Merge lp:~darkmuggle-deactivatedaccount/ubuntu/quantal/grub2/param-recordfail-timeout into lp:ubuntu/quantal/grub2

[Ben Howard]

This patch parameterizes the record fail behavior, such that putting "GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT=0" in /etc/default/grub will fix hang problems on appliances and HVM cloud images. (See LP: #462888, #872244, #447725 and #669481 and there are many user reports on Google). The current work-around is to modify /etc/grub.d/00_header directly. However, this work around fails on any Grub2 package update.

This fix simply adds the environment variable "GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT" which can then be defined in /etc/default/grub. When this variable is present, it sets the timeout on "recordfail" to the value, otherwise it sets it the default value of "-1".

This has been tested on both Precise and Quantal builds.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Please drop the debian/default/grub change. It'll probably cause configuration file prompts for people, and it's unnecessary - most variables are not documented by way of comments in the stock /etc/default/grub file.

Conversely, please add a patch to docs/grub.texi to document this new variable.

review: Needs Fixing

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Oh, also, a more verbose changelog entry (along the lines of your commit message) wouldn't hurt.

[Ben Howard (darkmuggle-deactivatedaccount)]

Resubmission with requested changes.

[Ben Howard (darkmuggle-deactivatedaccount)]

Launchpad is not updating the revison number. The current revision is 145.

[Ben Howard (darkmuggle-deactivatedaccount)]

bump

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

The GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT block is one line off where it should be in grub.texi; I'll fix that up. I think I'll also consolidate this into ubuntu_failed_boot_menu.patch; there's little point in carrying two patches in the series when the whole recordfail business is an Ubuntu patch to begin with.

Otherwise this looks good, thanks!

review: Approve

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Argh. This branch is incorrectly based on lp:ubuntu/grub2 rather than on lp:~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/quantal/grub2/quantal (sorry for these being different), so I cannot merge it directly due to them sharing no history. I'll just have to apply the patch directly.

=== modified file 'debian/changelog'
--- debian/changelog	2012-05-15 08:03:30 +0000
+++ debian/changelog	2012-05-24 20:17:25 +0000
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+grub2 (1.99-21ubuntu5) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
+
+  * Parameterization of recordfail setting. This allows users to define the
+    default time out of GRUB when recordfail has been set. The current
+    setting causes hangs on headless and appliances where access to the
+    console is limited or prohibited.  (LP: #669481)
+
+ -- Ben Howard <[e-mail]>  Thu, 24 May 2012 10:27:43 -0600
+
 grub2 (1.99-21ubuntu4) quantal; urgency=low
 
   * Switch to backwards compatible ${} syntax for grub.cfg (LP: #978464)

=== modified file 'debian/patches/series'
--- debian/patches/series	2012-04-17 16:11:45 +0000
+++ debian/patches/series	2012-05-24 20:17:25 +0000
@@ -64,3 +64,4 @@
 ubuntu_qemu_no_kvm.patch
 ubuntu_probe_nonexistent_loopback.patch
 ubuntu_efi_device_discovery.patch
+ubuntu_param_recordfail_timeout.patch

=== added file 'debian/patches/ubuntu_param_recordfail_timeout.patch'
--- debian/patches/ubuntu_param_recordfail_timeout.patch	1970-01-01 00:00:00 +0000
+++ debian/patches/ubuntu_param_recordfail_timeout.patch	2012-05-24 20:17:25 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+Description: Parameterizes the timeout value for recordfail boots
+Author: Ben Howard <[e-mail]>
+Bug-Ubuntu: https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/669481
+Forwarded: no
+Last-Update: 2012-05-17
+
+--- a/util/grub.d/00_header.in
++++ b/util/grub.d/00_header.in
+@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ make_timeout ()
+ {
+     cat << EOF
+ if [ "\${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
+-  set timeout=-1
++  set timeout=${GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT:--1}
+ else
+   set timeout=${2}
+ fi
+--- a/util/grub-mkconfig.in
++++ b/util/grub-mkconfig.in
+@@ -245,7 +245,8 @@ export GRUB_DEFAULT \
+   GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER \
+   GRUB_INIT_TUNE \
+   GRUB_SAVEDEFAULT \
+-  GRUB_BADRAM
++  GRUB_BADRAM \
++  GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT
+ 
+ if test "x${grub_cfg}" != "x"; then
+   rm -f ${grub_cfg}.new
+--- a/docs/grub.texi
++++ b/docs/grub.texi
+@@ -1249,6 +1249,12 @@ out specified regions of RAM.
+ @item GRUB_PRELOAD_MODULES
+ This option may be set to a list of GRUB module names separated by spaces.
+ Each module will be loaded as early as possible, at the start of
++
++@item GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT
++If this option is set, it overrides the default recordfail setting. The
++default setting is -1, which causes GRUB to wait for user input. This option
++should be set on headless and appliance systems where access to a console is
++restricted or limited.
+ @file{grub.cfg}.
+ 
+ @end table

=== removed file 'grub-core/lib/posix_wrap/limits.h'