lubuntu-desktop team mailing list archive

[Goh Lip <g.lip@xxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:57:05 +0700
Quynh Vu Do <vdquynh@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> 2010/6/27 Goh Lip <g.lip@xxxxxxx>
> 
> > On 06/27/2010 01:57 AM, Mario Behling wrote:
> >
> >> Dear all,
> >>
> >> forwarded a bug report below.
> >>
> >> Best,
> >>
> >> Mario
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >> 1. After normally ended Installation Process, my PC has the MBR on
> >> FIRST HDD (!!!), but I _use not_ this device for installation
> >> Lubintu, not use it completely!
> >> 2. On my PC cannot be starts none PS' File Systems without having
> >> as plugged External Devices because MBD find it and stooped
> >> without this External HDD or SDD. It has black screen only and
> >> display Diagnostic Message on this situation.
> >>
> >
> > Mario, did not see the OP (abnormal) post on this list. But from
> > what I gather, he has installed the grub to the external disk.
> > Naturally, there is no way the system be able to boot this up.
> >
> >
> It's the contray I think.
> 
> This is a common mistake when you install Ubuntu to a USB device
> because by default Grub is installed to the first hard disk
> (/dev/sda). Ont he last screen of the installation process you need
> to click on the "Advanced" button and select the place where Grub
> should be installed and -in case of installation to an USB drive, you
> should choose that USB drive (eg /dev/sdb). In this case you can use
> that USB device to boot any computer. Failing to do that (i.e. using
> the default of /dev/sda), you'll need the USB device plugged in the
> computer for Grub to start (otherwise it will display an error). You
> can of course re-install Grub on the first hard disk if you want to
> get rid of the necessity to have the USB device plugged in in order
> to boot the computer from the (internal) first hard disk.
> 
> I learned this from several mistakes in the past.
> 
> I also read somewhere that it's safer to disconnect the internal hard
> drive before installing to a USB device so that you don't get mixed
> between hard disks.
> 
> Regards
> 
> -- 
> Vu Do Quynh (M.)
> Hanoi, Vietnam


Quynh, first, please read my post on the Lubuntu mailing list.
http://www.mail-archive.com/lubuntu-desktop@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/msg01347.html

I understand what you say and I know it is a very common issue with
people installing OS on the thumb. I add this is more a problem with
grub legacy as the (hd0,x) and /dev/sdax will change with every boot -
the change effected by the bios, not the OS.It is less a problem with
grub2 as the boot searches for uuid.  

However, if the grub is installed at the external drive, and in my
opinion, is a fatal thing to do, there is every possibility of the
system not booting up. 

Also, the existence of a bug report does not imply there is anything
intrinsically wrong with it, but could be the result of the
implementation of the installation, in this case, the setting up of the
grub of the external disk to the mbr (sda, in our lingo) of the hard
disk. Again, this must not be done and the fault, if we can call it
that, of the developers, is to enable it by default. But then, how can
the system recognize that the grub is from the external and not the
hard disk and that should be the default if setting grub of a hard disk
partition? So to call the developers stupid is in my mind, unjustified,
crass and stupid in itself. Not understanding the way it works is no
justification for rudeness, and even then, if the developers have
indeed make a mistake, and they will, it is bad behaviour of any
culture to be rude.

Quynh, if there is any specific thing you want to bring up after
reading my post, please feel free to address it. As of this message, I
do not see any thing specific to address.

Regards - Goh Lip