Distribution: Debian 3.1
Package: gnome-system-tools
Severity: major
Version: GNOME2.10.1 1.2.x
Gnome-Distributor: Debian
Synopsis: boot-admin vandalizes grub's menu.lst
Bugzilla-Product: gnome-system-tools
Bugzilla-Component: boot-admin
Bugzilla-Version: 1.2.x
Description:
Description of Problem:

boot-admin appears to implement only a subset of grub's syntax. Without
notice, it removes any commands from menu.lst that it does not
recognize. In the case of my box, with devastating consequences.

This is my kernels/OS listing BEFORE boot-admin touched it:

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options
below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specifiv kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/hda5 ro resume2=swap:/dev/hda8

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,4)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(console mode) init 3
# altoptions=(maintenance mode) single noresume

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=false

## ## End Default Options ##

splashimage=(hd0,4)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.11-swsusp2 
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-swsusp2 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.11-swsusp2
savedefault
boot

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.11-swsusp2 (console mode)
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-swsusp2 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 init 3
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.11-swsusp2
savedefault
boot

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.11-swsusp2 (maintenance mode)
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-swsusp2 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 single noresume
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.11-swsusp2
savedefault
boot

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-k7 
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-k7 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-k7
savedefault
boot

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-k7 (console mode)
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-k7 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 init 3
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-k7
savedefault
boot

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-k7 (maintenance mode)
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-k7 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 single noresume
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-k7
savedefault
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
title Debian GNU/Hurd 0.3 pre
savedefault
root (hd0,8)
kernel /boot/gnumach.gz root=device:hd0s9
#module /boot/serverboot.gz
module /hurd/ext2fs.static
--multiboot-command-line=${kernel-command-line} 
--host-priv-port=${host-port} --device-master-port=${device-port}
--exec-server-task=${exec-task} -T typed ${root} $(task-create)
$(task-resume)
module /lib/ld.so.1 /hurd/exec $(exec-task=task-create)
title  Syllable
savedefault
rootnoverify   (hd0,1)
chainloader +1
#kernel /atheos/sys/kernel.so root=/dev/disk/ata/hda/1
enable_ata_lba48=true
#module /atheos/sys/config/kernel.cfg
#module /atheos/sys/drivers/bus/pci
#module /atheos/sys/drivers/bus/ata
#module /atheos/sys/drivers/dev/hcd/ata_pci
#module /atheos/sys/drivers/fs/afs
title VSTa 1.6.8
savedefault
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vsta/boot/vsta
module /vsta/boot/cons
module /vsta/boot/namer
module /vsta/boot/wd d0:readp
module /vsta/boot/dos -d //disk/wd:wd0_dos0 -n fs/root
module /vsta/boot/init
#lock
title ReactOS
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader /bootsect.ros
savedefault
title BeOS 5.0.4 PE
lock
rootnoverify (hd0,2)
chainloader +1
savedefault
title Windows/DOS
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
savedefault
title Von Diskette booten
lock
rootnoverify (fd0)
chainloader +1
savedefault
# Change the colors.
# title Farbschema 1
# color light-gray/magenta white/green
# title Farbschema 2
# color light-green/brown red/blue
# title Farbschema 3
# color magenta/blue black/magenta
# title Farbschema 4
# color 0x17 0x70

title  memtest86+
root   (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

This is, what was left afterwards:

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options
below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specifiv kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/hda5 ro resume2=swap:/dev/hda8

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,4)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(console mode) init 3
# altoptions=(maintenance mode) single noresume

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=false

## ## End Default Options ##

splashimage=(hd0,4)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.11-swsusp2
	root (hd0,4)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-swsusp2 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.11-swsusp2

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.11-swsusp2 (console mode)
	root (hd0,4)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-swsusp2 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 init 3
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.11-swsusp2

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.11-swsusp2 (maintenance mode)
	root (hd0,4)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-swsusp2 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 single noresume
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.11-swsusp2

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-k7
	root (hd0,4)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-k7 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-k7

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-k7 (console mode)
	root (hd0,4)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-k7 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 init 3
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-k7

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-k7 (maintenance mode)
	root (hd0,4)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-k7 root=/dev/hda5 ro
resume2=swap:/dev/hda8 single noresume
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-k7

title Debian GNU/Hurd 0.3 pre
	root (hd0,8)
	kernel /boot/gnumach.gz root=device:hd0s9
	module /hurd/ext2fs.static

title Syllable
	rootnoverify (hd0,1)
	makeactive
	chainloader +1

title VSTa 1.6.8
	root (hd0,0)
	kernel /vsta/boot/vsta 
	module /vsta/boot/cons

title ReactOS
	rootnoverify (hd0,0)
	makeactive
	chainloader +1

title BeOS 5.0.4 PE
	rootnoverify (hd0,2)
	makeactive
	chainloader +1

title Windows/DOS
	rootnoverify (hd0,0)
	makeactive
	chainloader +1

title Von Diskette booten
	rootnoverify (fd0)
	makeactive
	chainloader +1

title memtest86+
	root (hd0,4)
	kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin 

title ReactOS
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader /bootsect.ros
savedefault
title Windows/DOS
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
savedefault

Thus, boot-admin has broken menu.lst in manyfold ways:

- It has removed the 

###END AUTOMATIC KERNELS LIST 
line which is required by Debian's update-grub script. Result:
(re-)configuration of kernel-image packages will fail.

- From the Debian GNU/Hurd boot configuration it has removed
	a) the second "module" command and
	b) the parameters that were passed to the modules.

- The same happened to the VSta boot config: All but one module were
removed, all parameters dropped.

- In the reactos boot config "chainloader /bootsect.ros" was changed to
"chainloader +1". This will boot a different OS as ReactOS' boot sector
is stored in the named file.

- For some funny reason, boot-admin has duplicated the Windows and
ReactOS boot stanzas at the end of the file, this time in their original
form.

- All "savedefault" lines were silently dropped

- all "root" commands were indiscriminately replaced by "rootnoverify"


Expected Results:

boot-admin should not touch what it does not understand, at least not
without giving an explicit prior warning.


Additional Information:

Debian Sarge




------- Bug moved to this database by unknown@bugzilla.gnome.org 2005-06-13 15:18 UTC -------