Bug #389194 “Poor choice of device for installing GRUB” : Bugs : One Hundred Papercuts

Revision history for this message

Craig Hansen (craig-hansen) wrote on 2009-07-08:

#1

For this particular case, (1) the Ubuntu LiveCD install does say GRUB will be installed on hd(0) - but you should be forgiven for not knowing that means your Windows hard drive. (2) there is a special tool for installing to a flash drive under "system->administration->usb startup disk creator" and when using that tool, grub should definitely _not_ be installed on your hard drive.

The whole process of installing GRUB is seriously broken when there is _any_ choice of device or partition. The root partition/device is identified with this cryptic hd([0-9]) or hd([0-9],[0-9]) notation that has zero correlation with the /dev/[hs]d[a-i] notation or the Windows [A-Z]: notation - and changes from boot to boot and depends on how the disks are labeled or relabeled by the installation process. On top of that, the root is really identified by UUID, which yet a third notation. The most frustrating part is that when it fails it does it right near the end of the installation and it's a fatal error, so it doesn't do the final cleanup that follows the grub installation - so you can't just run grub-install until you get it right. For the most recent installation I did, grub wasn't able to find the boot disk until I physically unplugged all the RAID disks from the system - it loses it's way trying to parse raid5 partitions. It's really icky and not a good initial impression for Ubuntu (Why does Firefox suggest Unburnt, Subunit, Bunting, Bunt and Urbanite as proper spelling? that's another paper-cut) at all, but I fear it's way too hard to fix all this as a little paper-cut.

For Ubuntu, why does Firefox suggest Unburnt, Subunit, Bunting, Bunt and Urbanite as proper spelling? That's another paper-cut!

Revision history for this message

Richard Friday (tgirwf) wrote on 2009-07-09: Re: [Bug 389194] Re: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB

#2

Download full text (3.5 KiB)

Thanks for your feedback.

I don't recall the Ubuntu CD telling me where it was going to install GRUB.
So I must have missed it. I think the installation should ask instead of just
"guessing" or defaulting. That shouldn't be particularly hard to implement.

And I had no idea that there was a special tool for installing to a
USB device. Maybe when you click on the Install
icon it should alert you. And btw, "USB startup
disk creator" really shouldn't say "disk", as it
could be a flash drive, for example.

At 07:51 PM 7/8/2009, you wrote:
>For this particular case, (1) the Ubuntu LiveCD install does say GRUB
>will be installed on hd(0) - but you should be forgiven for not knowing
>that means your Windows hard drive. (2) there is a special tool for
>installing to a flash drive under "system->administration->usb startup
>disk creator" and when using that tool, grub should definitely _not_ be
>installed on your hard drive.
>
>The whole process of installing GRUB is seriously broken when there is
>_any_ choice of device or partition. The root partition/device is
>identified with this cryptic hd([0-9]) or hd([0-9],[0-9]) notation that
>has zero correlation with the /dev/[hs]d[a-i] notation or the Windows
>[A-Z]: notation - and changes from boot to boot and depends on how the
>disks are labeled or relabeled by the installation process. On top of
>that, the root is really identified by UUID, which yet a third notation.
>The most frustrating part is that when it fails it does it right near
>the end of the installation and it's a fatal error, so it doesn't do the
>final cleanup that follows the grub installation - so you can't just run
>grub-install until you get it right. For the most recent installation I
>did, grub wasn't able to find the boot disk until I physically unplugged
>all the RAID disks from the system - it loses it's way trying to parse
>raid5 partitions. It's really icky and not a good initial impression for
>Ubuntu (Why does Firefox suggest Unburnt, Subunit, Bunting, Bunt and
>Urbanite as proper spelling? that's another paper-cut) at all, but I
>fear it's way too hard to fix all this as a little paper-cut.
>
>For Ubuntu, why does Firefox suggest Unburnt, Subunit, Bunting, Bunt and
>Urbanite as proper spelling? That's another paper-cut!
>
>--
>Poor choice of device for installing GRUB
>https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194
>You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
>of the bug.
>
>Status in One Hundred Paper Cuts: New
>Status in âubiquityâ package in Ubuntu: New
>
>Bug description:
>My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu
>LiveCD and installed to a Flash Drive.
>Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my Windows hard
>drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was
>absolutely not what I'd expect, because one
>reason for installing to a USB device is to be
>able to have a portable Ubuntu installation.
>After Googling for a while I found out that I
>had to use the "Advanced" button to select a
>different location for installing GRUB.
>
>It would be much more new-user-friendly if the
>step where you choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would
>(1) automatically select the device you're
>insta...

