GPT vs. MS-DOS Partition Table

[Slug71]

I know this is an old thread but im having issues relating to this. I've tried installing both 12.04 and 12.10 with BTRFS(both / and /home) on my test rig as well as my Netbook and both fail to install Grub2. When I access the install via the LiveCD and try to install Grub2 manually, I get "core.img is unually large" and it doesn't install.

My partitions are showing as ms-dos so I know they are not GPT. Any reason why this is happening and will a BIOS-boot partition help like id does with a GPT partition table?

[oldfred]

Moved you from 2 year old thread. While on gpt vs. MBR it was more to do with burg.

You have to have space after the MBR for core.img. When using gparted to create partitions the first sector should be 2048 which then is lots of room for core.img after MBR. Perhaps the extra add in modules for your BTRFS needs extra room?

You are not trying to install grub to PBR - partition boot sector are you. That always give that error as core.img does not fit.

You have to use gpt if you want a bios_grub partition. But you cannot use gpt with Windows unless booting with UEFI.

I have gpt on my 160GB drive and even a 16GB flash drive with bios_grub partitions. I only use ext3 or ext4 but I do not think formatting makes a difference.

Post this:

sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print

[Slug71]

Moved you from 2 year old thread. While on gpt vs. MBR it was more to do with burg.

You have to have space after the MBR for core.img. When using gparted to create partitions the first sector should be 2048 which then is lots of room for core.img after MBR. Perhaps the extra add in modules for your BTRFS needs extra room?

You are not trying to install grub to PBR - partition boot sector are you. That always give that error as core.img does not fit.

You have to use gpt if you want a bios_grub partition. But you cannot use gpt with Windows unless booting with UEFI.

I have gpt on my 160GB drive and even a 16GB flash drive with bios_grub partitions. I only use ext3 or ext4 but I do not think formatting makes a difference.

Post this:

sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print

Thanks oldfred. This is all new to me regarding HDD's partition formats.

The output of the above gives me

Model: ATA WDC WD3200AAKS-0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 625142448s
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 63s 39070079s 39070017s primary fat32 boot, lba
2 39070080s 78140159s 39070080s primary freebsd-ufs
3 78140160s 117210239s 39070080s primary ext4
4 117210301s 625137344s 507927044s extended
5 117210303s 125402302s 8192000s logical linux-swap(v1)
6 125402304s 156122302s 30719999s logical ext4
7 156122304s 176602302s 20479999s logical ext4
8 176602608s 200041379s 23438772s logical ext4
9 200041443s 217616489s 17575047s logical ext4
10 217616553s 246919049s 29302497s logical ext4
11 246919113s 266454089s 19534977s logical ext4
12 266454153s 295756649s 29302497s logical btrfs
13 295756713s 315291689s 19534977s logical btrfs
14 315291753s 344594249s 29302497s logical ext3
15 344594313s 364129289s 19534977s logical ext3
16 364129353s 393431849s 29302497s logical ext4
17 393431913s 412966889s 19534977s logical ext4
18 412966953s 442269449s 29302497s logical ext4
19 442269513s 461804489s 19534977s logical ext4
20 461804553s 491107049s 29302497s logical ext4
21 491107113s 510642089s 19534977s logical ext4
22 510642153s 539944649s 29302497s logical ext4
23 539944713s 559479689s 19534977s logical ext4
24 559479753s 588782249s 29302497s logical ext4
25 588782313s 625137344s 36355032s logical ext4

1 = ReactOS
2 = PC-BSD
3 = Open Solaris

The rest is Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, OpenSUSE, Fedora, Mandrake, Foresight, Mint and Crunchbang. Not in that order.

[oldfred]

Your first partition is at sector 63 which is the old standard. So maybe with your unusually large core.img it is a problem. What is in FAT32 sda1. I do not like moving partitions start, but you may have to, if it is not full. You would have to shrink it then move it right so start is 2048 or more. Sometimes gparted may round.

[Slug71]

Your first partition is at sector 63 which is the old standard. So maybe with your unusually large core.img it is a problem. What is in FAT32 sda1. I do not like moving partitions start, but you may have to, if it is not full. You would have to shrink it then move it right so start is 2048 or more. Sometimes gparted may round.

Thanks oldfred. Its ReactOS. I can move it since I need to do a reinstall anyway.