Re: Grub2 almost does what I want

[Felix Miata]

On 2013-02-02 23:50 (GMT+0400) Andrey Borzenkov composed:

> If you have ideas how to improve generation of grub.cfg that are generic
> enough, it is always possible to submit patch (or attract someone to
> write patch to implement them :) )

1-Get rid of the vga= is deprecated message. It has nothing to do with Grub2 
function. Some installations still require it, it's still a valid kernel 
cmdline option, and it still functions as always when KMS is not enabled.

2-This is the initial  Mageia (3) Cauldron (grub-2.00-16.mga3; 
os-prober-1.57-3.mga3) grub.cfg file generated yesterday: 
http://fm.no-ip.com/Tmp/Linux/Mdv/grub.cfg.gx27b-cauldron3-1.txt

What an ugly mess. This installation was originally made Dec 6 with Grub 
Legacy on / partition. Generic DOS/BIOS compatible code is on MBR. Active 
master boot partition is sda3 using Grub Legacy, which has a stanza to load 
Cauldron's core.img that uses this grub.cfg file.

I later edited /etc/default/grub with this resulting content:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="ipv4only=1 noplymouth splash=verbose video=1152x864 
vga=794 3 "
GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true
GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY=false
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=Mageia
GRUB_GFXMODE=1152x864x16
GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=text
GRUB_TERMINAL_OUTPUT=console
#GRUB_THEME=/boot/grub2/themes/maggy/theme.txt
GRUB_TIMEOUT=-1

and regenerated grub.cfg with this similarly disappointing result:
http://fm.no-ip.com/Tmp/Linux/Mdv/grub.cfg.04

Note the default stanza's vmlinuz-prv & initrd-prv, which are symlinks to the 
previously installed kernel. One set of the current kernel's symlinks are way 
down the list in the submenu, vmlinuz-cur & initrd-cur, while the default 
set, vmlinuz and initrd also pointing to the latest installed, are not 
present in any stanza, and other sets are in duplicate stanzas without even 
considering recovery stanzas.

How mkconfig decided what to create and where to locate are unfathomable. 
Consequently, I have no idea anything specific about how to improve it, only 
that it needs improvement, with one exception:

GRUB_MASTER_LOADER=[true,false]

If true:
1:assume GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false
2:MBR installation.

If false:
1:assume GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true (only provide stanzas for kernels on the 
installation target partition; override if not GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true)
2:do not write to MBR track.

Linux installation programs could provide a checkbox so that the big mess and 
the suspiciously long installation delay on account of mkconfig/os-prober's 
sloth can be readily avoided from the outset.

Annotated partitioning of subject system: 
http://fm.no-ip.com/Tmp/Dfsee/gx27bL07.txt
--
"The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant
words are persuasive." Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Translation)

 Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/