ubuntu-server dapper 20 Mar 2006: grub-install failed

Bug #35819 reported by Ali Milis
12
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
hw-detect (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
High
Unassigned

Bug Description

I guess that there is a problem with "grub", if it has
been already installed before. I am trying to install
ubuntu-server to two servers: i386 and amd64.
Grub is already installed at both servers.

1) i386: where debian is already installed at /dev/sda5 .
    I try to install ubuntu at /dev/sda6; but grub-install
    "failed". Then I boot from the debian grub menu.
    It still does not work, because there are no /dev/i2o
    devices.

2) amd64: where ubuntu is already installed at
    /dev/sda5. I try to install ubuntu at /dev/sda6; but
    grub-install "failed". The I boot from the /dev/sda5
    installation set with NO problem. See also
    https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/debian-installer/+bug/31623

regards,

Revision history for this message
Ali Milis (almilis) wrote : Syslog Server i386

This is syslog of server i386

Revision history for this message
Ali Milis (almilis) wrote : Syslog Server AMD64

This is sylog server AMD64

Revision history for this message
Matt Zimmerman (mdz) wrote :

The interesting bit seems to be:

Mar 21 09:53:01 grub-installer: info: Installing grub on ''
Mar 21 09:53:01 grub-installer: info: grub-install supports --no-floppy
Mar 21 09:53:01 grub-installer: info: Running chroot /target /sbin/grub-install --no-floppy ""

Revision history for this message
Ali Milis (almilis) wrote : ubuntu-server on beta 6.06

Yet another 'grub-install' failure on xeon 3.0 GHz.
PS:
- tried to install ubuntu-server to '/dev/sda6' where '/dev/sda5' contains a Debian system with grub.
- tried to boot using the Debian grub too without luck.

Revision history for this message
Ali Milis (almilis) wrote : AMD64: ubuntu-server on beta 6.06

- yet another failure when installing ubuntu-server on '/dev/hda6' where a working ubuntu Dapper is on '/dev/hda5'.
- tried to boot '/dev/hda6' from grub '/dev/hda5':
Error 11: Unrecognized devices.

Revision history for this message
Ferdinand (ferdinand-hertog) wrote :

After installing ubuntu AMD64 dapper f7 and rebooting(as asked from the installer) it did not install grub and winxp just booted without showing a bootloader. I have installed winxp last week so there should be no bootloader(grub) residual.

Revision history for this message
Ali Milis (almilis) wrote :

I have just tried ubuntu-server amd64 daily 29 May 2006.
The grub-installer works again.

Revision history for this message
Ali Milis (almilis) wrote :

Hallo, anybody home?!

I have tried ubuntu-sever i386 daily 30 May 2006, and it still does not work.

I tried to install ubuntu at /dev/sda6; but grub-install
"failed" (debian is already installed at /dev/sda5).
Then I boot from the debian grub menu.
It still does not work, because there are no /dev/i2o
devices.

The quick and dirty fix is, at boot manually:
cd /dev
mkdir i2o
mknod hda1 b 8 1
mknod hda2 b 8 2
mknod hda3 b 8 3
mknod hda4 b 8 4
mknod hda5 b 8 5
mknod hda6 b 8 6
mknod hda7 b 8 7
mknod hda8 b 8 8
mknod hda9 b 8 9
mknod hda10 b 8 10
mknod hda10 b 8 11
[...]
^D

Revision history for this message
Colin Watson (cjwatson) wrote :

If the device nodes aren't being created, then this looks like an initramfs-tools problem to me, not an installer bug. Could you please attach /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-* (whatever exists) to this bug, so that it can be dissected?

Changed in debian-installer:
status: Unconfirmed → Needs Info
Revision history for this message
Adam Conrad (adconrad) wrote :

I'm having a hard time seeing how the following is initramfs-tools' fault:

Apr 25 01:35:56 main-menu[2327]: WARNING **: Configuring 'grub-installer' failed with error code 1
Apr 25 01:35:56 main-menu[2327]: WARNING **: Menu item 'grub-installer' failed.

As for the /dev/i2o issue, that seems to be two conflicting drivers for the same device, and d-i is loading one during the install, while udev is loading the other in the initramfs. :/

Revision history for this message
Ali Milis (almilis) wrote : initrd.img-2.6.15-23-server

As requested.

Revision history for this message
Ali Milis (almilis) wrote :

As requested, I have submited: initrd.img-2.6.15-23-server

PS: what should be the "status": back to unconfirmed, to confirmend, or stay at need info?

Changed in hw-detect:
status: Needs Info → Unconfirmed
Revision history for this message
Ali Milis (almilis) wrote :

Its seems that ANY ubuntu-installer will fail, if a "recent grub" is already there in the partition. I tried Ubuntu 5.10, 6.06, 6.10.... all failed "reinstalling" grub.

Dirty Trick:
- emergency boot from the CDROM
- reinstall grub
- grub will work again.

Ali.

Revision history for this message
Mahyuddin Susanto (udienz) wrote :

Sepakat dengan "Dirty Trick"

Revision history for this message
grasshopper (blackwolf-franken-online) wrote :

Was fixed with Dapper 6.06.2.

Changed in hw-detect:
status: New → Fix Released
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