Ubuntu
grub package

update-grub failes when "default" is set to "saved" instead of numeric value

Bug #164513 reported by nickb834
6
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
grub (Ubuntu)
New
Undecided
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Bug Description

Binary package hint: grub

When performing a distro upgrade from Feisty to Gutsy, update manager complained about these packages:

linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic
linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.22-14-generic
linux-restricted-modules-2.6.22-14-generic
nvidia-glx
ubuntu-standard
linux-image-generic
update-manager
linux-restricted-modules-generic
linux-generic
memtest86+

Specifically the problem manifested itself whenever a packages post install called "update-grub".

Running "update-grub" manually produced the same error:

nick@:~$ sudo update-grub
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Searching for default file ... found: /boot/grub/default
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.lst file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst
Searching for splash image ... none found, skipping ...
expr: non-numeric argument

notice the last line "expr: non-numeric argument", this was down to my default booted entry being set to "saved" instead of a decimal number:

default saved
#default 2

If I uncomment the 2nd default line, all is well and package installation and post install actions succeed.

"saved" is a valid option for default as I have used it succesfully for years by adding "savedefault" at the end of my boot options.

I can reproduce this bug at will by changing defaults value to "saved" from 1 / 2 / 3 / whatever.

See original description
nickb834 (nicholas-bartle)
description: updated
Revision history for this message
Tres Seaver (tseaver) wrote :

I believe that the culprit here is the final stanza of /usr/sbin/update-grub, which tries to
compute the new default number by performing arithmetic on the old one: if you have
entered 'saved' as your default, the arithmetic fails. I think it needs to be wrapped in a
test for numeric, e.g.:

   if test -n "$defaultEntryNumber"; then

In the meanwhile, a workaround would appear to be setting 'updatedefaultentry' to 'false',
which should sidestep the whole issue.

Revision history for this message
Till Ulen (tillulen) wrote :

This looks like a bug in grub that has been reported once again and already confirmed there (#193439). Marking as duplicate.

Revision history for this message
Tres Seaver (tseaver) wrote :

There is information here which is not present in #19439:

  - #19439 is about setting 'default' in /boot/grub/default; in
    my case the value is configured in /boot/grub/menu.1st (the
    "normal" way to configure grub), and it is set to 'saved' (a
    value which actually means something).

Also, #19439 is newer than this bug by three months.

OTOH, the underlying cause is indeed the same: 'update-grub' is
wrongly assuming that the default must be numeric).

Revision history for this message
Steve Langasek (vorlon) wrote :

Tres,

Yes, setting default to "saved" means something - it means to look in /boot/grub/default for the value. :) These are indeed the exact same bug.

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