[Bug 1923731] [NEW] Can't install from USB, at the end can't copy to /boot/something and update-grub fails with "no space left on device", but there is space

[Mihai Preda]

Public bug reported:

I'm trying to install Ubuntu 21.04 beta.
I already have installed Ubuntu 20.04.
I'm installing on a disk that is booted in BIOS mode normally, reusing the /home partition (i.e. side-by-side with the existing Ubuntu 20.04).


The disk is BIOS mode. I tried booting from the install USB in both UEFI and Legacy mode, the install fails in the same way at the very end. The message with "no space left on device" is misleading, there is space. Probably the installer is trying to write to the USB itself, which is probably read-only thus the error. Very annoying: GRUB also did update the MBR, thus I can't even boot the previous partition. Not only did the install fail, it also broke my system! Critical.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 21.04
Package: ubiquity 21.04.13
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.11.0-13.14-generic 5.11.7
Uname: Linux 5.11.0-13-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu61
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CasperVersion: 1.461
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Wed Apr 14 11:35:19 2021
InstallCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed maybe-ubiquity quiet splash ---
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 21.04 "Hirsute Hippo" - Beta amd64 (20210331.1)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US.UTF-8
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 LC_NUMERIC=C.UTF-8
RebootRequiredPkgs:
 linux-image-5.11.0-13-generic
 linux-base
SourcePackage: grub-installer
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

** Affects: grub-installer (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug hirsute ubiquity-21.04.13 ubuntu

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1923731

Title:
  Can't install from USB, at the end can't copy to /boot/something and
  update-grub fails with "no space left on device", but there is space

Status in grub-installer package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I'm trying to install Ubuntu 21.04 beta.
  I already have installed Ubuntu 20.04.
  I'm installing on a disk that is booted in BIOS mode normally, reusing the /home partition (i.e. side-by-side with the existing Ubuntu 20.04).

  
  The disk is BIOS mode. I tried booting from the install USB in both UEFI and Legacy mode, the install fails in the same way at the very end. The message with "no space left on device" is misleading, there is space. Probably the installer is trying to write to the USB itself, which is probably read-only thus the error. Very annoying: GRUB also did update the MBR, thus I can't even boot the previous partition. Not only did the install fail, it also broke my system! Critical.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 21.04
  Package: ubiquity 21.04.13
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.11.0-13.14-generic 5.11.7
  Uname: Linux 5.11.0-13-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
  ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu61
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
  CasperVersion: 1.461
  CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
  Date: Wed Apr 14 11:35:19 2021
  InstallCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed maybe-ubiquity quiet splash ---
  LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 21.04 "Hirsute Hippo" - Beta amd64 (20210331.1)
  ProcEnviron:
   LANGUAGE=en_US.UTF-8
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   LC_NUMERIC=C.UTF-8
  RebootRequiredPkgs:
   linux-image-5.11.0-13-generic
   linux-base
  SourcePackage: grub-installer
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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