[Bug 1778325] [NEW] Installer tries to install in BIOS mode on drive larger than 2 TB

[Robert Pearson]

Public bug reported:

I replaced a failing hard drive with a new one. I installed Ubuntu MATE
18.04 and then tried to boot it. Complete failure.

I have read that currently the Linux installer checks to see how the
installation media was booted. If it booted as legacy BIOS it installs
Linux as legacy BIOS bootable. If it is booted as UEFI, then it installs
as UEFI bootable.

This algorithm is valid as long as the target hard drive is 2 TB or
smaller. If the the drive is larger that 2 TB it must use a GUID
Partition Table and boot with UEFI. Now that 3 TB and 4 TB drives are
getting cheaper, the algorithm needs to be brought up to 2005 standards
and install as UEFI regardless of how the installation media was booted.

The installer should also check the for an UEFI System Partition, create
it if needed, and install any missing UEFI files. They are on the
installation DVD, the current installation program does not bother to
check the target drive and copy required UEFI files.

The installation media is a DVD with the latest Ubuntu MATE 18.04 ISO.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: ubuntu-release-upgrader-core 1:18.04.19
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-23.25-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-23-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: ufsd
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.2
Architecture: amd64
CrashDB: ubuntu
CurrentDesktop: MATE
Date: Sat Jun 23 04:46:52 2018
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-06-15 (7 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-MATE 18.04 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180426)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: ubuntu-release-upgrader
Symptom: dist-upgrade
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

** Affects: ubuntu-release-upgrader (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug bionic dist-upgrade

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1778325

Title:
  Installer tries to install in BIOS mode on drive larger than 2 TB

Status in ubuntu-release-upgrader package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I replaced a failing hard drive with a new one. I installed Ubuntu
  MATE 18.04 and then tried to boot it. Complete failure.

  I have read that currently the Linux installer checks to see how the
  installation media was booted. If it booted as legacy BIOS it installs
  Linux as legacy BIOS bootable. If it is booted as UEFI, then it
  installs as UEFI bootable.

  This algorithm is valid as long as the target hard drive is 2 TB or
  smaller. If the the drive is larger that 2 TB it must use a GUID
  Partition Table and boot with UEFI. Now that 3 TB and 4 TB drives are
  getting cheaper, the algorithm needs to be brought up to 2005
  standards and install as UEFI regardless of how the installation media
  was booted.

  The installer should also check the for an UEFI System Partition,
  create it if needed, and install any missing UEFI files. They are on
  the installation DVD, the current installation program does not bother
  to check the target drive and copy required UEFI files.

  The installation media is a DVD with the latest Ubuntu MATE 18.04 ISO.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
  Package: ubuntu-release-upgrader-core 1:18.04.19
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-23.25-generic 4.15.18
  Uname: Linux 4.15.0-23-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: ufsd
  ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.2
  Architecture: amd64
  CrashDB: ubuntu
  CurrentDesktop: MATE
  Date: Sat Jun 23 04:46:52 2018
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-06-15 (7 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-MATE 18.04 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180426)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  ProcEnviron:
   LANGUAGE=en_US
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: ubuntu-release-upgrader
  Symptom: dist-upgrade
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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