GRUB cannot chainload to another GRUB

[Francis Lamonde]

grub-legacy (0.99) included with Kubuntu 11.10 (Muon).

I have 2 identical disks, the only difference being their manufacturer serial number (disk ID) or UUIDs if using them.

Both disks have the exact same partition table.
Both disks run grub legacy, one being openSUSE 11.2 grub 0.97 and the other Kubuntu 11.10 grub 0.99.

I can boot each disk independently as master or boot Kubuntu's kernel directly using the appropriate menu entry in menu.lst from my openSUSE disk. This means it boots grub on openSUSE disk1 and from there I directly boot Kubuntu on disk2, by passing the grub installed on disk2.

However, I cannot chainload grub 0.99 of Kubuntu on disk2 from my grub 0.97 of openSUSE on disk1.

grub returns ERROR 13.

The menu entry I am using to chainload is:

title Linux test -- External drive Chainload
    root (hd1,0)
    chainloader +1
    boot

This menu entry works perfectly when I chainload using openSUSE as the distro on disk2, but changing it to Kubuntu and I get ERROR 13.

Thank you

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Why are you using grub 0.99 at all, given that Ubuntu 11.10 always uses grub 2 by default? With the exception of bugs affecting Xen, for which grub 1 remains the only viable bootloader, the grub 1 package is unlikely to receive further attention from developers.

[Francis Lamonde (frankebay99)]

Fair point, Steve!

Let me explain.

My situation is a bit complex and I am trying to find a way out, which I could not so far cuz I have hit problems all the time.

Since I was not able to chainload from grub-legacy (openSUSE 0.97 version) to grub2 (Kubuntu 11.10) this is a reason why I downgraded to grub-legacy on Kubuntu 11.10. But I hit a problem too, this one.

The other reason why I downgraded to grub-legacy is that with grub2 I was not able to boot a cloned disk, as the clone becomes unbootable (grub2's menu does not even display).
Then I downgraded to grub-legacy, thinking it should work as it always had with openSUSE distro, so I thought it would be the same with Kubuntu.

But I get the same problem as grub2 (cloned disk unbootable), so I opened a ticket that you can refer here #923070 https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+bug/923070

So I am sort of stuck at the moment. I agree chainload is not a high priority for me, but it makes my testing a lot easier as I don't need to change the menu.lst many times when needed.
I agree grub-legacy will not be supported at some point in time, I am willing to use grub2, but then I had the clone problem and grub-legacy (part of Kubuntu 11.10) has the same problem as well, hence the above ticket 923070 opened.

If grub2 could have 923070 fixed, I would use it.

I am not sure what to do at the moment.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

On Tue, Jan 31, 2012 at 06:47:26PM -0000, FrankKubuntu wrote:

> So I am sort of stuck at the moment. I agree chainload is not a high
> priority for me, but it makes my testing a lot easier as I don't need to
> change the menu.lst many times when needed. I agree grub-legacy will not
> be supported at some point in time, I am willing to use grub2, but then I
> had the clone problem and grub-legacy (part of Kubuntu 11.10) has the same
> problem as well, hence the above ticket 923070 opened.

> If grub2 could have 923070 fixed, I would use it.

> I am not sure what to do at the moment.

Ok. I would definitely suggest that you focus your efforts on GRUB2; GRUB1
really isn't going to get any attention for issues like this one.

--
Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer http://www.debian.org/
<email address hidden> <email address hidden>

[Francis Lamonde (frankebay99)]

Agreed.

Then since 923070 is opened as grub-legacy, should it be better to get it closed and I will open a new one for grub2?

I think I will do that, so no reference to grub-legacy will be mentioned.

tnx

[Francis Lamonde (frankebay99)]

Actually I think I'll leave 923070 opened as it clearly mentions GRUB2 every where, including in the summary.

[Francis Lamonde (frankebay99)]

This one 924406 can be closed.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

On Tue, Jan 31, 2012 at 08:03:27PM -0000, FrankKubuntu wrote:
> Then since 923070 is opened as grub-legacy, should it be better to get
> it closed and I will open a new one for grub2?

You can simply reassign it to the grub2 package.

--
Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer http://www.debian.org/
<email address hidden> <email address hidden>