grub2 on partition and not on MBR

[Tom H]

>>> does anybody tested Lucid beta 1 for what concern the GRUB installation not
>>> in the MBR?
>>> I see bug already opened by me.
>>> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/546466

>> For some (I assume technical) reason, it is not advised to install
>> grub2 except to the MBR. The last time that I tried (a few months ago)
>> using grub-install, I got a warning/error message. You can do so with
>> lower-level grub2 tools though (again, as of a few months ago; I have
>> not tried recently).

> I've not installed (OS) grub to mbr for quite some years now. And yes,
> there's this (severe) warning in grub2 whenever I don't do that or when
> there is an grub update. This warning serves to remind us that it is
> likely to render the system or at least the current installed OS
> unbootable. I agree the warning serves a purpose.

> Anyway, if Stefano cannot set grub2 other than to mbr, and I would also
> protest if that is the case, it can be circumvented by doing a
> "sudo grub-install --root-directory=<where you want grub set> /dev/sda"
> unless he wants his original windows boot instead, but I think most of
> here wouldn't know much about this windows boot.

The "--root-directory" option only changes the location of the files
that grub-install drops into /boot/grub. Grub will still be installed
into the MBR.

I have not tried them but there may be two ways of overcoming this issue.

1. Use "grub-install --force /dev/sdaX". Perhaps the "--force" will
ignore the "not MBR" warning.

2. Use the various steps of grub-install in sequence and use
"grub-setup -r /dev/sdaX" at that point of the installation (or
"grub-setup -f -r /dev/sdaX").