Bug#709097: grub-pc: Boot failure after updating to 2.00-14 - cannot find normal.mod, grub-rescue reports /boot empty

Jim Hague jim.hague at acm.org
Mon May 20 18:55:19 UTC 2013


Package: grub-pc
Version: 2.00-14
Severity: critical
Justification: breaks the whole system

After update from 1.99-27 on my i386 laptop, it failed to boot, stopping at the
grub-rescue prompt.

grub-rescue could see (hd0), (hd0,msdos1) and (hd0,msdos2). (hd0,msdos2) is a
LVM partition containing the root filesystem. (hd0,msdos1) is the boot
partition containing an ext2 filesystem. All prefixes were correct, but grub
reported it could not find /grub/i386-pc/normal.mod. This was apparently
because Grub could not find any files on the partition.

grub-rescue>ls (hd0,msdos1)

grub-rescue>

I used boot-repair to fsck the boot partition (clean), and to purge and re-
install grub, configuring as before boot sda, boot partition sda1. On
rebooting, no change.

I then tried saving the content of the boot partition, re-creating the boot
partition filesystem (using mkfs.ext3), copying the files back and re-running
update-grub and grub-install. The machine booted correctly, so I therefore
infer something about my /boot ext2 filesystem was causing it to be misread by
2.00-14.

A copy of the offening boot partition (saved with 'dd if=/dev/sda1 of=<file>
bs=1M') is at http://www.lunch.org.uk/grub2-empty-partition.bz2.



-- Package-specific info:

*********************** BEGIN /proc/mounts
/dev/mapper/wormtail-root / ext3 rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/mapper/wormtail-home /home ext3 rw,relatime,errors=continue,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/sda1 /boot ext3 rw,relatime,errors=continue,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
*********************** END /proc/mounts

*********************** BEGIN /boot/grub/grub.cfg
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
set default="0"

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod lvm
insmod ext2
set root='lvm/wormtail-root'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint='lvm/wormtail-root'  53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_GB
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
set timeout=10
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod part_msdos
insmod lvm
insmod ext2
set root='lvm/wormtail-root'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint='lvm/wormtail-root'  53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8
fi
insmod png
if background_image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/joy-grub.png; then
  set color_normal=white/black
  set color_highlight=black/white
else
  set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
  set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
	load_video
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd0,msdos1'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
	fi
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.8-2-686-pae ...'
	linux	/vmlinuz-3.8-2-686-pae root=/dev/mapper/wormtail-root ro  quiet
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/initrd.img-3.8-2-686-pae
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Debian GNU/Linux' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
	menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.8-2-686-pae' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.8-2-686-pae-advanced-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.8-2-686-pae ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-3.8-2-686-pae root=/dev/mapper/wormtail-root ro  quiet
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-3.8-2-686-pae
	}
	menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.8-2-686-pae (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.8-2-686-pae-recovery-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.8-2-686-pae ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-3.8-2-686-pae root=/dev/mapper/wormtail-root ro single 
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-3.8-2-686-pae
	}
	menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.8-1-686-pae' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.8-1-686-pae-advanced-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.8-1-686-pae ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-3.8-1-686-pae root=/dev/mapper/wormtail-root ro  quiet
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-3.8-1-686-pae
	}
	menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.8-1-686-pae (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.8-1-686-pae-recovery-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.8-1-686-pae ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-3.8-1-686-pae root=/dev/mapper/wormtail-root ro single 
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-3.8-1-686-pae
	}
	menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.2.0-4-686-pae-advanced-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-686-pae root=/dev/mapper/wormtail-root ro  quiet
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-3.2.0-4-686-pae
	}
	menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.2.0-4-686-pae-recovery-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-686-pae root=/dev/mapper/wormtail-root ro single 
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-3.2.0-4-686-pae
	}
	menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.2.0-3-686-pae' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.2.0-3-686-pae-advanced-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.2.0-3-686-pae ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-3.2.0-3-686-pae root=/dev/mapper/wormtail-root ro  quiet
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-3.2.0-3-686-pae
	}
	menuentry 'Debian GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.2.0-3-686-pae (recovery mode)' --class debian --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.2.0-3-686-pae-recovery-53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.2.0-3-686-pae ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-3.2.0-3-686-pae root=/dev/mapper/wormtail-root ro single 
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-3.2.0-3-686-pae
	}
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
*********************** END /boot/grub/grub.cfg

*********************** BEGIN /proc/mdstat
cat: /proc/mdstat: No such file or directory
*********************** END /proc/mdstat

*********************** BEGIN LVM
  --- Volume group ---
  VG Name               wormtail
  System ID             
  Format                lvm2
  Metadata Areas        1
  Metadata Sequence No  10
  VG Access             read/write
  VG Status             resizable
  MAX LV                0
  Cur LV                3
  Open LV               3
  Max PV                0
  Cur PV                1
  Act PV                1
  VG Size               148.81 GiB
  PE Size               4.00 MiB
  Total PE              38095
  Alloc PE / Size       35535 / 138.81 GiB
  Free  PE / Size       2560 / 10.00 GiB
  VG UUID               lNC3Us-M04x-9mBi-HsdC-ZZmZ-eyui-6EDofL
   
