It describes creating a filesystem on the floppy, copying stage1 and stage2, and using the grub tool to root(fd0) setup(fd0). Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: read the manual. Actual Results: I noted that the instructions are not as simple and efficient as they could be. Expected Results: Given a simpler and more efficient method to create a grub floppy. A better way than the method documented in the install guide is to run the single command line: cat /boot/grub/stage1 /boot/grub/stage2 > /dev/fd0 At that point the floppy will be bootable, and function as well as the complex method described in the guide.
bug 19548 should resolve your problem. It's a floppy image that allows systems that do not support booting the cd to do so.
I was not describing difficulties I have with the instructions, but merely a suggestion to improve the manual.
I'll take a look on this one
You say it's bootable then. Does this mean that you don't even need to configure it, i.e. grub> root (fd0) grub> setup (hd0) grub> quit
If you intended to say: grub> root (fd0) grub> setup(fd0) grub> quit then that is correct. You also don't need: # mke2fs /dev/fd0 # mount /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy ...etc. Code listing 24.1: Creating a GRUB Bootdisk is completely replaceable with cat /boot/grub/stage1 /boot/grub/stage2 > /dev/fd0
Proposed new document is at http://cvs.gentoo.org/~swift/gentoo-x86-install.html; if accepted by the reviewing team it will be committed.
What if the system does not support booting the cd to begin with, so you cannot install....
That isn't a problem: just read the alternative installation guide available on gentoo.org.
Fixed in cvs.
