[Bug 2110358] Re: GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false should be the default — automatic OS detection is broken by design
Launchpad Bug Tracker
2110358 at bugs.launchpad.net
Mon May 12 06:48:37 UTC 2025
Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.
** Changed in: grub2 (Ubuntu)
Status: New => Confirmed
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2110358
Title:
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false should be the default — automatic OS
detection is broken by design
Status in grub2 package in Ubuntu:
Confirmed
Bug description:
Dear GRUB/Ubuntu maintainers,
This is a request (and a serious complaint) regarding the decision to
disable os-prober by default starting with GRUB 2.06.
This change:
- Breaks automatic detection of other operating systems (e.g., Windows, other Linux distros)
- Confuses users who dual-boot
- Offers no warning during installation
- Forces unnecessary manual configuration just to restore old, expected behavior
The security justification is unconvincing:
- Home users do not benefit from this "protection"
- Any malicious bootloader would already require root-level compromise, making this irrelevant
- System administrators are perfectly capable of disabling os-prober if needed
Ubuntu used to stand for **humanity** — simple, user-friendly behavior
with sane defaults. This change is the opposite.
If this trend continues, more users will abandon GRUB (and perhaps
even Ubuntu) for alternatives like rEFInd, which respect usability.
> Good security is not disabling features. The best security is not
installing the OS — and even better, not turning the computer on at
all.
Please reconsider this anti-user decision.
Thank you.
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