[kwlug-disc] how the ^#*&^)(& do i convince debian to install grub, not LILO?

[Robert P. J. Day]

On Thu, 10 Sep 2009, Paul Gallaway wrote:

> >  is this really what a debian install looks for (ext2 vs ext3 for
> > /boot partition) in deciding whether or not to allow you to use grub?
>
> I use ext3 for my '/' (root) partition and have grub installed (and
> grub2 in one case). I don't have a separate /boot partition so
> perhaps that makes a difference?

  from force of habit, i've always created a separate, primary
partition for my /boot directory, as i like to use LVM for everything
else.  i did that for a manual install of lenny and chose ext3 for
/boot (which i thought was perfectly reasonable), but when it came
time for the bootloader, i was presented with only LILO as a choice.

  i started the install from scratch and selected the installer to do
its own pre-defined LVM-based install, and noticed that it also
created a primary partition for /boot, but only ext2.  so i tried a
manual install again but choosing ext2 for just that partition, and i
got grub.

  i'm concluding that that's what fixed it, because i'm sure i kept
all the other variables the same.  but if someone wants to test that,
feel free to correct my thinking.  i just find it odd that a current
debian install doesn't support a choice of ext3 for that.

rday
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Robert P. J. Day                               Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA

        Linux Consulting, Training and Annoying Kernel Pedantry.

Web page:                                          http://crashcourse.ca
Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
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