Bug#530848: Recommends to run grub-install against /dev/fd0

[Fabian Greffrath]

Package: grub-pc
Version: 1.96+20090523-1
Severity: minor

Dear GRUB-Maintainers,

since version 1.96+20090401-1 the grub-pc package asks the user to run 
grub-install during postinst. This is a very nice idea, thank you very 
much!

However, the package recommends to install GRUB to all drives if 
unsure which drive is designated as boot device by the BIOS. The list 
to select the possible drives also contains /dev/fd0. With other 
words, the postinst dialog recommends to install GRUB on my floppy.

If I select both /dev/fd0 and /dev/hda and confirm my selection, the 
following error message appears on the terminal:

	grub-probe: error: Cannot stat `/dev/fd0'
	Invalid device `/dev/fd0'.
	Try ``grub-setup --help'' for more information.
	Installation finished. No error reported.
	This is the contents of the device map /boot/grub/device.map.
	Check if this is correct or not. If any of the lines is
	incorrect, fix it and re-run the script `grub-install'.
	
	(fd0)	/dev/fd0
	(hd0)	/dev/hda
	Generating grub.cfg ...

While it's not really critical, it still feels uncomfortable to read 
an error message after such an important configuration step.

I have seen in grub-pc.postinst that the grub-install command is 
called with the --no-floppy option. Shouldn't this prevent it from 
probing the floppy drive at all?

[Is there any reason why I get to read the grub-mkrescue manpage when 
I type "man grub-install" and have to type "man 8 grub-install" to 
actually read the right manpage?]

Thank you and best regards,
Fabian


-- 
Dipl.-Phys. Fabian Greffrath

Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Lehrstuhl für Energieanlagen und Energieprozesstechnik (LEAT)
Universitätsstr. 150, IB 3/134
D-44780 Bochum

Telefon: +49 (0)234 / 32-26334
Fax:     +49 (0)234 / 32-14227
E-Mail:  greffrath at leat.ruhr-uni-bochum.de