Grub install failing on Hardware RAID with LVM

Question

I have a SuperMicro box with an Areca RAID controller installed. The RAID controller is configured for RAID 6 + Hot Spare. I am attempting to install Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. I set up LVM with separate partitions for /, /var, swap, and /data. While progressing through the installer, I get repeated failures at the Grub install step: "Unable to install grub /dev/sda" -- attempting to manually specify the location where Grub should be installed (presumably /dev/mapper/vg0-root) yields a similar result.

LVM Configuration: enter image description here

The installation step that triggers the failure: enter image description here

Error: enter image description here

Crap. I've seen this very error, but the documentation for how I fixed it is at a workplace I no longer work for. It involved going into text mode to reorder some things in grub and THEN applying, but that's all I got. — sysadmin1138, Feb 26 '14 at 03:27
Do you have a /boot partition ( outside of lvm of course ) ? — Olivier S, Feb 26 '14 at 06:48
52TB in a single RAID6 volume? I hope you never need to rebuild your RAID. — Vinícius Ferrão, Jun 25 '15 at 23:23

sardean · Answer 1 · 2014-03-07T01:25:20.357

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I resolved this issue by destroying the LVM and placing a small 2MB grub-bios partition at the beginning of /dev/sda. I presume, but cannot confirm, that that wasn't ample space for grub to install. From what I have read, GRUB has become so bloated it now extends beyond the bounds of sector 0. I am not sure if anyone might be able to confirm my theory.

edited Mar 07 '14 at 01:25

answered Feb 28 '14 at 17:28

sardean

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Nope, 2MB is the normal and recommended size for a BIOS boot partition on a GPT formatted disk. The size has nothing to do with grub. – Michael Hampton Mar 07 '14 at 01:28
@MichaelHampton so if I understand you correctly you are saying that because this is not a GPT formatted disk that it was not a matter of space? Do you have any thoughts as to what might have resolved my issue? I am glad the issue is resolved but would prefer to understand why this actually seemed to resolve the issue. Any thoughts? – sardean Mar 07 '14 at 01:35
No, it _is_ a GPT formatted disk. You could not have created a 52 TB partition otherwise. – Michael Hampton Mar 07 '14 at 01:37
@MichaelHampton I apologize, so are you saying it was simply the addition of the 2MB grub-bios partition at the beginning of the disk that was requisite for the grub install - but that it was not a matter of size itself. – sardean Mar 07 '14 at 01:42

Grub install failing on Hardware RAID with LVM

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