12.04 install failure and GRUB not set up.

[Tomas123]

For those who faced the "The 'grub-pc' package failed to install into /target/ ..." problem I found solution on linuxforums.org This should work especially for those who are performing fresh install.

The text installer apparently has some sort of unknown 'feature' or bug, depending on your POV. If you plug in the computer when you start, it'll set up the network and time Then unplug (or turning off) the modem after this step will make the installer install from the CD/DVD

But if you leave it plugged in until it starts configuring APT, it'll start downloading stuff from the servers, even if you use a DVD. With my slow connection, that'd take 6 hours - meaning around 600+ megs of stuff.

What's worse, if you pull the plug after the APT configuration, it'll screw everything up. (That's what I was doing before)

I ran into the installer not installing the GUI, it would also screw up GRUB, Lilo, and even if these things worked, the OS still had problems; ran into some bizarre problems then.

I tested this by installing Debian 6.0.3/XFCE4 on a netbook and Thinkpad. Worked like a charm if I turned off the modem at the right time.

Source: http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/deb...-problems.html

Personally I let installation initialize network cards and when that step was completed I unplugged my server from the network. I guess It was when I got "Set time server" screen.

Of course I can do recoveries described in the links bellow, but I think every admin wants to get "fresh and clean" install without any possible problems.

Hope that will help.

Other possible solutions:

http://giantdorks.org/alain/easy-eno...-during-setup/

http://mitreasorin.blogspot.com/2011...d-grub-pc.html

[jkorten]

What are you talking about?

The grub folder is in /boot/grub. If you are looking from live mode you need to mount your partition first.

If you use the auto method to install ubuntu, grub2 might go to the disk which is first in the boot order, which might be a different disk from where ubuntu is installed. This happens so that grub2 will be booted when you restart. Windows does the same, it puts its bootloader to the disk that is first in the boot order.

Anyway, for greater control in multidisk environment, and to select where to install grub2 yourself, use the manual install method. It always offers best control.

It appears you are correct (explaining why it wrote on the windows disk). If I want to rescue my ubuntu drive without reloading the OS - what steps are necessary to get grub to recognize the drive - just a normal install of grub from a bootable grub disk?

[darkod]

It appears you are correct (explaining why it wrote on the windows disk). If I want to rescue my ubuntu drive without reloading the OS - what steps are necessary to get grub to recognize the drive - just a normal install of grub from a bootable grub disk?

To give you best advice, lets get clear what you want.

You have your ubuntu install, and you only want to "move" its grub2 to another disk?
And then reinstall windows bootloader to the disk where windows is, for example?

Explain more about the setup. If you want to, to make it clearer, you can boot into live mode and give us the output of:
sudo fdisk -l (small L)

And tell is which partition is what, and where you want the bootloaders.

[jkorten]

To give you best advice, lets get clear what you want.

You have your ubuntu install, and you only want to "move" its grub2 to another disk?
And then reinstall windows bootloader to the disk where windows is, for example?

Explain more about the setup. If you want to, to make it clearer, you can boot into live mode and give us the output of:
sudo fdisk -l (small L)

And tell is which partition is what, and where you want the bootloaders.

Thank you darkod,

I had an untouched windows (drive 0) and removed it to install linux on drive 1 originally. That way there was only grub on the ubuntu partition. I could remove the linux disk and my laptop would boot windows without a hitch.

I installed using update the 12.04 and it appears to have written grub onto the drive 0, I removed this OK using the grub boot disk (restore mbr).

Now I want the ubuntu disk to boot by itself. Which I believe will require I simply install grub on drive 1. I will do this with the windows disk out of the system.

[darkod]

You have the procedure here how to add grub2 to the MBR of the disk:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708

Use fdisk and note the correct linux partition. If you are in doubt, post the results of fdisk and I can give you the exact commands. No need to disconnect the windows disk just for this, the grub install command can be told where exactly to install and the windows disk will not be touched.

[jkorten]

You have the procedure here how to add grub2 to the MBR of the disk:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708

Use fdisk and note the correct linux partition. If you are in doubt, post the results of fdisk and I can give you the exact commands. No need to disconnect the windows disk just for this, the grub install command can be told where exactly to install and the windows disk will not be touched.

That did it! Can I say on a public forum the depth of my fondness for you?



Really - thanks alot. Never knew that Grub install procedure. Worked great.

Problem solved!

[darkod]

That did it! Can I say on a public forum the depth of my fondness for you?



Really - thanks alot. Never knew that Grub install procedure. Worked great.

Problem solved!

You are welcome. Enjoy it now.

[Mylorharbour]

Yeap, it scans the hdd. Doesn't matter that you are running it from live mode. Just be careful where it downloads since the run command will depend on that. You need to run it from the same folder.

Thanks darko. Sorry about the delay, I've been off sick.

A bit more info before you read the output. I tried installing 11.10 into the same partition and had exactly the same result. I did start the install from the booted CD, not from live mode. As sda8 contained 11.10 and as it was the last distro I installed I presume the latest GRUB was installed in that partition? I suspect 12.04 mounted and read data from it as the install knew the region was the UK and the keyboard was English (UK). Anyway, as the 11.10 installation on sda8 wasn't important I deleted that partition and installed 12.04 again. The install went fine but GRUB is still screwed as whichever option I choose from the GRUB menu returns 'No such partition'. An old Super Grub Disk is still able to boot into Windows on sda1.

Results from bootinfoscript in my next post as I get a 'too many images' error if I include it here(?)

P.S. I can't post the output as a separate post nor as a PM as it's over 55000 characters long. Could you let me know which sections would be of interest and I'll post them. Alternatively if you could PM me an email address?

[darkod]

Look towards the top when it lists partition by partition, and note on which partition is 12.04 installed. Or maybe you know, is it sda8 again?

[Mylorharbour]

Thanks for coming back to me. My thread was hijacked but that's ok as I learnt a bit more.....

The partition numbers probably changed when I deleted sda8?

Boot Info Script 0.61 [1 April 2012]





============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================



=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of

the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks

for (,msdos10)/boot/grub on this drive.

=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks at sector 1 of

the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and uses an

embedded config file:



---------------------------------------------------------------------------

search.fs_uuid 0a777bad-ca9a-44fc-a4f3-f07a42c4c407 root

set prefix=($root)/boot/grub

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----.

=> Syslinux MBR (3.61-4.03) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc.



sda1: __________________________________________________ ________________________



File system: ntfs

Boot sector type: Windows XP: NTFS

Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.

Operating System: Windows XP

Boot files: /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM



sda2: __________________________________________________ ________________________



File system: Extended Partition

Boot sector type: -

Boot sector info:



sda5: __________________________________________________ ________________________



File system: swap

Boot sector type: -

Boot sector info:



sda6: __________________________________________________ ________________________



File system: ext3

Boot sector type: -

Boot sector info:

Operating System:

Boot files: /boot/grub/menu.lst



sda7: __________________________________________________ ________________________



File system: ext4

Boot sector type: -

Boot sector info:

Operating System: Linux Mint 12 Lisa

Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img



sda8: __________________________________________________ ________________________



File system: ext4

Boot sector type: -

Boot sector info:

Operating System:

Boot files:



sda9: __________________________________________________ ________________________



File system: ntfs

Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7: NTFS

Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.

Operating System:

Boot files:



sda10: __________________________________________________ _______________________



File system: ext4

Boot sector type: -

Boot sector info:

Operating System: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS

Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img



sda11: __________________________________________________ _______________________



File system: ext4

Boot sector type: -

Boot sector info:

Operating System: Ubuntu 11.10

Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img