Unable to install grub2 onto vfat partition
Affects | Status | Importance | Assigned to | Milestone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
grub2 (Ubuntu) |
Fix Released
|
Undecided
|
Unassigned |
Bug Description
Binary package hint: grub2
I've got a particular situation that prevents grub2 from being installed onto the MBR, but instead requires it to be installed onto the PBR of a fat32 partition.
I receive a handful of errors when trying to install to it, and then i'm unable to actually boot from it. My grub.cfg doesn't even get read.
# mount | grep /boot
/dev/sda2 on /boot type vfat (rw,noatime,
$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda
Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 34 273073+ de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 * 35 197 1309297+ b W95 FAT32
$ sudo grub-install --modules=fat /dev/sda2
grub-probe: error: unknown filesystem
grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR. This is a BAD idea.
grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible. GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists. However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is discouraged.
grub-setup: error: Cannot read `/boot/
# cat /boot/grub/grub.cfg
set default=0
set timeout=5
set root=(hd0,2)
set color_normal=
set color_highlight
set menu_color_
set menu_color_
menuentry "Automatic Reinstallation" {
linux /casper/vmlinuz preseed/
initrd initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon Jul 20 23:15:22 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Alpha i386 (20090720)
Package: grub-pc 1.96+20090611-
ProcEnviron:
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSign
SourcePackage: grub2
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-3-generic i686
Might also be useful:
# sudo grub-probe -d /dev/sda2 --verbose
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: info: the size of hd1 is 7936000
grub-probe: info: the size of hd1 is 7936000
grub-probe: info: the size of hd1 is 7936000
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: info: the size of hd1 is 7936000
grub-probe: info: the size of hd1 is 7936000
grub-probe: info: the size of hd1 is 7936000
grub-probe: info: /dev/sda2 starts from 546210
grub-probe: info: opening the device hd0
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: info: DOS partition 0 starts from 63
grub-probe: info: DOS partition 1 starts from 546210
grub-probe: info: opening hd0,2
grub-probe: info: the size of hd0 is 625142448
grub-probe: error: unknown filesystem