1 mirror
>
> Simple steps that *should* recreate the problem:
> Install standard system, proceed through installer normally, and select
> "Erase entire disk..." without LVM.  It'll show the parameters for
> partitioning and formatting.
> Select "Go Back" and change the filesystem type of the EXT3 data
> parition to XFS.  Everything set up correctly, set as 'boot.'
>
> NOTES:  I also selected "noatime" as a parameter, and possibly also
> significantly, there was already an existing XFS partition from a failed
> (bad install media/optical drive) previous installation, so the
> partition type selected defaulted to "keep existing data," and I
> selected "Format"
>
> The entire installation process apparently completed successfully, but
> at the end, GRUB failed to install.
>
> I attempted to set up GRUB myself after the fact using the installer CD
> in 'rescue' mode, but I failed with this as well.  This could have been
> operator error, but I did get some weird XFS errors.  Not sure.
>
> And yes, all the data was on the drive correctly, apparently, as I
> verified using the rescue CD.  Just no bootloader!
>
> I'll gladly provide any more details that I can from memory, but I may
> or may not be able to re-create the situation again due to a sudden lack
> of physical proximity with the box that I installed this on... =]
>
> -Overand
>
>