Latest Wily install fails when installing Grub 3x in a row. Checked md5, all fine

[Matt]

Three attempts at installing Wily alongside Trusty 14.04.1.

Steps:
dd /dev/zero bs=16M count=128 to ensure all previous partitions and data are gone.

Boot from Trusty 14.04.1 USB drive, select erase and install. Install without errors (none I'm alerted to or aware of, anyway)

Shut down - not that no updates or upgrades were performed...

Reboot from latest Wily 15.10 USB. Select "install alongside 14.04.1"

Installer fails when grub installer is running for the 2nd time (?). I watched it run and create the 4.2 linux kernels and initrds. Upon inspection, they appear properly installed in /boot.

I'll boot manually into both Trusty and Wily and attempt to reinstall Grub so they can share it and I can choose.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.10
Package: ubiquity 2.21.37
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.2.0-16.19-generic 4.2.3
Uname: Linux 4.2.0-16-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
ApportVersion: 2.19.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
CasperVersion: 1.365
Date: Mon Nov 23 19:24:40 2015
InstallCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz.efi file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash ---
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 15.10 "Wily Werewolf" - Release amd64 (20151021)
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: grub-installer
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
---
ApportVersion: 2.19.1-0ubuntu5
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: imattux 1443 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: imattux 1443 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.10
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=7c06fa83-e8a3-4e80-a3ee-206f3ac03c34
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-11-25 (15 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 15.10 "Wily Werewolf" - Release amd64 (20151021)
MachineType: Apple Computer, Inc. MacPro2,1
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-18-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=a766331e-fe0f-4cf4-8008-d02ab6e2aaba ro quiet splash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.2.0-18.22-generic 4.2.3
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.2.0-18-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.2.0-18-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.149.2
Tags: wily
UdevLog: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/var/log/udev'
Uname: Linux 4.2.0-18-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 07/02/07
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Computer, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MP21.88Z.007F.B06.0707021348
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-F4208DC8
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: PVT
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset Tag#
dmi.chassis.type: 2
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Computer, Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-F4208DC8
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleComputer,Inc.:bvrMP21.88Z.007F.B06.0707021348:bd07/02/07:svnAppleComputer,Inc.:pnMacPro2,1:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-F4208DC8:rvrPVT:cvnAppleComputer,Inc.:ct2:cvrMac-F4208DC8:
dmi.product.name: MacPro2,1
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Computer, Inc.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

Looks like a kernel/firmware problem that later prevents efibootmgr from working:

efivars: get_next_variable: status=8000000000000005

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1519172

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Can you see if this issue also happens with the latest Wily image? It can be downloaded from:
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/

[Matt (imattux)]

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[Matt (imattux)]

@ Philip Susi - You are very likely onto something here. I'm running a 2006 MacPro (1,1 & 2,1), which is an outlier in that it has 64bit processors and a 32bit EFI implementation. efibootmgr doesn't work on this hardware, I'm guessing because it only works in 64bit mode, but please, I'd love to be educated if efibootmgr does or can work in an install of 32bit Ubuntu and can be patched/hacked to work in a mixed arch environment.

While my antique MacPro probably doesn't warrant 5 minutes of any developer's time, there are a number of recent/current implementations of 64bit processors mated to 32bit efi - specifically certain new atom-based tablets and Intel's new(ish) "computestick". For whatever reason, Ubuntu does support mixed architecture, so, here we are. It's (probably) not just an antique Mactel issue.

I suppose the important part of this is that, as I noted in my original report, Grub (64bit) does *not fail when installing Trusty - 14.04.1, despite my mixed arch environment, and Wily does.

A little background: After dozens of failed attempts at installing any version of Ubuntu, I stumbled across Ian Morrison's Linuxium site (https://plus.google.com/+IanMORRISON/posts) and his "official unofficial" patched Trusty installer. The "patch" amounts including grubia32.efi in the /EFI/BOOT/ folder at the root of any Ubuntu Live installer. grubia32.efi allows mixed architecture machines to boot the Live media, install Ubuntu in 64 bit mode, and then those of us who need to can purge Grub64, install Grub ia32, and run 64bit Ubuntu.

After the first failed install of Wily, I sat and watched the messages throughout the install. I definitely noticed Grub being installed and the kernels being built, but then, after other installations and configurations, the "final" (?) install of Grub - which I'm guessing was actually "grub-update" command - failed.

I then booted from my patched Live USB and chroot'ed into my Wily install. Grub was there, in my /boot folder, along with Wily kernels, but there was no grub.cfg file. I purged Grub, installed Grubia32, updated Grub and can now boot into either Trusty or Wily.

@ Brad Figg - files are uploaded. I did have to install python-apport. It was not present at install time, so it may or may not be helpful.