Thanks for your feedback.

I don't recall the Ubuntu CD telling me where it was going to install GRUB.
So I must have missed it. I think the installation should ask instead of just
"guessing" or defaulting.  That shouldn't be particularly hard to implement.

And I had no idea that there was a special tool for installing to a
USB device. Maybe when you click on the Install 
icon it should alert you. And btw, "USB startup 
disk creator" really shouldn't say "disk", as it 
could be a flash drive, for example.

At 07:51 PM 7/8/2009, you wrote:
>For this particular case, (1) the Ubuntu LiveCD install does say GRUB
>will be installed on hd(0) - but you should be forgiven for not knowing
>that means your Windows hard drive. (2) there is a special tool for
>installing to a flash drive under "system->administration->usb startup
>disk creator" and when using that tool, grub should definitely _not_ be
>installed on your hard drive.
>
>The whole process of installing GRUB is seriously broken when there is
>_any_ choice of device or partition. The root partition/device is
>identified with this cryptic hd([0-9]) or hd([0-9],[0-9]) notation that
>has zero correlation with the /dev/[hs]d[a-i] notation or the Windows
>[A-Z]: notation - and changes from boot to boot and depends on how the
>disks are labeled or relabeled by the installation process. On top of
>that, the root is really identified by UUID, which yet a third notation.
>The most frustrating part is that when it fails it does it right near
>the end of the installation and it's a fatal error, so it doesn't do the
>final cleanup that follows the grub installation - so you can't just run
>grub-install until you get it right. For the most recent installation I
>did, grub wasn't able to find the boot disk until I physically unplugged
>all the RAID disks from the system - it loses it's way trying to parse
>raid5 partitions. It's really icky and not a good initial impression for
>Ubuntu (Why does Firefox suggest Unburnt, Subunit, Bunting, Bunt and
>Urbanite as proper spelling? that's another paper-cut) at all, but I
>fear it's way too hard to fix all this as a little paper-cut.
>
>For Ubuntu, why does Firefox suggest Unburnt, Subunit, Bunting, Bunt and
>Urbanite as proper spelling? That's another paper-cut!
>
>--
>Poor choice of device for installing GRUB
>https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194
>You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
>of the bug.
>
>Status in One Hundred Paper Cuts: New
>Status in âubiquityâ package in Ubuntu: New
>
>Bug description:
>My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu 
>LiveCD and installed to a Flash Drive. 
>Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my Windows hard 
>drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was 
>absolutely not what I'd expect, because one 
>reason for installing to a USB device is to be
>able to have a portable Ubuntu installation. 
>After Googling for a while I found out that I 
>had to use the "Advanced" button to select a 
>different location for installing GRUB.
>
>It would be much more new-user-friendly if the 
>step where you choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would
>(1) automatically select the device you're 
>installing to as the place to put GRUB
>AND
>(2) Output a message something like "GRUB will 
>be installed on <your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify
>a different location."
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.8/2224 
>- Release Date: 07/08/09 05:53:00

Revision history for this message

Vish (vish) wrote on 2009-07-09:

#3

@Richard Friday :
You have used an entirely wrong menu option for USB install.

USB Install can be done correctly After booting from LiveCD and from System Menu> Administration > USB Startup Disk Creator

If you had installed it from that menu , you wouldnt have encountered these problems.

Further this is definately , not a papercut , since installing to USB is not an issue with average users.

Changed in hundredpapercuts:
status:	New → Invalid

Revision history for this message

Vish (vish) wrote on 2009-07-09:

#4

For further info about papercuts criteria , pls read > https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PaperCut

Revision history for this message

Richard Friday (tgirwf) wrote on 2009-07-09:

#5

I am disappointed with your response.

I clicked on the Install icon and expected it to
work. At no point during the installation was there
the slightest hint that installing to a USB
device would not work and that I had to use the
"USB Startup Disk Creator". Further, many hours
spent Googling and reading forums did not
reveal that option even existed. As far as I was
concerned no such option existed.
This whole frustration could have been avoided if either
(a) the Install icon alerted users to an
alternate installation method for USB devices,
or
(b) the "normal" install actually worked for USB devices.

