[Bug 448557] [NEW] HardDisk Order Swapped Causing the Next Update-grub to prevent Windows from booting

[JC John Sese Cuneta]

Public bug reported:

Binary package hint: grub2

I first asked for help here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=8085933  but it seems that it
is a bug candidate so I am filing it now.

First of all here is my setup:
=== BIOS HDD Boot Order ===
#1: SATA 160GB
#2: PATA 80GB

=== HDD DETECTION Order ===
Primary Master: DVD
Secondary Slave: PATA 80GB
Tertiary Master: SATA 160GB

=== Where are the OSs installed? ===
SATA 160GB
First: Windows XP Pro (drive C)
Second: data partition
Third: Karmic

=== How I installed Karmic ===
1) I first disconnected the PATA 80GB drive.
2) I installed Karmic, formatting the previous ext4 partition where Jaunty resides.
3) Boot Up [It detected WinXP fine and it loads]
4) Shut down
5) Re-connected the PATA 80GB drive.

=== The Problem ===
Once the PATA 80GB drive is connected - Karmic detects it as /dev/sda.
My SATA 160GB is moved by Karmic to /dev/sdb.

At this point, it is okay.  But when the system runs update-grub (after an upgrade for example) it re-creates the grub.cfg.  However, it based it's new settings on what Karmic provided it which is:
PATA 80GB as /dev/sda; and
SATA 160GB as /dev/sdb

Once I reboot, Grub2 will give this error when choosing WinXP OS "error:
invalid signature".  And grub2's menu is reporting that WinXP is on
/dev/sdb.  BUT, prior to this new grub.cfg update, WinXP was loading
fine and reported on /dev/sda.


Pre-Karmic (ie Jaunty, Hardy, etc.) it follows the HDD boot order I setup on my BIOS.  But with Karmic, it follows the "HDD DETECTION Order" (see above for reference).

Currently, to fix it, I have to disconnect my PATA 80GB drive, reboot
the PC, edit the "Karmic" GRUB2 menu line to point it to /dev/sda (since
it is now pointing to /dev/sdb), run update-grub again.  Then reconnect
the PATA 80GB drive and everything will work again as it should be.

I do not know why Win-XP will load on /dev/sda even though Karmic and
Grub reports/moved my SATA 160GB to /dev/sdb.

Attaching additional files that may help.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Oct 11 16:50:24 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: grub2 (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_PH.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-13.44-generic
SourcePackage: grub2
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-13-generic x86_64

** Affects: grub2 (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug

-- 
HardDisk Order Swapped Causing the Next Update-grub to prevent Windows from booting
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/448557
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu.

-- 
ubuntu-bugs mailing list
ubuntu-bugs at lists.ubuntu.com
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs