GRUB2 configuration problems at OpenSUSE 12.3 installation

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Early (in particular, for OpenSuSE 12.1) I found GRUB configuration problems at installation w/manual loader configuration. Now - with much more sophisticated GRUB2 - problems exist at OpenSuSE 12.3 installation (from local DVD/x86-64), again w/manual GRUB2 parameters settings
(in both cases I changed, in particular, loader placement to MBR).

  1. Now the problem found is wrong setting (in resume statement) of partition number w/Linux kernel.
    BTW, I performed also manual custom HDD partitioning (at this installation). As you see from /etc/fstab,

BEGIN OF /etc/fstab
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD3200AAKX-001CA0_WD-WCAYUKL64568-part1 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD3200AAKX-001CA0_WD-WCAYUKL64568-part2 / ext4 acl,user_xattr 1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD3200AAKX-001CA0_WD-WCAYUKL64568-part3 /home xfs defaults 1 2
…

-part2 (for /) must be coded in resume statement, but it was set to -part1 (swap), see grub.cfg file.

#
# 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  x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

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 {
  if  x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if  x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos2'
if  x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2'  8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub2/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos2'
if  x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2'  8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
fi
insmod gfxmenu
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/ascii.pf2
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/DejaVuSans10.pf2
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/DejaVuSans12.pf2
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/DejaVuSans-Bold14.pf2
insmod png
set theme=($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/theme.txt
export theme
if  x${boot_once} = xtrue ]; then
  set timeout=0
elif sleep --interruptible 0 ; then
  set timeout=8
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'openSUSE 12.3' --class 'opensuse-12-3' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b' {
    load_video
    set gfxpayload=keep
    insmod gzio
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,msdos2'
    if  x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2'  8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
    fi
    echo    'Loading Linux 3.7.10-1.1-desktop ...'
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-3.7.10-1.1-desktop root=UUID=8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b   resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD3200AAKX-001CA0_WD-WCAYUKL64568-part1 splash=silent quiet showopts
    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
    initrd    /boot/initrd-3.7.10-1.1-desktop
}
submenu 'Advanced options for openSUSE 12.3' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b' {
    menuentry 'openSUSE 12.3, with Linux 3.7.10-1.1-desktop' --class 'opensuse-12-3' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.7.10-1.1-desktop-advanced-8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b' {
        load_video
        set gfxpayload=keep
        insmod gzio
        insmod part_msdos
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,msdos2'
        if  x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2'  8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 3.7.10-1.1-desktop ...'
        linux    /boot/vmlinuz-3.7.10-1.1-desktop root=UUID=8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b   resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD3200AAKX-001CA0_WD-WCAYUKL64568-part1 splash=silent quiet showopts
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd    /boot/initrd-3.7.10-1.1-desktop
    }
    menuentry 'openSUSE 12.3, with Linux 3.7.10-1.1-desktop (recovery mode)' --class 'opensuse-12-3' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.7.10-1.1-desktop-recovery-8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b' {
        load_video
        set gfxpayload=keep
        insmod gzio
        insmod part_msdos
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,msdos2'
        if  x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint='hd0,msdos2'  8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 3.7.10-1.1-desktop ...'
        linux    /boot/vmlinuz-3.7.10-1.1-desktop root=UUID=8a1643ac-edff-469e-b1c5-49817a6e396b  showopts apm=off noresume edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 nomodeset x11failsafe
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd    /boot/initrd-3.7.10-1.1-desktop
    }
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

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

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

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

### 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  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif  -z "${config_directory}" -a -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 ###

I changed resume setting to -part2 at configuration stage of installation. The erroneous setting remains (see, for example, grub.cfg) after finish of testing installation of OpenSuSE - but booting of this installed OS was successful!

Wrong part1 “value” in resume statement is presented now (in installed 12.3) in two other configuration files - /etc/sysconfig/bootloader (for any kind of loaders) and in /etc/default/grub. AFAIK last file is used (as also files from /etc/grub.d) by grub-mkconfig for creation of /boot/grub2/grub.cfg . Should I change both wrong files w/part1 before run of grub2-mkconfig ?
(BTW, alternative simple idea to add right menuentries to 40_custom file - looks for me as not good).

  1. GRUB2 approach with my manual “numbering” of menuentries statements in grub.cfg (for using for GRUB_DEFAULT) looks for me as not “user friendly”. grub.cfg script is not too small, contains formally many menuentries contexts, but only few are really “necessary” for this numbering. The most simple desktop OpenSuSE 12.3 installation gives only 2 menuentry.

It looks that if I do not want think, I should run grub.cfg script in debug mode (+x) to see really generated statements.

2

grub2 is NOT grub legacy. Things are done differently.

have you run
**grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

**after modifying grub.cfg???

I have found that the Yast boot section is very good at letting things be changed.

3

Yes, and I experienced that fairly recently so will now use grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg, as that gives a report on completion.

4

For help in using Grub2, have a look at my bash script on the subject you can find here: GNU Grub2 Command Listing Helper with --help & Input - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

Thank YOu,

5

>have you run
**>grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

**>after modifying grub.cfg???

How I may run grub2-mkconfig AT (not after) installation ?

6

That seems to be your misunderstanding.

It is normal for the “resume=” to refer to swap.

When you hibernate, a memory dump is written, and used for restore. The memory dump is written to the swap partition, which is why you resume from there.

If you are instead trying to use a hibernation file (if that is even possible), then resume would give that file. I don’t think resume=(root partition) even makes sense.

A second point: If you want to change what is in grub.cfg, then make the appropriate changes in “/etc/default/grub” or in “/etc/grub.d/”. That way, your changes will apply when grub.cfg is next rebuilt and you won’t have to keep applying them.