At 03:02 AM 7/9/2009, you wrote:
>@Richard Friday :
>You have used an entirely wrong menu option for USB install.
>
>USB Install can be done correctly After booting from LiveCD and from
>System Menu> Administration > USB Startup Disk Creator
>
>If you had installed it from that menu , you wouldnt have encountered
>these problems.
>
>Further this is definately , not a papercut , since installing to USB is
>not an issue with average users.
>
>** Changed in: hundredpapercuts
> Status: New => Invalid
>
>--
>Poor choice of device for installing GRUB
>https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194
>You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
>of the bug.
>
>Status in One Hundred Paper Cuts: Invalid
>Status in âubiquityâ package in Ubuntu: New
>
>Bug description:
>My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu
>LiveCD and installed to a Flash Drive.
>Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my Windows hard
>drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was
>absolutely not what I'd expect, because one
>reason for installing to a USB device is to be
>able to have a portable Ubuntu installation.
>After Googling for a while I found out that I
>had to use the "Advanced" button to select a
>different location for installing GRUB.
>
>It would be much more new-user-friendly if the
>step where you choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would
>(1) automatically select the device you're
>installing to as the place to put GRUB
>AND
>(2) Output a message something like "GRUB will
>be installed on <your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify
>a different location."
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.8/2224
>- Release Date: 07/08/09 05:53:00

I am disappointed with your response.

I clicked on the Install icon and expected it to 
work. At no point during the installation was there
the slightest hint that installing to a USB 
device would not work and that I had to use the
"USB Startup Disk Creator". Further, many hours 
spent Googling and reading forums did not
reveal that option even existed.  As far as I was 
concerned no such option existed.
This whole frustration could have been avoided if either
(a) the Install icon alerted users to an 
alternate installation method for USB devices,
or
(b) the "normal" install actually worked for USB devices.

At 03:02 AM 7/9/2009, you wrote:
>@Richard Friday  :
>You have used an entirely wrong menu option for USB install.
>
>USB Install can be done correctly After booting from LiveCD and from
>System Menu> Administration > USB Startup Disk Creator
>
>If you had installed it from that menu , you wouldnt have encountered
>these problems.
>
>Further this is definately , not a papercut , since installing to USB is
>not an issue with average users.
>
>** Changed in: hundredpapercuts
>        Status: New => Invalid
>
>--
>Poor choice of device for installing GRUB
>https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194
>You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
>of the bug.
>
>Status in One Hundred Paper Cuts: Invalid
>Status in âubiquityâ package in Ubuntu: New
>
>Bug description:
>My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu 
>LiveCD and installed to a Flash Drive. 
>Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my Windows hard 
>drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was 
>absolutely not what I'd expect, because one 
>reason for installing to a USB device is to be
>able to have a portable Ubuntu installation. 
>After Googling for a while I found out that I 
>had to use the "Advanced" button to select a 
>different location for installing GRUB.
>
>It would be much more new-user-friendly if the 
>step where you choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would
>(1) automatically select the device you're 
>installing to as the place to put GRUB
>AND
>(2) Output a message something like "GRUB will 
>be installed on <your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify
>a different location."
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.8/2224 
>- Release Date: 07/08/09 05:53:00

Revision history for this message

Vish (vish) wrote on 2009-07-09:

#6

@Richard Friday :
I have *not* mentioned that your concerns are invalid.

I have only said : "this is definitely , not a papercut , since installing to USB is not an issue with average users."
You have to realize that the Majority of the average dont use USB installs.

A paper cut is a minor usability annoyance that an average user would encounter on his/her first day of using a new installation of Ubuntu 9.10.

For further info about papercuts criteria , pls read > https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PaperCut

Don't worry though, This bug has been marked as "invalid" ONLY in the papercuts project, the ubiquity part of the bug is still active.

Revision history for this message

Phillip Susi (psusi) wrote on 2014-01-12:

#7

Defaulting to the device you are installing to isn't good either since it will pick the wrong drive for anyone installing to their secondary internal drive.

Changed in ubiquity (Ubuntu):
status:	New → Won't Fix

Revision history for this message

Richard Friday (tgirwf) wrote on 2014-01-12:

#8

WOW, I filed 389194 a loooooong time ago. I didn't think anyone would
ever look at it again.
After thinking about this again I realize that ANY default location
for GRUB is going to be wrong for someone. Perhaps the best solution
is to force the user to explicitly choose where to put GRUB.

