Bug#547944: grub-pc: upgrade-from-grub-legacy option to install in a given hard disk is tricky

[Felix Zielcke]

Am Dienstag, den 22.09.2009, 13:50 -0400 schrieb Stefano:
> Package: grub-pc
> Version: 1.97~beta3-1
> Justification: renders package unusable
> Severity: grave
> 
> *** Please type your report below this line ***
> 
> Hi, 
> 
> when running upgrade-from-grub-legacy an option is given about where to
> install GRUB2. However, if one hits enter without checking such option
> the process end without errors but GRUB2 is not installed and when the
> system is rebooted GRUB Legacy starts and "Error 15" (file not found) is
> given.
> The system is then unbootable and a liveCD must be used to fix the
> problem: boot in the pc, mount partition(s), chroot, reinstall
> grub-legacy (remove grub and grub-pc), reboot.
> 
> The tricky question is the following (I only have one hard disk):
> 
> _________________
> Configuring grub-pc 
> GRUB install devices:          
> [ ] /dev/hda
> <Ok>   
> _________________
> 
> If one hits "Enter" without checking the "[ ] /dev/hda" option the
> installation seems to be OK, but in fact the system will not boot.
> 
> I suggest that the option should be either already checked or the <Ok>
> button should be "unclickable" unless the option is checked.
> 
> I classified de bug as "grave" because many users could not know what to
> do to fix this issue.
> 

We could add a 2nd parameter to the postinst call so we can distinguish
between normal postinst run and called by upgrade-from-grub-legacy. And
then we check in that case if at least one device has been given and in
that case we return a special error code (maybe 9999 or something like
that) and print a notice in upgrade-from-grub-legacy then.

or we could make that a debconf template so it can get translated.

Robert what do you think?


-- 
Felix Zielcke
Proud Debian Maintainer