[Bug 1237519] Re: Grub2 fails to install to non-standard device path

[Phillip Susi]

The HDIO_GETGEO ioctl has been depreciated for years and will be removed
"some day", so user space tools have been moving to reading the sysfs
attribute, so I'd prefer not to see more use of the obsolete ioctl.
While it isn't quite as simple as the ioctl, it isn't that bad and you
should be able to copy/paste the code that does this out of parted's
libparted/arch/linux.c, or util-linux's lib/sysfs.c is a bit more
complete but complex interface.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1237519

Title:
  Grub2 fails to install to non-standard device path

Status in “grub-installer” package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in “grub2” package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in “grub-installer” source package in Precise:
  New
Status in “grub2” source package in Precise:
  New

Bug description:
  Running the Ubuntu Server installer in UEFI mode fails to install the
  Grub bootloader.  Attached is the syslog output that shows grub-
  installer failed with error code 1.  I have seen this on Ubuntu 12.04,
  12.10, and 13.04.  I believe the problem is that Grub is looking for
  device paths that match something like '/dev/sdX' or '/dev/hdX' but
  the device I am installing to does not follow that convention.

  The reason I believe it is looking for specific devices paths is if,
  during installation after my device has been partitioned, I escape
  into the shell (using alt+f2) and create a hard link from my device
  name and its partitions, to a device name that matches 'sdX', then
  Grub begins to install.  For example, if my device name is /dev/fioa
  and has partitions /dev/fioa1, /dev/fioa2, and /dev/fioa3, I map those
  partitions to something like /dev/sdc, /dev/sdc1, /dev/sdc2, and
  /dev/sdc3 and continue with the installation onto /dev/sdc.  By doing
  this, Grub will begin to install on the device.

  Possibly useful background information:

  - The operating system and all files install just fine without
  problem, it is the last step of installing the bootloader that fails.

  - In order to have the device recognized during installation, I either
  need to run 'insmod' from a terminal or we have to manually modify
  initrd to include our .ko file because it is not a standard disk
  driver.  Using either method does not affect the outcome of Grub2
  failing to install.

  - Even though grub begins to install after creating the hard links
  mentioned above, it does not finish successfully due to the linked
  paths (e.g. /dev/sdc) not being in the device map.  That is a separate
  issue, but may be expected behavior and would likely need a separate
  ticket if it needed to be reported at all.

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