Arch Linux

tk83

Member

Registered: 2013-02-22

Posts: 11

Arch in Virtualbox - Grub cannot load

I'm trying to install Arch in a Virtualbox VM. I've followed the installation guide as well as https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GR … _Partition, including installing grub with:

arch-chroot /mnt pacman -S grub-bios
parted /dev/sda set 1 bios_grub on
 modprobe dm-mod
 grub-install --target=i386-pc --grub-setup=/bin/true --recheck --debug /dev/sda
 mkdir -p /boot/grub/locale
cp /usr/share/locale/en@quot/LC_MESSAGES/grub.mo /boot/grub/locale/en.mo
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

The problem is that grub won't even start. When I boot the VM I get a message "GRUB loading." and then nothing more - it just hangs there forever. I've googled around and tried various commands which are basically all just a variation of the above (installing grub) but nothing changes.

I have no idea how to debug this further because AFAICT grub is not even loading. Can anyone help? Anyone have any tips on installing Arch on a Virtualbox VM.

(Using arch 2013.02.01 image and Virtualbox 4.2.6 on a Kubuntu 12.04 host)

s1ln7m4s7r

Member

Registered: 2013-02-22

Posts: 262

Re: Arch in Virtualbox - Grub cannot load

Have you tried making syslinux your boot manager, i found that it is more simple to install and configure.

tk83

Member

Registered: 2013-02-22

Posts: 11

Re: Arch in Virtualbox - Grub cannot load

Thanks, I  managed to get it working with syslinux. It seems strange that grub wouldn't work as I'm guessing Virtualbox is a fairly common 'platform' that a lot of people have installed onto.

Anyway, off to setup KDE and have a look around what Arch can do.

Thralas

Member

Registered: 2007-06-26

Posts: 32

Re: Arch in Virtualbox - Grub cannot load

From the wiki:

To populate the /boot/grub directory and generate a /boot/grub/i386-pc/core.img file without embedding any grub-bios bootsector code in the MBR, post-MBR region, or the partition bootsector, add --grub-setup=/bin/true to grub-install

As such, you've only installed grub's loader to MBR, but it cannot locate core.img and will thus fail. Remove the --grub-setup argument.

the sad clown

Member

From: 192.168.0.X

Registered: 2011-03-20

Posts: 837

Re: Arch in Virtualbox - Grub cannot load

Did you generate the fstab file?

genfstab -p /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

BTW, I use gdisk and haven't had any trouble setting up a BIOS partition in virtualbox.

---

I laugh, yet the joke is on me

tk83

Member

Registered: 2013-02-22

Posts: 11

Re: Arch in Virtualbox - Grub cannot load

@Thralas: Well, that could be the missing step but I was following the instructions under "Install to GPT BIOS Boot Partition". The instructions about generating a core.img file sound like they're for another approach which doesn't involve installing grub in the MBR.

@the sad clown: Thanks but I did the genfstab step already.