[Bug 618286] New: RAID1 installation makes multiboot system completely unbootable (active flag removed with standard MBR code)
http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c0 Summary: RAID1 installation makes multiboot system completely unbootable (active flag removed with standard MBR code) Classification: openSUSE Product: openSUSE 11.3 Version: RC 1 Platform: x86 OS/Version: Other Status: NEW Severity: Major Priority: P5 - None Component: Bootloader AssignedTo: jsrain@novell.com ReportedBy: mrmazda@earthlink.net QAContact: jsrain@novell.com Found By: --- Blocker: --- Created an attachment (id=372494) --> (http://bugzilla.novell.com/attachment.cgi?id=372494) y2logs to reproduce: 1-partition multiboot and suitably format partitions 2-install standard MBR code 3-install DOS and/or Windows and/or OS/2 to standard primary partition(s) 4-install other distros to md devices comprised exclusively of logical partitions 5-configure a bootloader on some primary partition 6-set a primary partition active 7-test that every installed OS will boot 8-install RC1 to an md device comprised exclusively of logical partitions, specifying via the checkbox custom partition in (grub) bootloader configuration and leaving active flag checkbox checked actual behavior: 1-system will not boot anything from any HD 2-active flags are missing from all primary partitions expected behavior: 1-active flags remain as they were prior to installation 2-all previously bootable operating systems remain bootable as before 3-RC1 can be booted via chainload and/or configfile from pre-existing Grub on custom boot partition Notes: On installations to non-primary partitions there should never be any reason to touch active flags on existing primary partitions, particularly when YaST is not called upon to alter any partition tables (make no changes to _any_ partitions). -- Configure bugmail: http://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c1 Jiri Srain <jsrain@novell.com> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Status|NEW |RESOLVED Resolution| |INVALID --- Comment #1 from Jiri Srain <jsrain@novell.com> 2010-06-30 14:04:11 UTC --- You said that you left the active flag checked, which means that you agreed to set the active flag to a partition relevant for your linux system. You should have set it unchecked, this would fulfill your first point of expected behavior. I hope you agree that typical unexperienced Linux user has at most one additional operation system and there is a primary partition available. When you have a different bootloader, you need to assure yourself that it won't be broken by the configuration (or tell me how I can detect that the other bootloader on the system is working and can chainload me, because it may as easily be a non-working relic of some previous installation). Sorry, in your scenario, YaST provides you options to make it behave as you want to. What it does by default is best effort to make its installation of openSUSE boot (and, in some scenarios, I agree that it fails; however, we - Novell - cannot support all of these scenarios; if you provide patches, they will be weocome). -- Configure bugmail: http://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c2 Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Status|RESOLVED |REOPENED Resolution|INVALID | --- Comment #2 from Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> 2010-06-30 14:45:06 UTC --- (In reply to comment #1)
You said that you left the active flag checked, which means that you agreed to set the active flag to a partition relevant for your linux system. You should have set it unchecked, this would fulfill your first point of expected behavior.
In Bug 581652 I deselected the boot flag box and wound up unbootable because no active flag was set on any primary partition following installation, even though one was when installation began. There must be broken logic in what YaST is doing as a consequence of the state of the active flag checkbox. Active flag never has relevance to any but a primary partition. Therefore, as long as openSUSE installation is to a / or /boot that is a logical partition, the state of the active flag checkbox should be disgregarded - no action taken in regard to boot flags. Or better yet, a boot flag checkbox should not even be shown if the installation target is a logical. At the very least, the help for the grub settings page should clearly explain the consequences of setting the boot flag box or not.
(or tell me how I can detect that the other bootloader on the system is working and can chainload me, because it may as easily be a non-working relic of some previous installation).
Questions could be asked, such as: 1-Do you wish this installation to be/control your primary bootloader 2-Was your system bootable when you began installation 3-Will your current bootloader be chainloading this installation 4-Will your current bootloader be using this installation's Grub configfile 5-Would you like a grub stanza to paste into your current bootloader for booting this openSUSE installation Note that with standard MBR code, there must always be an active flag set on some primary in order for the system to boot a HD. Steps should be taken when standard MBR code is in place and the installation target is a logical that only affirmative direction to remove a boot flag from a primary should result in there being none set when installation has completed.
Novell - cannot support all of these scenarios; if you provide patches, they will be weocome).
