Re: [gentoo-user] Grub1: Cant ? Re: keeping grub 1

[Fernando Rodriguez <frodriguez.developer@outlook.com>]

On Thursday, August 27, 2015 2:23:56 PM Fernando Rodriguez wrote:
> On Thursday, August 27, 2015 8:49:13 AM Mike Gilbert wrote:
> > On Wed, Aug 26, 2015 at 6:27 PM, Michel Catudal <mcatudal@comcast.net> 
> wrote:
> > > Le 2015-08-26 13:37, Fernando Rodriguez a écrit :
> > >
> > >> This may not be complete and some of these may be possible to some 
extent
> > >> with
> > >> legacy grub:
> > >>
> > >> 1. Grub Legacy is 32-bit only, so you need 32-bit libraries or use 
grub-
> > >> static. Grub2 is portable, even beyond Intel architectures.
> > >> 2. Grub2 has been rewritten to be modular. Instead of Grub's stages 
model
> > >> it
> > >> uses a core image and a bunch of modules.
> > >> 3. EFI support without chainloading or other hacks.
> > >> 4. Better filesystem support. Including loopback devices.
> > >> 5. Graphics and theming support.
> > >> 6. Grub2's config file (the one it tells you not to edit manually) is
> > >> scriptable
> > >> using a shell-like script language.
> > >> 7. Password support for each entry.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > > I've had serious problems in the past getting to to install on a 
partition
> > > and gave up. Is that bug fixed? It insists on installing on the MBR which 
> is
> > > unacceptable.
> > >
> > 
> > It's not a bug, and it won't be "fixed". Installing on a partition is
> > simply not supported.
> > 
> 
> I just got it to work with these steps:
> 
> 1. Mount the partition to /mnt/usb
> 2. Run:
> 
> #grub2-install --directory /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc --boot-
> directory=/mnt/usb/boot --force /dev/sdb2
> Installing for i386-pc platform.
> grub2-install: warning: File system `ext2' doesn't support embedding.
> grub2-install: warning: Embedding is not possible.  GRUB can only be 
installed 
> in this setup by using blocklists.  However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and 
> their use is discouraged..
> Installation finished. No error reported.
> 
> 3. Set the partition as active with fdisk.
> 
> And it booted. To verify that it didn't overwrite the mbr I overwrote it 
with 
> syslinux's mbr as follows:
> 
> sudo dd conv=notrunc bs=440 count=1 if=/usr/share/syslinux/mbr.bin 
of=/dev/sdb
> 
> Still boots!

It is a good idea to make all grub2 files in /boot immutable to avoid problems.

-- 
Fernando Rodriguez