At 04:54 PM 1/12/2014, you wrote:

>Defaulting to the device you are installing to isn't good either since
>it will pick the wrong drive for anyone installing to their secondary
>internal drive.
>
>
>** Changed in: ubiquity (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Won't Fix
>
>--
>You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
>report.
>https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194
>
>Title:
> Poor choice of device for installing GRUB
>
>Status in One Hundred Papercuts:
> Invalid
>Status in "ubiquity" package in Ubuntu:
> Won't Fix
>
>Bug description:
> My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu LiveCD and
> installed to a Flash Drive. Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my
> Windows hard drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was absolutely
> not what I'd expect, because one reason for installing to a USB device is to be
> able to have a portable Ubuntu installation. After Googling for a
> while I found out that I had to use the "Advanced" button to select
> a different location for installing GRUB.
>
> It would be much more new-user-friendly if the step where you
> choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would
> (1) automatically select the device you're installing to as the
> place to put GRUB
> AND
> (2) Output a message something like "GRUB will be installed on
> <your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify
> a different location."
>
>To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/389194/+subscriptions

Revision history for this message

Craig Hansen (craig-hansen) wrote on 2014-01-13:

#9

Download full text (4.0 KiB)

WOW indeed. This bug highlighted a legitimate problem, and all the attention it got was abusive.
Finally, it got closed five years later with a useless and incomplete comment.

WHERE grub gets installed is a legitimate issue, and the default is completely unrelated to
where the BIOS goes looking for boot candidates. The numbering system for grub's drives
is unique to itself, unrelated to the numbering/naming that Ubuntu gives to drives after
bootstrapping. Without further assistance, grub will frequently make an inappropriate choice
and fails to communicate that choice to the user at a time when the user could have any
useful control over it. For myself, I've taken to installing Ubunutu on a non-raid drive and
physically removing all raid drives at the time of installation because otherwise grub
may choose one of the raid drives to install grub, rather than the drive to which I'm
installing the system.

Unfortunately, the treatment of this bug report is typical.

----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Friday
Sent: 01/12/14 02:42 PM
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: [Bug 389194] Re: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB

WOW, I filed 389194 a loooooong time ago. I didn't think anyone would ever look at it again. After thinking about this again I realize that ANY default location for GRUB is going to be wrong for someone. Perhaps the best solution is to force the user to explicitly choose where to put GRUB. At 04:54 PM 1/12/2014, you wrote: >Defaulting to the device you are installing to isn't good either since >it will pick the wrong drive for anyone installing to their secondary >internal drive. > > >** Changed in: ubiquity (Ubuntu) > Status: New => Won't Fix > >-- >You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug >report. >https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194 > >Title: > Poor choice of device for installing GRUB > >Status in One Hundred Papercuts: > Invalid >Status in "ubiquity" package in Ubuntu: > Won't Fix > >Bug description: > My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu LiveCD and > installed to a Flash Drive. Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my > Windows hard drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was absolutely > not what I'd expect, because one reason for installing to a USB device is to be > able to have a portable Ubuntu installation. After Googling for a > while I found out that I had to use the "Advanced" button to select > a different location for installing GRUB. > > It would be much more new-user-friendly if the step where you > choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would > (1) automatically select the device you're installing to as the > place to put GRUB > AND > (2) Output a message something like "GRUB will be installed on > <your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify > a different location." > >To manage notifications about this bug go to: >https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/389194/+subscriptions -- You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug report. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194 Title: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB Status in One Hundred Papercuts: Invalid Status in “ubiquity” package in Ubuntu: Won't Fix...

Here's how I interpret the "Won't fix" response to this bug:

"Whatever we choose as the default place for GRUB could very
well be wrong for you because we have no way of knowing your
requirements. But we're going to go ahead and put GRUB someplace anyway.
And during installation we're neither going to tell you where we put it, nor
tell you how to specify some other place. We could just require you to specify
where to put GRUB, and that would avoid the entire issue. But we'd rather
continue doing something that's always wrong for somebody."

