Unable to install grub-legacy with grub-install command on latest Antix/Debian

bingel74 · 03-15-2017, 06:28 AM

Since I have a MB with a Via C3 processor, because a bug in grub2 that prevents booting grub2 with this processor, I had to install grub-legacy (grub2 is automatically removed) with these commands:

Code:

sudo apt-get install grub-legacy
sudo grub-install /dev/sda
sudo update-grub

Unfortunately the second command doesn't run. The output is:

Code:

Searching for grub installation directory ... found: /boot/grub

but here it stops to run.

I also tried with a live and chrooted system and same command (grub-install) now emitted this output:

Code:

$ sudo grub-install /dev/sda

...
device node not found
device node not found
device node not found
Searching for grub installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
device node not found
device node not found
device node not found
...

Obviously /dev has correctly been mounted in chrooted system.

Some ideas?

rokytnji · 03-15-2017, 07:32 AM

Back when AntiX used grub legacy as a boot loader. I used to install grub4dos to handle my mulit-boot situations back then.

grub4dos menu edits are like grub legacy. My reply to your question in AntiX forums pretty covers the rest as far as ideas go.

Edit: You do remember installing grub2 to mbr of hard drive. Not to root. So your error message is probably related to that step.

bingel74 · 03-15-2017, 08:19 AM

Thank you for your reply.

I will try grub4dos but I wonder if this program needs a floppy or a dedicated partition to run.

I have installed grub2 in MBR (not root partition).

Thanks for your reply in Antix forum too.

EDIT: I've solved installing the old good "lilo"

mrmazda · 03-16-2017, 07:03 PM

One of the nice things about Grub that Grub2 discarded was simplicity. There's no need for any script to install it, and it can even be installed to a partition that is not mounted. Simply start the grub> shell, verify the device and grub directory exist, set root, run setup. The man page explains. All my myriad installations, spread across more than 25 multi- multiboot machines, except the *buntus, have only Grub installed, including AntiX. The *buntus are an exception merely so that I need not be completely ignorant about Grub2. Oh, and I have no MBR with any version of Grub installed. All my MBRs have generic PC boot code installed.

X-LFS-2010 · 03-16-2017, 07:07 PM

\

Code:

sudo apt-get install grub-legacy
sudo grub-install /dev/sda
sudo update-grub

\

my idea is you didn't read grub legacy info(1) pages

you could try this: make a grub floppy (if you have a floppy !). boot from the floppy. run grub install from the floppy. (read the info pages , that is one way grub can be installed if i remember). i'm unsure if grub floppy can be put on usb or if your board supports faking usb as a floppy: heard of it but never had such a motherboard bios to try it with.

X-LFS-2010 · 03-16-2017, 07:13 PM

older grub can still be found (but not on it's offical development page - they removed the code !!) and still compiles

i'm unsure if your running the newest debian why you'd want to install older grub - and "really new systems" don't even have a bios that can be accessed by grub (grub legacy does require a bios be present)

why are you doing this ?