Grub2 support?

As far as I know grub2 isn't supported. This would probably make a better support ticket that a forum post.

I can do that as well. It was more a question of if anyone has it working stably also.

Since pv-grub is just reading /boot/grub/menu.lst from your disk image, you don't even need grub1 or grub2 installed on your Linode. You just need a kernel installed, and to put the correct (grub-legacy) lines in that file. Then pv-grub will read it, load your kernel based on it, and kick things off.

• Les

@akerl:

Since pv-grub is just reading /boot/grub/menu.lst from your disk image, you don't even need grub1 or grub2 installed on your Linode. You just need a kernel installed, and to put the correct (grub-legacy) lines in that file. Then pv-grub will read it, load your kernel based on it, and kick things off.

• Les

Maybe. menu.lst is a link to legacy grub1 conf file.

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 11 May 24 2011 /boot/grub/menu.lst -> ./grub.conf

I don't believe that file is applicable to grub2 as the grub2 file is a different format.

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 22 May 24 2011 /etc/grub.conf -> ../boot/grub/grub.conf (GRUB)

# more grub.conf
# boot=/dev/xvda
# kopt=root=/dev/xvda console=tty0 console=hvc0 rw quiet
# groot=(hd0)

default=0
timeout=5

title Fedora (3.4.11-1.fc16.x86_64)
        root (hd0)
        kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.11-1.fc16.x86_64 root=/dev/xvda console=tty0 console=hvc0 rw quiet
        initrd /boot/initramfs-3.4.11-1.fc16.x86_64.img
title Fedora (3.4.9-2.fc16.x86_64)
        root (hd0)
        kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.9-2.fc16.x86_64 root=/dev/xvda console=tty0 console=hvc0 rw quiet
        initrd /boot/initramfs-3.4.9-2.fc16.x86_64.img
title Fedora (3.4.9-1.fc16.x86_64)
        root (hd0)
        kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.9-1.fc16.x86_64 root=/dev/xvda console=tty0 console=hvc0 rw quiet
        initrd /boot/initramfs-3.4.9-1.fc16.x86_64.img

Grub2:

# more grub.cfg
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub2-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
set default="${saved_entry}"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function load_video {
true
}

set timeout=5
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Fedora Linux, with Linux 3.4.9-2.fc16.x86_64' --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
        savedefault
        load_video
        set gfxpayload=keep
        insmod gzio
        insmod ext2
        set root='(hd0)'
        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 13a5aa75-98cb-42f3-b7b6-b66ea3122ac5
        echo    'Loading Linux 3.4.9-2.fc16.x86_64 ...'
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.9-2.fc16.x86_64 root=UUID=13a5aa75-98cb-42f3-b7b6-b66ea3122ac5 ro quiet rhgb
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /boot/initramfs-3.4.9-2.fc16.x86_64.img
}
menuentry 'Fedora Linux, with Linux 3.4.9-1.fc16.x86_64' --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
        savedefault
        load_video
        set gfxpayload=keep
        insmod gzio
        insmod ext2
        set root='(hd0)'
        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 13a5aa75-98cb-42f3-b7b6-b66ea3122ac5
        echo    'Loading Linux 3.4.9-1.fc16.x86_64 ...'
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.9-1.fc16.x86_64 root=UUID=13a5aa75-98cb-42f3-b7b6-b66ea3122ac5 ro quiet rhgb
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /boot/initramfs-3.4.9-1.fc16.x86_64.img
}
menuentry 'Fedora Linux, with Linux 3.4.11-1.fc16.x86_64' --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
        savedefault
        load_video
        set gfxpayload=keep
        insmod gzio
        insmod ext2
        set root='(hd0)'
        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 13a5aa75-98cb-42f3-b7b6-b66ea3122ac5
        echo    'Loading Linux 3.4.11-1.fc16.x86_64 ...'
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.11-1.fc16.x86_64 root=UUID=13a5aa75-98cb-42f3-b7b6-b66ea3122ac5 ro quiet rhgb
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /boot/initramfs-3.4.11-1.fc16.x86_64.img
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/90_persistent ###
### END /etc/grub.d/90_persistent ###

While the Fedora kernel package may require that grub2 be installed, I can confirm that this doesn't conflict with pv-grub's ability to boot the kernel. The only requirement is that the /boot/grub/menu.lst have the correct grub1 syntax for your kernel configuration. I've deployed our Fedora 17 image and tested this using a custom kernel to confirm there's no conflict.

When pv-grub boots, it's only looking for that file to exist and to read your options from it; if you connect using LISH during this process you can see the grub screen and console just as if you had booted grub. This works regardless of the status of grub1 or grub2 on your Linode itself, so even if Fedora 17 doesn't have grub1, it will still function as expected.

• Les