Arch Linux

Ilya

Member

From: Russia, Saint-Petersburg

Registered: 2007-08-16

Posts: 98

GRUB and GPT [solved]

Trying to install 2009.08...
Before installing, I make GPT as disk label on /dev/sda and formatted root partition (/dev/sda1) as ext4 (without journal, I don't need it).

Now I can't install GRUB on /dev/sda.

Error installing GRUB (see /dev/tty7 for output)
...
grub> device (hd0) /dev/sda
grub root (hd0,0)
 Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0xee
grub> setup (hd0)

Error 17: Cannot mount selected partition
grub> quit

According to this information bug #9864, GRUB supports GPT. So what wrong? Problem with ext4? Maybe I need some "special street magic" in /boot/grub/menu.lst?

Last edited by Ilya (2009-11-11 02:36:39)

Ilya

Member

From: Russia, Saint-Petersburg

Registered: 2007-08-16

Posts: 98

Re: GRUB and GPT [solved]

BTW, it's not ext4 fault...

GPT-patch was removed from GRUB, according to bug #10639. Reason: GPT-patch breaks some other GRUB functionality, so GRUB 0.97 doesn't support GPT My little research shows, that GRUB is too huge for GPT, there is no spacial place for it. Even GRUB2 requires special BIOS Boot Partition which i can't make - try to execute this 'parted /dev/sda set <partition_number> bios_grub on' and you'll see why.

In other hand, Lilo works correctly with GPT out of the box (from year 2000!).

I'm going to change disk label to 'msdos'. GPT presence is too doubtful for me right now. Also, I think that GRUB is too big for the thing which must just boot my Linux and I'm going to switch to Lilo.

Last edited by Ilya (2009-11-11 02:35:40)

BadPotato

Member

Registered: 2008-08-28

Posts: 4

Re: GRUB and GPT [solved]

sorry to bother.. but does someone would be cool enough for uploading a pkgbuild with GPT support and the improved patch
==> http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/10639

thanks!