At 01:10 PM 1/13/2014, you wrote:

>WOW indeed. This bug highlighted a legitimate problem, and all the 
>attention it got was abusive.
>Finally, it got closed five years later with a useless and incomplete comment.
>
>WHERE grub gets installed is a legitimate issue, and the default is 
>completely unrelated to
>where the BIOS goes looking for boot candidates. The numbering 
>system for grub's drives
>is unique to itself, unrelated to the numbering/naming that Ubuntu 
>gives to drives after
>bootstrapping. Without further assistance, grub will frequently make 
>an inappropriate choice
>and fails to communicate that choice to the user at a time when the 
>user could have any
>useful control over it. For myself, I've taken to installing Ubunutu 
>on a non-raid drive and
>physically removing all raid drives at the time of installation 
>because otherwise grub
>may choose one of the raid drives to install grub, rather than the 
>drive to which I'm
>installing the system.
>
>Unfortunately, the treatment of this bug report is typical.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Richard Friday
>Sent: 01/12/14 02:42 PM
>To: craig.hansen@mail.com
>Subject: Re: [Bug 389194] Re: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB
>
>WOW, I filed 389194 a loooooong time ago. I didn't think anyone would
>ever look at it again. After thinking about this again I realize that
>ANY default location for GRUB is going to be wrong for someone. Perhaps
>the best solution is to force the user to explicitly choose where to put
>GRUB. At 04:54 PM 1/12/2014, you wrote: >Defaulting to the device you
>are installing to isn't good either since >it will pick the wrong drive
>for anyone installing to their secondary >internal drive. > > >**
>Changed in: ubiquity (Ubuntu) > Status: New => Won't Fix > >-- >You
>received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> >report. >https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194 > >Title: > Poor choice
>of device for installing GRUB > >Status in One Hundred Papercuts: >
>Invalid >Status in "ubiquity" package in Ubuntu: > Won't Fix > >Bug
>description: > My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu LiveCD
>and > installed to a Flash Drive. Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my >
>Windows hard drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was absolutely > not
>what I'd expect, because one reason for installing to a USB device is to
>be > able to have a portable Ubuntu installation. After Googling for a >
>while I found out that I had to use the "Advanced" button to select > a
>different location for installing GRUB. > > It would be much more new-
>user-friendly if the step where you > choose the device on which to
>install Ubuntu would > (1) automatically select the device you're
>installing to as the > place to put GRUB > AND > (2) Output a message
>something like "GRUB will be installed on > <your device>. Use the
>"Advanced" button to specify > a different location." > >To manage
>notifications about this bug go to:
> >https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/389194/+subscriptions
>-- You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the
>bug report. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194 Title: Poor choice of
>device for installing GRUB Status in One Hundred Papercuts: Invalid
>Status in "ubiquity" package in Ubuntu: Won't Fix Bug description: My
>laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu LiveCD and installed to a
>Flash Drive. Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my Windows hard drive
>instead of my Flash Drive. This was absolutely not what I'd expect,
>because one reason for installing to a USB device is to be able to have
>a portable Ubuntu installation. After Googling for a while I found out
>that I had to use the "Advanced" button to select a different location
>for installing GRUB. It would be much more new-user-friendly if the step
>where you choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would (1)
>automatically select the device you're installing to as the place to put
>GRUB AND (2) Output a message something like "GRUB will be installed on
><your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify a different
>location." To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/389194/+subscriptions
>
>--
>You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
>report.
>https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194
>
>Title:
>   Poor choice of device for installing GRUB
>
>Status in One Hundred Papercuts:
>   Invalid
>Status in "ubiquity" package in Ubuntu:
>   Won't Fix
>
>Bug description:
>   My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu LiveCD and 
> installed to a Flash Drive. Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my 
> Windows hard drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was absolutely 
> not what I'd expect, because one reason for installing to a USB device is to be
>   able to have a portable Ubuntu installation. After Googling for a 
> while I found out that I had to use the "Advanced" button to select 
> a different location for installing GRUB.
>
>   It would be much more new-user-friendly if the step where you 
> choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would
>   (1) automatically select the device you're installing to as the 
> place to put GRUB
>   AND
>   (2) Output a message something like "GRUB will be installed on 
> <your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify
>   a different location."
>
>To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/389194/+subscriptions

Revision history for this message

Craig Hansen (craig-hansen) wrote on 2014-01-13:

#12

I haven't given an Ubuntu installation the chance to screw up the choice in a while, but IMHO,
choosing a drive that makes the installation or the subsequent boot fail is NOT a good default.
If you're going to continue to insist that defaulting to installing grub to a different disk than
the pending system installation is the best choice, producing a warning that's about to take place
would be a modest improvement to the status quo.

It appeared to me that the drive numbers vary unpredictably from one boot to the next,
perhaps as things like CDROM drives and USB sticks are inserted or removed,
so choosing grub locations by drive number was challenging.