  --- Physical volume ---
  PV Name               /dev/sda2
  VG Name               wormtail
  PV Size               148.81 GiB / not usable 2.17 MiB
  Allocatable           yes 
  PE Size               4.00 MiB
  Total PE              38095
  Free PE               2560
  Allocated PE          35535
  PV UUID               7XcUm0-GQzJ-FO90-3o71-k8NH-peTm-fg9gjc
   
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/wormtail/swap_1
  LV Name                swap_1
  VG Name                wormtail
  LV UUID                yUUjwM-tA3u-9Ily-oc4Y-W3r5-3vr3-JALiWj
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time , 
  LV Status              available
  # open                 2
  LV Size                2.53 GiB
  Current LE             648
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
  - currently set to     256
  Block device           254:1
   
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/wormtail/root
  LV Name                root
  VG Name                wormtail
  LV UUID                hi1wyI-48cc-hDtz-UhSn-ZKtd-GV35-CKKgmI
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time , 
  LV Status              available
  # open                 1
  LV Size                13.31 GiB
  Current LE             3408
  Segments               2
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
  - currently set to     256
  Block device           254:0
   
  --- Logical volume ---
  LV Path                /dev/wormtail/home
  LV Name                home
  VG Name                wormtail
  LV UUID                U2bXph-YSEh-BPQk-s5jK-9lJf-YqER-sDuKcN
  LV Write Access        read/write
  LV Creation host, time , 
  LV Status              available
  # open                 1
  LV Size                122.96 GiB
  Current LE             31479
  Segments               1
  Allocation             inherit
  Read ahead sectors     auto
  - currently set to     256
  Block device           254:2
   
*********************** END LVM

*********************** BEGIN /dev/disk/by-id
total 0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root  9 May 20 19:01 ata-ST9160412ASG_5VG0QTE4 -> ../../sda
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 ata-ST9160412ASG_5VG0QTE4-part1 -> ../../sda1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 ata-ST9160412ASG_5VG0QTE4-part2 -> ../../sda2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root  9 May 20 19:01 ata-TSSTcorp_DVD+_-RW_TS-L633C_R4956GESA01804 -> ../../sr0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 dm-name-wormtail-home -> ../../dm-2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 dm-name-wormtail-root -> ../../dm-0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 dm-name-wormtail-swap_1 -> ../../dm-1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 dm-uuid-LVM-lNC3UsM04x9mBiHsdCZZmZeyui6EDofLU2bXphYSEhBPQks5jK9lJfYqERsDuKcN -> ../../dm-2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 dm-uuid-LVM-lNC3UsM04x9mBiHsdCZZmZeyui6EDofLhi1wyI48cchDtzUhSnZKtdGV35CKKgmI -> ../../dm-0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 dm-uuid-LVM-lNC3UsM04x9mBiHsdCZZmZeyui6EDofLyUUjwMtA3u9Ilyoc4YW3r53vr3JALiWj -> ../../dm-1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root  9 May 20 19:01 scsi-SATA_ST9160412ASG_5VG0QTE4 -> ../../sda
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 scsi-SATA_ST9160412ASG_5VG0QTE4-part1 -> ../../sda1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 scsi-SATA_ST9160412ASG_5VG0QTE4-part2 -> ../../sda2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root  9 May 20 19:01 wwn-0x5000c50019489d94 -> ../../sda
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 wwn-0x5000c50019489d94-part1 -> ../../sda1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 wwn-0x5000c50019489d94-part2 -> ../../sda2
*********************** END /dev/disk/by-id

*********************** BEGIN /dev/disk/by-uuid
total 0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 150cdf7b-0554-41c3-bcad-342bd6e67b92 -> ../../dm-2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 53a45527-160e-4d8f-bcac-fe4205064bf8 -> ../../dm-0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 May 20 19:01 de3508e0-6558-4a8f-a2f1-a3114e6063e1 -> ../../sda1
*********************** END /dev/disk/by-uuid

-- System Information:
Debian Release: jessie/sid
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)

Kernel: Linux 3.8-2-686-pae (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_GB.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_GB.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash

Versions of packages grub-pc depends on:
ii  debconf [debconf-2.0]  1.5.50
ii  grub-common            2.00-14
ii  grub-pc-bin            2.00-14
ii  grub2-common           2.00-14
ii  ucf                    3.0027

grub-pc recommends no packages.

grub-pc suggests no packages.

-- debconf information:
  grub2/kfreebsd_cmdline:
  grub2/device_map_regenerated:
  grub2/linux_cmdline:
  grub-pc/install_devices_empty: false
  grub-pc/install_devices_failed: false
  grub-pc/chainload_from_menu.lst: true
  grub-pc/kopt_extracted: false
* grub-pc/install_devices: /dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST9160412ASG_5VG0QTE4
  grub-pc/postrm_purge_boot_grub: false
  grub-pc/install_devices_failed_upgrade: true
  grub-pc/disk_description:
  grub2/kfreebsd_cmdline_default: quiet
  grub-pc/partition_description:
  grub-pc/install_devices_disks_changed:
  grub2/linux_cmdline_default: quiet
  grub-pc/mixed_legacy_and_grub2: true



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