[SOLVED] LFS Version 9.1, 8.4.3. Setting Up the GRUB Configuration

Shah404 · 07-05-2020, 06:44 AM

Hello Users,
I can't install grub on my LFS. I did everything according to the book.
The command

Code:

grub-install /dev/sda

returns

Code:

(lfs chroot) root:/boot/grub# grub-install /dev/sda
grub-install: error: /usr/lib/grub/x86_64-efi/modinfo.sh doesn't exist. Please specify --target or --directory.

As decribed in the book, that this problem can occur, as some files arent yet installed

Quote:

If the system has been booted using UEFI, grub-install will try to install files for the x86_64-efi target, but those files have not been installed in chapter 6. If this is the case, add --target i386-pc to the command above.

So the command

Code:

grub-install /dev/sda --target i386-pc

returns

Code:

Installing for i386-pc platform.
grub-install: warning: this GPT partition label contains no BIOS Boot Partition; embedding won't be possible.
grub-install: error: embedding is not possible, but this is required for cross-disk install

My lfs is on my pendrive.
These are my partitions
after running lsblk

Code:

sdc      8:32   1  28.7G  0 disk 
|-sdc1   8:33   1   100M  0 part 
|-sdc2   8:34   1    12G  0 part /
`-sdc3   8:35   1     4G  0 part [SWAP]

sdc1 is for boot

This is my /etc/fstab

Code:

# Begin /etc/fstab

# file system  mount-point  type     options             dump  fsck
#                                                              order

/dev/sdc2     /            ext4    defaults            1     1
/dev/sdc3     swap         swap     pri=1               0     0
proc           /proc        proc     nosuid,noexec,nodev 0     0
sysfs          /sys         sysfs    nosuid,noexec,nodev 0     0
devpts         /dev/pts     devpts   gid=5,mode=620      0     0
tmpfs          /run         tmpfs    defaults            0     0
devtmpfs       /dev         devtmpfs mode=0755,nosuid    0     0

# End /etc/fstab

Do i need to mention boot there?
its type is ext2, and what aboutoptions, dump and fsck order, i am a beginner, i dont know much about that.

My GRUB directory has:

Code:

(lfs chroot) root:/boot/grub# ls
fonts  grubenv	i386-pc

Thank You

hazel · 07-05-2020, 08:14 AM

The problem is that GRUB comes in two parts. The first part is just a stub which goes in the MBR. The second, which the stub points to, is a larger program that actually boots your system. On a traditional DOS disk, this goes into the gap between the MBR and the first partition.

If you have a GPT disk, this gap will not be present, so you need a small BIOS boot partition as sda1 and GRUB will go there. This is a special type of partition on which you have no filesystem. It is not the same as the boot partition that the Book recommends as a location for kernels and initrds in multi-booting machines, which is a normal filesystem partition.

Shah404 · 07-05-2020, 08:33 AM

Hello Sir,
i already have linux installed on sda1,
i have actually dual booted ubuntu and another ubuntu(but with minimal installation, for working with lfs).
and it already has grub installed.
so you are telling me that i should make a new Bios BOOT partition and then it will work!!
using command lsblk

Code:

(lfs chroot) root:/# lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
loop0    7:0    0 255.6M  1 loop 
loop1    7:1    0    55M  1 loop 
loop2    7:2    0 240.8M  1 loop 
loop3    7:3    0  62.1M  1 loop 
loop4    7:4    0  49.8M  1 loop 
loop5    7:5    0  49.8M  1 loop 
loop6    7:6    0    55M  1 loop 
loop7    7:7    0  27.1M  1 loop 
loop8    7:8    0  29.8M  1 loop 
loop9    7:9    0 127.3M  1 loop 
loop10   7:10   0 163.7M  1 loop 
loop11   7:11   0 127.3M  1 loop 
sda      8:0    0 465.8G  0 disk 
├─sda1   8:1    0 196.3G  0 part 
├─sda2   8:2    0 170.5G  0 part 
├─sda3   8:3    0   9.3G  0 part 
├─sda4   8:4    0    28G  0 part 
└─sda6   8:6    0  61.2G  0 part 
sdc      8:32   1  28.7G  0 disk 
├─sdc1   8:33   1   100M  0 part 
├─sdc2   8:34   1    12G  0 part /
└─sdc3   8:35   1     4G  0 part [SWAP]
sr0     11:0    1  1024M  0 rom

Code:

sudo gdisk -l /dev/sda
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.5

Partition table scan:
  MBR: protective
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: present

Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.
Disk /dev/sda: 976773168 sectors, 465.8 GiB

I think its GPT. Forgive my asking.

hazel · 07-05-2020, 08:47 AM

Yes, that's a GPT disk. But if you already have GRUB installed, it would be better to add LFS to it. The Book points out that installing GRUB afresh from LFS is not necessarily what you want to do in a multiboot situation.

If you have Ubuntu, you will have the complete set of Debian GRUB scripts in /etc/grub.d. There are a couple of "custom" scripts, if I remember correctly, that you can edit to add further systems for GRUB to recognise and boot. In your place, I would go down that route.

Shah404 · 07-05-2020, 09:12 AM

How do i do that?
Can you please redirect me to some references

hazel · 07-05-2020, 10:44 AM

I haven't used GRUB for years. I don't even use it for LFS, where it is recommended. But I found this by googling. Which you could have done too by the way!

Shah404 · 07-06-2020, 01:21 AM

Oh thank You.