Is this potentially dangerous?

[newfie]

I was doing an apt-get upgrade today. GRUB was updating, and when being configured I pressed OK on the text-based configuration bit. I was busy and just let it do the default. Anyway, when I checked the terminal, I found this:

Setting up grub-common (1.98+20100804-7) ...
Setting up grub-pc (1.98+20100804-7) ...
Installation finished. No error reported.
/usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR. This is a BAD idea..
/usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible. GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists. However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and their use is discouraged..
Installation finished. No error reported.
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found Debian background: linuxmint.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
done

The bold bit bugs me a little. Am I going to have issues upon reboot?

[indaymadel]

I'm not sure. But if you're in dual-boot with windows, then grub should be installed in the MBR.

Probably, you choose something like /dev/sda1 instead of /dev/sda
/dev/sda = installs on MBR
/dev/sda1 = installs on the first partition.

[azathoth]

I was doing an apt-get upgrade today. GRUB was updating, and when being configured I pressed OK on the text-based configuration bit. I was busy and just let it do the default. Anyway, when I checked the terminal, I found this:

Setting up grub-common (1.98+20100804-7) ...
Setting up grub-pc (1.98+20100804-7) ...
Installation finished. No error reported.
/usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR. This is a BAD idea..
/usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible. GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists. However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and their use is discouraged..
Installation finished. No error reported.
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found Debian background: linuxmint.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
done

The bold bit bugs me a little. Am I going to have issues upon reboot?

What is your boot environment? Are you multibooting with other distros/OSs? Do you have another bootloader installed to the mbr from another distro? If the latter is true and it was working well for you then you are probably okay. If not we would need to know exactly what kind of environment you are dealing with/what you are booting, before anyone can give you much help.
In any case keep that Live CD handy, it is your friend!

[newfie]

Solely LMDE. No other OS at all.

[azathoth]

Solely LMDE. No other OS at all.

M'kay, you will probably need to reinstall grub. No biggy, it's pretty painless.
First make sure you have your LiveCD handy.
And before you proceed, would you please post the output to:

Code: Select all

sudo fdisk -l

[newfie]

Thanks for the reply

Code: Select all

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000e3d8d

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1       30402   244196352   83  Linux

[azathoth]

No prob.
You might want to read the official documentation here.
This is the simplest and easiest way IMO, shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes:
Boot your LiveCD.
Open a terminal and enter:

Code: Select all

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

then:

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sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda

(not sda1on this one! )
reboot
refresh grub

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sudo update-grub

Grub will come up again in the next round of updates. Always install to the mbr unless you are chain loading in a multiboot setup.

[newfie]

All is well. Thanks a bunch

[azathoth]

You're very welcome!