grub not offered at install

[topher]

Just install VL7. I had read on this forum that both lilo and grub would offered as boot loader options during install. Grub wasn't and it should be. I can't access my other linux installations with lilo. I can with grub. I opened gslapt to see that grub was already installed but it is not configured nor is it used as the default boot loader. Re-installing it doesn't automatically configure it like I read that it would in this forum.

I tried

Code:

vector://home/vl
root:# /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig
Generating 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 $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${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 {
cat: /boot/grub/video.lst: No such file or directory
true
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root bf175d2e-de81-4669-ad92-c68eb76e3dfb
if loadfont /boot/grub/unifont.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=800x600x16
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_input gfxterm
terminal_output gfxterm
set timeout=5
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_vectorlinux_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
### END /etc/grub.d/05_vectorlinux_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### 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 ###
  No volume groups found
Found Arch-sda2 on /dev/sda2
menuentry "Arch-sda2 (on /dev/sda2)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 8f40f2da-f431-4bd6-992f-1b4c62de8bf4
linux16 /boot/vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sda2 splash=silent vga=788
initrd16 /boot/initrd
}
menuentry "Arch-sda2 (on /dev/sda2-TUI)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 8f40f2da-f431-4bd6-992f-1b4c62de8bf4
linux16 /boot/vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sda2 2 vga=normal
initrd16 /boot/initrd
}
Found Linux Mint Debian Edition (1) on /dev/sda3
menuentry "Linux Mint Debian Edition (1) (on /dev/sda3)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos3)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 712df0eb-6a4e-4e08-96b3-61165d6807c4
linux16 /boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-1-amd64 root=/dev/sda3 splash=silent vga=788
initrd16 /boot/initrd
}
menuentry "Linux Mint Debian Edition (1) (on /dev/sda3-TUI)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos3)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 712df0eb-6a4e-4e08-96b3-61165d6807c4
linux16 /boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-1-amd64 root=/dev/sda3 2 vga=normal
initrd16 /boot/initrd
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### 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  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
done

then

Code:

vector://home/vl
root:# /usr/sbin/grub-install /dev/sda

When I rebooted, I got

Code:

grub>

on a black screen after

Code:

Grub Loading

The howto's and other posts, about changing to grub from lilo, in this forum, are outdated, most referring to grub 0.99 not grub2 1.99.

Could someone make a howto for the current version of Vector Linux, please?

[retired1af]

How did you install? Grub is definitely an option during the installation process.

[topher]

How did you install? Grub is definitely an option during the installation process.

I used unetbootin to copy this iso http://vectorlinux.osuosl.org/veclinux-7.0/iso-release/VL7.0-STD-GOLD-LIVE.iso to a thumbdrive., booted from it then installed it to the hard drive.

There was no option to use grub as a boot loader. There were only options to not install lilo or where to install lilo. Believe me, if there was a grub option, I would have used it. I have already re-installed VL7 after it wouldn't boot due to my grub installation efforts. 

[stretchedthin]

Grup is only an option on the vectorlinux install disk, the live disk does not have a grub option.
You can find the live disk here...
http://vectorlinux.osuosl.org/veclinux-7.0/iso-release/VL7.0-STD-GOLD.iso

unetbootin will not work to make an install usb for this iso, if you want that follow this tutorial here.
http://www.opensourcebistro.com/blog1/?p=704

[topher]

Grup is only an option on the vectorlinux install disk, the live disk does not have a grub option.
You can find the live disk here...
http://vectorlinux.osuosl.org/veclinux-7.0/iso-release/VL7.0-STD-GOLD.iso

unetbootin will not work to make an install usb for this iso, if you want that follow this tutorial here.
http://www.opensourcebistro.com/blog1/?p=704

That's very nice. Just my luck I'd pick the wrong one. Now that I have installed and re-installed VL7 on my hard drive, I would like to know how to make grub2 my boot loader instead lilo, or is that not possible.

