Pangolin installer problem

[Rich Duzenbury]

I'm attempting to install precise pangolin on an HP BL35P blade using an ubuntu server x86-64 CD. HP BL35P blades have broadcomm nics that need restricted firmware, which I have placed on a USB key. The USB key must be inserted prior to booting the installer CD or it doesn't seem readable. That in itself is no big deal, however, the USB key becomes /dev/sda. The internal hard disk is assigned to /dev/sdb.

During installation, the installer lets me choose which drive to install the operating system onto. It shows a selection for the 1GB USB key, and the 140GB raid array. I choose the raid array, and the installed files are written there with no difficulty.

The problem comes when attempting to do the grub installation. The installer defaults to writing the master boot record to /dev/sda, which in this case, is the USB stick with the restricted firmware on it. After a couple tries at re-installing I do finally notice the issue, but I don't think a novice would see it at all. Of course, I have to override the installer so it will write the MBR to /dev/sdb and then the system will boot correctly, and the installer does support that cause of action.

What I expect to happen: The installer should default to writing grub to the disk that was chosen for the server install.

What happened: The installer rather blindly chooses /dev/sda by default.

[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. It seems that your bug report is not filed about a specific source package though, rather it is just filed against Ubuntu in general. It is important that bug reports be filed about source packages so that people interested in the package can find the bugs about it. You can find some hints about determining what package your bug might be about at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/FindRightPackage. You might also ask for help in the #ubuntu-bugs irc channel on Freenode.

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[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[stlubuntu (jlrbennett)]

I also experienced this bug while performing a desktop install using the 32-bit (and 64-bit separately) desktop livecd installers. Both images (as they are all now isohybrid) were written to a usb stick (2GB) using dd. At the partitioning stage, it asked where to install the MBR and the default choice was /dev/sdb (which was the usb stick from which it was being installed.) /dev/sda was the sole hard drive installed (PATA drives.)

The expected behavior would be to default to /dev/sda or the first hard drive and not the usb stick from which it was being installed.

Based on this, does this bug also affect ubiquity since it occurs in the case of livecd / desktop installs, too?

This is a regression from Ubuntu 10.04 when it did not occur. If the user does not catch this, the fresh install is unbootable and drops to a grub> prompt when attempting to boot.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Pander (pander)]

duplicate of https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/1067966 ?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

It can't just install to the disk chosen to install Ubuntu to since in a dual disk situation, the system still boots from the first disk. I believe the issue of the usb stick being detected as sda instead of the first hard disk was fixed some time ago, but precise is ancient and you should not be putting into new systems. Please try with 14.04.

[Rich Duzenbury (duzenbury)]

Thanks for trying to help me. The installer can certainly _default_ to the
chosen disk particularly if thats the drive where the installer is running
from. Perhaps warn the user? Or force a choice?

Also this bug report is some years old and seems to now have activity and
I'm not sure why. I don't know if newer installers have the same issue or
not and I don't have the capability to test them out at this time.

Perhaps it would be best to let this issue die and spend time on more
recent items?

On 3:31pm, Wed, Jan 27, 2016 Phillip Susi <email address hidden> wrote:

> It can't just install to the disk chosen to install Ubuntu to since in a
> dual disk situation, the system still boots from the first disk. I
> believe the issue of the usb stick being detected as sda instead of the
> first hard disk was fixed some time ago, but precise is ancient and you
> should not be putting into new systems. Please try with 14.04.
>
>
> ** Changed in: debian-installer (Ubuntu)
> Status: Confirmed => Incomplete
>
> ** Changed in: ubiquity (Ubuntu)
> Status: Confirmed => Incomplete
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1026450
>
> Title:
> Pangolin installer problem
>
> Status in debian-installer package in Ubuntu:
> Incomplete
> Status in ubiquity package in Ubuntu:
> Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> I'm attempting to install precise pangolin on an HP BL35P blade using
> an ubuntu server x86-64 CD. HP BL35P blades have broadcomm nics that
> need restricted firmware, which I have placed on a USB key. The USB
> key must be inserted prior to booting the installer CD or it doesn't
> seem readable. That in itself is no big deal, however, the USB key
> becomes /dev/sda. The internal hard disk is assigned to /dev/sdb.
>
> During installation, the installer lets me choose which drive to
> install the operating system onto. It shows a selection for the 1GB
> USB key, and the 140GB raid array. I choose the raid array, and the
> installed files are written there with no difficulty.
>
> The problem comes when attempting to do the grub installation. The
> installer defaults to writing the master boot record to /dev/sda,
> which in this case, is the USB stick with the restricted firmware on
> it. After a couple tries at re-installing I do finally notice the
> issue, but I don't think a novice would see it at all. Of course, I
> have to override the installer so it will write the MBR to /dev/sdb
> and then the system will boot correctly, and the installer does
> support that cause of action.
>
> What I expect to happen: The installer should default to writing grub
> to the disk that was chosen for the server install.
>
> What happened: The installer rather blindly chooses /dev/sda by
> default.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/debian-installer/+bug/1026450/+subscriptions
>

[Pander (pander)]

I agree. Can it be set to won't fix?

[Rich Duzenbury (duzenbury)]

Certainly. Thank you for your assistance.

On 6:11am, Mon, Feb 1, 2016 Pander <email address hidden> wrote:

> I agree. Can it be set to won't fix?
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1026450
>
> Title:
> Pangolin installer problem
>
> Status in debian-installer package in Ubuntu:
> Incomplete
> Status in ubiquity package in Ubuntu:
> Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> I'm attempting to install precise pangolin on an HP BL35P blade using
> an ubuntu server x86-64 CD. HP BL35P blades have broadcomm nics that
> need restricted firmware, which I have placed on a USB key. The USB
> key must be inserted prior to booting the installer CD or it doesn't
> seem readable. That in itself is no big deal, however, the USB key
> becomes /dev/sda. The internal hard disk is assigned to /dev/sdb.
>
> During installation, the installer lets me choose which drive to
> install the operating system onto. It shows a selection for the 1GB
> USB key, and the 140GB raid array. I choose the raid array, and the
> installed files are written there with no difficulty.
>
> The problem comes when attempting to do the grub installation. The
> installer defaults to writing the master boot record to /dev/sda,
> which in this case, is the USB stick with the restricted firmware on
> it. After a couple tries at re-installing I do finally notice the
> issue, but I don't think a novice would see it at all. Of course, I
> have to override the installer so it will write the MBR to /dev/sdb
> and then the system will boot correctly, and the installer does
> support that cause of action.
>
> What I expect to happen: The installer should default to writing grub
> to the disk that was chosen for the server install.
>
> What happened: The installer rather blindly chooses /dev/sda by
> default.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/debian-installer/+bug/1026450/+subscriptions
>

[Pander (pander)]

Pleas set this to Won't Fix.