Grub2

So you are crazy enough to use something that use magic scripts to parse text config into another text config to make your system boot?
Good good, so lets waste some of your time and help me testing.

Currently I am hiding all the changes in my -dev overlay (it is in layman too).

Whats new in it against the gentoo-x86 one:

  • Install the /etc/default/grub file properly so global configuration is braindead simple.
  • Support migration from old grub1 configuration (after installation the configuration in /boot/grub/grub.cfg file use the menu.lst config [You can boot your system even if you forget to update the /etc/grub.d/ and regenerate the grub.cfg])
  • Added proper runtime dependencies for OS detection or image backup creator
  • Lost multislot useflag that was raping metadata cache. Grub1 and Grub2 together might be solved by moving Grub2 into separate package called sys-boot/grub2, but I am more in fawor of not supporting it.

What we still lack:

  • Grub 2 configuration guide (at least describe some basic steps on the web page [don’t expect me to do it, I hate GuideXML]).
  • Properly document migration from Grub1 to Grub2, where the known issues should be described (and this is where YOU can help with testing).
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11 Responses to Grub2

  1. Matěj says:

    Good, but it seems that your ebuild doesn’t support building EFI targets. What about adding it? See http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=308385

    • scarabeus says:

      Sounds easy enough to implement, will look to it next week.

    • scarabeus says:

      So I basically implemented it. :) Test and report :)

      • Matěj says:

        Good, gimme some time and we’ll see.

      • Matěj says:

        Well, it works! However, the installation is not as straightforward as with BIOS (nothing like grub-install) and the documentation is really scarce. (the best being archlinux wiki)

        I can help with writing a section “Installing grub2 on EFI” in hypothetical “Gentoo grub2 Guide” if you want. (I even don’t mind GuideXML)

  2. Bruno Yporti says:

    Grub2 working great here! Thanks!

  3. Mike Gilbert says:

    Some thoughts on slotting it:
    1. Set SLOT=2 always, which eliminates the metadata problem
    2. Add a blocker: !multislot? ( !sys-boot/grub:0 )
    3. If use multislot, rename the few files that collide

    • scarabeus says:

      The issue with multislot is more about those renames than the slotting (as you have to do the renames and ensure that all guides still work (which I particulary don’t wan’t to do). Plus I really never bothered to test the multislotting :)

  4. Nils Larsson says:

    There is some documentation being put together on the wiki[1], but its incomplete and not very helpful at times.

    [1] http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Grub2

    • scarabeus says:

      I know, but it really is not in good shape, plus lot did change for 1.99 release.

  5. mimi.vx says:

    Good work … works fine