I downloaded the VL7.0-STD-GOLD.iso. I used unetbootin, but it never got past the video resolution part of the installation. It just kept rebooting at that point. The tutorial for making a bootable usb without unetbootin didn't work either. It wouldn't boot.

Code:

isohybrid VL7.0-STD-GOLD.iso
dd if=VL7.0-STD-GOLD.iso of=/dev/sdb

 
did boot and get past the video resolution then couldn't find the VL7.0-STD-GOLD.iso.

Code:

cp VL7.0-STD-GOLD.iso /dev/sda3

then it worked. After completing the installation and selecting the grub configuration, grub didn't list my LMDE installation that the installer found and wouldn't boot my Arch installation that the installer didn't find, yet showed up in the grub menu. I copy/pasted my LMDE entry in /boot/grub/grub.cfg to Vector /boot/grub/grub.cfg, booted into LMDE.

Code:

sudo update-grub
sudo install grub /dev/sda

and I am booting all 3 OS's with Debian's grub2 boot loader.

Hopefully this isn't a precursor to what lies ahead for me when I actually start using your OS.

[stretchedthin]

about the tutorials.

The howto's and other posts, about changing to grub from lilo, in this forum, are outdated, most referring to grub 0.99 not grub2 1.99.

Could someone make a howto for the current version of Vector Linux, please?

Good suggestion, I'll see what I can do.

The tutorial for making a bootable usb without unetbootin didn't work either. It wouldn't boot.

Was concerned about video not working for you so I tested it again. Worked for me here.  There is a step where you have to use issue a command in the terminal...
syslinux /dev/sdxx  (/dev/sdxx being were your usbstick in addressed in /dev)
It's at that step that you make the usb stick bootable.

Yeah, the bug with our grub2 not seeing other linux's is the one that got by the dev's and the testers this release cycle.  I think you will have a smoother ride, from here on.

[uelsk8s]

changing from lilo to grub is pretty easy. you were very close to completing it in your first post, but when you run "grub-mkconfig" you have to tell it to write the config or it just writes to stdout.

the steps are:
1) grub-install /dev/sda
2) grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

then reboot.
we have a new grub pkg in our testing repo that needs testing to make sure it detects other OS's properly.
If you can install it and help test it would be appreciated.

HTH,
Uelsk8s

[topher]

Was concerned about video not working for you so I tested it again. Worked for me here.  There is a step where you have to use issue a command in the terminal...
syslinux /dev/sdxx  (/dev/sdxx being were your usbstick in addressed in /dev)
It's at that step that you make the usb stick bootable.

Maybe my problems was, I used

Code:

syslinux /dev/sdb

instead of

Code:

syslinux /dev/sdb1

Another suggestion for the tutorial, if its possible, is to edit out the mistake where he uses isomaster to extract VL7.0-STD-GOLD.iso to the desktop. So that everyone who is following the video, step by step, doesn't have to repeat his error.  There are pauses in the tutorial before and after the mistake that would make good cut points.
 

[topher]

the steps are:
1) grub-install /dev/sda
2) grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

then reboot.
we have a new grub pkg in our testing repo that needs testing to make sure it detects other OS's properly.
If you can install it and help test it would be appreciated.

HTH,
Uelsk8s

I would be happy to test the new grub pkg. I assume the steps in your above quote are how I would install it to my mbr.

In LMDE those would be

Code:

sudo update grub
grub-install /dev/sda

Its seems that they are in a different order. That is, generating a new /boot/grub/grub.cfg, then installing grub to the mbr. Is it the reverse order for Vector Linux?

Edit

I added the testing repo in gslapt. When I select grub2 1.99-i586-6vl70 it says downgrade. I have 1.99~rc1-i586-2vl70 installed. Is this correct?

[uelsk8s]

yes you need to "downgrade" from 1.99~RC1 to 1.99

it doesn't matter the order in which you install grub to the mbr and generate the grub.cfg, so long as both are done before you reboot.

[topher]

Its all good. Grub finds and boots all 3 OS's. I also upgraded os-prober to 1.49-i586-1vl70 from 1.29-i586-3vl60 when I installed netcat.