Bug 38421 – instructions for building Grub boot floppy need to be more specific

• Product: [OLD] Docs-user
• Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

[Description Jeremy Schneider 2004-01-16 09:29:14 UTC]

Currently the instructions for creating a grub boot floppy are rather terse and do not match the level of detail provided for other steps in the installation process.  They are currently, 

" Code listing 24.1: Creating a GRUB Bootdisk

# cd /usr/share/grub/i386-pc/
# cat stage1 stage2 > /dev/fd0

Now reboot and load the floppy. At the floppy's grub> prompt, you can now execute the necessary root and setup commands. "

I suggest that the instructions be more detailed such as the instruction provided by cyrillic in http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=118147, where he gives the following specific steps:

Since creating a boot floppy with your kernel on it doesn't work for most people (recent kernels are just too big), your best bet is to make a GRUB floppy.

Start with a blank floppy in the drive.
Code:
# mke2fs /dev/fd0
# mount -t ext2 /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy
# mkdir -p /mnt/floppy/boot/grub
# emerge grub
# cd /boot/grub
# cp stage1 stage2 splash.xpm.gz /mnt/floppy/boot/grub/
# nano -w /mnt/floppy/boot/grub/grub.conf     <--- setup your boot menu here
# umount /mnt/floppy
# grub
grub> root (fd0)
grub> setup (fd0)
grub> quit

Your grub.conf (on the floppy) should look something like this.
Code:
default 0
timeout 30
splashimage (fd0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title Gentoo
root (hd0,0)
kernel /kernel-2.4.20-gentoo-r6
initrd /initrd-2.4.20-gentoo-r6

If you used a different kernel or a different partition layout, make the apropriate changes in grub.conf

You can also press e from the GRUB menu if you need to edit your kernel line, or press c if you want a GRUB command prompt (very handy for rescue/debugging).

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1.attempt to follow instructions for creating grub boot floppy in x86 install guide.
2.shrug shoulders and give up


Actual Results:  
I was not able to do the "necessary root and setup commands", because it was not
clear at all what the necessary root and setup commands are.

Expected Results:  
It should have provided clear and specific instructions for creating a Grub boot
floppy on X86 architecture machines.

[Comment 1 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2004-01-17 09:18:18 UTC]

I hope someone can enter this in the FAQ? The new installation instructions don't talk about boot floppies anymore...

[Comment 2 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) 2004-03-07 04:18:02 UTC]

Afaik bootfloppies are no FAQ and the instructions have been removed from our documents alltogether. Marking this one as WONTFIX.