I don't know how to access the source, or program. Nevertheless, if help is really needed because keeping a boot flag set on some primary when standard boot code is in place on the MBR is really so complicated, with help, I might be able to provide some. -- Configure bugmail: http://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c3 Jiri Srain <jsrain@novell.com> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CC| |jsrain@novell.com AssignedTo|jsrain@novell.com |juhliarik@novell.com --- Comment #3 from Jiri Srain <jsrain@novell.com> 2010-07-01 07:01:42 UTC --- Active flag can be selected also for an extended partition - and I'm aware that some BIOSes can boot this way (generic code in MBR, extended partition set as active and holding GRUB). However, this is not what we are committed to support (see the wiki page at http://en.opensuse.org/Bootloader/Scenarios). What is missing is the check box description explicitly stating which partition will be activated (in your cases, the extended partition) I don't think that the default installation should ask too many question - OTOH, having an easy way to switch a bootloader profile (having "standalone boot" by default, "chainloaded by another" as optional, maybe others). If you want to contribute, I suggest you should have a look at http://en.opensuse.org/Svn.opensuse.org and at the yast-devel@opensuse.org mailing list. It's probably not about being complicated, but about handling issues bothering larger audience. Jozef, please, have a look at better description of the widgets. -- Configure bugmail: http://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c4 --- Comment #4 from Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> 2010-07-01 08:13:09 UTC --- (In reply to comment #3)
Active flag can be selected also for an extended partition - and I'm aware that some BIOSes can boot this way (generic code in MBR, extended partition set as active and holding GRUB).
As long as an x86 PC HD is not GPT partitioned, in which case primary/logical nomenclature is inapplicable, every partition defined in the end of its very first sector is a primary partition. Thus an extended partition entry in this location is a primary partition entry. -- Configure bugmail: http://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 http://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary|RAID1 installation makes |make clear action action to |multiboot system completely |be taken resulting from |unbootable (active flag |"set active flag" checked |removed with standard MBR |or not |code) | -- Configure bugmail: http://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c Jozef Uhliarik <juhliarik@novell.com> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AssignedTo|juhliarik@novell.com |jreidinger@novell.com -- Configure bugmail: https://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c5 Josef Reidinger <jreidinger@novell.com> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Priority|P5 - None |P2 - High Status|REOPENED |ASSIGNED --- Comment #5 from Josef Reidinger <jreidinger@novell.com> 2010-10-01 07:38:17 UTC --- Hi, I am now maiintaining yast2-bootloader, so my view: in general I think it is bug if no partition is selected as active and yast2-bootloader should check it and report problem if there is no active-flag. Also please consider that bootloader module is "expert" one and common users doesn't need it, so it is expected to have at least minimum booting knowledge and responsibility for actions. Your expectation that system can be boot via chainload or config file is possible if you choose boot from logical partition, which warn you and works ( I hope, if not please report it). So I add check if there is set active flag. -- Configure bugmail: https://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c Josef Reidinger <jreidinger@novell.com> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Priority|P2 - High |P3 - Medium -- Configure bugmail: https://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c6 --- Comment #6 from Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> 2010-12-18 16:01:13 UTC --- Created an attachment (id=405509) --> (http://bugzilla.novell.com/attachment.cgi?id=405509) y2logs This happened again, but on system with no md devices. IIRC, in summary section I did not touch the links regarding boot loader location, waiting until in boot loader installation to select options. I left set active flag checked, selected / as location, and the installer moved the flag from where it was (sda3, which contained Grub, and menu.lst with a chainloader stanza pointing to the current installation's / target), and needed to remain, to the extended (sda4). The meaning of "Custom Boot Partition lets you choose a partition to boot from" in Help remains unclear as to whether menu.lst and Grub would be put there, or whatever is already there might be altered by the current installation process. Help still does not explain the significance of the set active flag checkbox, or whether selecting "Write generic Boot Code to MBR" will write regardless or leave it alone if generic code is already present there. -- Configure bugmail: https://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c Ihno Krumreich <ihno@suse.com> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OS/Version|Other |openSUSE 11.3 -- Configure bugmail: https://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286 https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=618286#c8 Steffen Winterfeldt <snwint@suse.com> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Status|ASSIGNED |RESOLVED Resolution| |FIXED --- Comment #8 from Steffen Winterfeldt <snwint@suse.com> 2014-08-15 11:28:16 CEST --- hope this works with grub2 now -- Configure bugmail: https://bugzilla.novell.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
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