Unable to install grub to MBR with LVM root device

[Robert Sander]

Binary package hint: grub-pc

The system (amd64, Ubuntu 8.04.2) has one hard disk with 3 primary partitons:

/dev/sda1 ext3 /boot
/dev/sda2 lvm
/dev/sda3 ntfs

The LVM has 3 volumes:

  root system -wi-ao 15.00G
  swap system -wi-ao 1.00G
  tmp system -wi-ao 2.00G

/dev/system/root ext3 /
/dev/system/tmp ext3 /tmp

grub legacy says:

root@quidde:~# grub-install '(hd0)'
/dev/mapper/system-root does not have any corresponding BIOS drive.

grub-pc says:

root@quidde:~# grub-install '(hd0)'
grub-setup: error: Can't embed the core image, but this is required when the root device is on a RAID array or LVM volume.

lilo was installed first from within the Ubuntu installer.

How do I install grub to the MBR?

The exact same disk layout works without any issue on i386 Ubuntu 8.04.2.
Is there any difference in the grub packages for amd64 and i386?

[Felix Zielcke (fzielcke)]

Do you use maybe GPT instead of msdos partition table?
or did you remove the dos compatibility flag with fdisk or the Maximize button in cfdisk?
fdisk -lu must show that the first partition begins at sector 63 and NOT sector 1
In case you use GPT you must create a bios_grub partition.
See the GRUB wiki: http://grub.enbug.org/BIOS_Boot_Partition

[Felix Zielcke (fzielcke)]

Could you please provide the requested information? Thanks!

[Felix Zielcke (fzielcke)]

This is probable because you are using either GPT without a bios_grub partition or somehow the partitions were created with a start sector of 1 instead of the usual 63

[Natim (site-remy)]

Here is the result of fdisk -lu

fdisk -lu

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf4e553b1

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 192779 96389+ fd Linux raid autodetect
/dev/sda2 192780 1237004 522112+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 1237005 22201829 10482412+ fd Linux raid autodetect
/dev/sda4 22201830 976735934 477267052+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 22201831 32435234 5116702 fd Linux raid autodetect
/dev/sda6 32435236 976735934 472150349+ fd Linux raid autodetect

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x44ae422c

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 192779 96389+ fd Linux raid autodetect
/dev/sdb2 192780 1237004 522112+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb3 1237005 22201829 10482412+ fd Linux raid autodetect
/dev/sdb4 22201830 976735934 477267052+ 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 22201831 32435234 5116702 fd Linux raid autodetect
/dev/sdb6 32435236 976735934 472150349+ fd Linux raid autodetect

Disk /dev/md0: 98 MB, 98631680 bytes
2 heads, 4 sectors/track, 24080 cylinders, total 192640 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/md0 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/md1: 10.7 GB, 10733879296 bytes
2 heads, 4 sectors/track, 2620576 cylinders, total 20964608 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/md1 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/md2: 5239 MB, 5239406592 bytes
2 heads, 4 sectors/track, 1279152 cylinders, total 10233216 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/md2 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/md3: 483.5 GB, 483481878528 bytes
2 heads, 4 sectors/track, 118037568 cylinders, total 944300544 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/md3 doesn't contain a valid partition table