[solved] Re: unexpected grub breakage

[David A. Bandel]

On Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 12:06, Doug Hunley <doug.hunley at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Apr 20, 2012 at 09:16, Doug Hunley <doug.hunley at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Anyone have any idea why in the hell Grub would hang when the external
>> drives are present?
>
>
> I talked to some Gentoo peeps, and then some Grub peeps, and was
> basically told to upgrade to Grub2. So I went and looked at Grub2 and
> upgraded to LILO ;)

GRUB2 is a disaster.  Firmware files, hundreds of files (one for each
filesystem and partition type grub has to access), and it is
confusing.  LILO points to a spot on the disk where the kernel load
code starts and just works -- any filesystem or partition type.  Make
sure you use:
raid-extra-boot=mbr-only
for software raid boots (booting to md).  Will ensure all drives can
boot (ignore the errors).

>
> It seems that LILO is now back from the dead and actively maintained,
> boots from md raid 1, and is all around smaller, cleaner, nicer than
> anything coming out of the FSF these days
>

Actually, LILO never died.  I've traded email w/ the author.  Seems a
likable sort (not like the GRUB weenies -- died in the wool rms
disciples).

LILO has security features grub doesn't, and is small and efficient.
Folks don't like it because while open source, you apparently need to
be able to read/program machine language.

All my systems use LILO (still).

LPIC is dropping it.  Told them it was a mistake.

Only advantage to grub is if you're booting a Xen kernel.  Easier w/
grub (but not impossible w/ LILO).

Ciao,

David-
-- 
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not
sure about the the universe. -- Albert Einstein
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