----- Original Message -----
From: Phillip Susi
Sent: 01/13/14 12:51 PM
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: [Bug 389194] Re: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB

The drive numbering is determined by the bios, and doesn't matter. What matters is that there is no good way to choose a default location to install grub to. It isn't right for you, but changing it to be right for you would make it wrong for someone else, hence, wontfix. If you have multiple drives in your system then you most likely will have to change the grub install location. That is the down side of the broken PC bios architecture. -- You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug report. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194 Title: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB Status in One Hundred Papercuts: Invalid Status in “ubiquity” package in Ubuntu: Won't Fix Bug description: My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu LiveCD and installed to a Flash Drive. Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my Windows hard drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was absolutely not what I'd expect, because one reason for installing to a USB device is to be able to have a portable Ubuntu installation. After Googling for a while I found out that I had to use the "Advanced" button to select a different location for installing GRUB. It would be much more new-user-friendly if the step where you choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would (1) automatically select the device you're installing to as the place to put GRUB AND (2) Output a message something like "GRUB will be installed on <your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify a different location." To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/389194/+subscriptions

I haven't given an Ubuntu installation the chance to screw up the choice in a while, but IMHO,
choosing a drive that makes the installation or the subsequent boot fail is NOT a good default.
If you're going to continue to insist that defaulting to installing grub to a different disk than
the pending system installation is the best choice, producing a warning that's about to take place
would be a modest improvement to the status quo.

It appeared to me that the drive numbers vary unpredictably from one boot to the next,
perhaps as things like CDROM drives and USB sticks are inserted or removed,
so choosing grub locations by drive number was challenging.

----- Original Message -----
From: Phillip Susi
Sent: 01/13/14 12:51 PM
To: craig.hansen@mail.com
Subject: [Bug 389194] Re: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB

The drive numbering is determined by the bios, and doesn't matter. What matters is that there is no good way to choose a default location to install grub to. It isn't right for you, but changing it to be right for you would make it wrong for someone else, hence, wontfix. If you have multiple drives in your system then you most likely will have to change the grub install location. That is the down side of the broken PC bios architecture. -- You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug report. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194 Title: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB Status in One Hundred Papercuts: Invalid Status in “ubiquity” package in Ubuntu: Won't Fix Bug description: My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu LiveCD and installed to a Flash Drive. Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my Windows hard drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was absolutely not what I'd expect, because one reason for installing to a USB device is to be able to have a portable Ubuntu installation. After Googling for a while I found out that I had to use the "Advanced" button to select a different location for installing GRUB. It would be much more new-user-friendly if the step where you choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would (1) automatically select the device you're installing to as the place to put GRUB AND (2) Output a message something like "GRUB will be installed on <your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify a different location." To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/389194/+subscriptions

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Phillip Susi (psusi) wrote on 2014-01-13:

#13

The manual partitioning mode gives the option of where to install grub.

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Craig Hansen (craig-hansen) wrote on 2014-01-14:

#14

Sigh...Do we have to now discuss how the manual partitioning mode doesn't fill in defaults from automatic partitioning, or should we stick to the problem that the installer makes a poor choice of device for installing GRUB, provides insufficient feedback about the choice, and doesn't allow the user to easily change the choice?

----- Original Message -----
From: Phillip Susi
Sent: 01/13/14 03:51 PM
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: [Bug 389194] Re: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB

The manual partitioning mode gives the option of where to install grub. -- You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug report. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/389194 Title: Poor choice of device for installing GRUB Status in One Hundred Papercuts: Invalid Status in “ubiquity” package in Ubuntu: Won't Fix Bug description: My laptop runs Windows. But I booted up a Ubuntu LiveCD and installed to a Flash Drive. Surprisingly, GRUB got put onto my Windows hard drive instead of my Flash Drive. This was absolutely not what I'd expect, because one reason for installing to a USB device is to be able to have a portable Ubuntu installation. After Googling for a while I found out that I had to use the "Advanced" button to select a different location for installing GRUB. It would be much more new-user-friendly if the step where you choose the device on which to install Ubuntu would (1) automatically select the device you're installing to as the place to put GRUB AND (2) Output a message something like "GRUB will be installed on <your device>. Use the "Advanced" button to specify a different location." To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/389194/+subscriptions

Affects		Status	Importance	Assigned to	Milestone
	One Hundred Papercuts	Invalid	Undecided	Unassigned
	ubiquity (Ubuntu)	Won't Fix	Undecided	Unassigned

One Hundred Papercuts

Poor choice of device for installing GRUB

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