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

[Eric Gerlach]

On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 09:42:17AM -0400, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> 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.

Are you using software RAID?  I know I've had issues with GRUB and RAID
in the past, and the Debian installer has played it safe and refused to
install with GRUB.

Cheers,

Eric