Re: [PATCH v4] Mandatory install device check for PowerPC

[Avnish Chouhan <avnish@linux.ibm.com>]

On 2026-01-29 15:22, Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko wrote:
> How does it handle PPC macs? They don't use install device Regards
> Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko Le mar. 27 janv. 2026, 16: 48, Avnish
> Chouhan <avnish@ linux. ibm. com> a écrit : This patch adds a
> check on install_device while
> 
> 
> How does it handle PPC macs? They don't use install device
> 
> Regards
> Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko

Hi Vladimir,
Thank you so much for your review!

I have added this check in else condition, which is newly added to the 
if condition where we decide whether machine is PowerMac or Non 
PowerMac. So this check is not applicable to PowerMac. Sharing the whole 
code block below where I have introduced this new else condition for 
better understanding! Please let me know your suggestions on it. I have 
tested this on IBM Power and it is working as expected. No issues 
observed.

Regards,
Avnish Chouhan

Code:

if (platform == GRUB_INSTALL_PLATFORM_POWERPC_IEEE1275)
     {
       int is_guess = 0;
       if (!macppcdir)
         {
           char *d;

           is_guess = 1;
           d = grub_util_path_concat (2, bootdir, "macppc");
           if (!grub_util_is_directory (d))
             {
               free (d);
               d = grub_util_path_concat (2, bootdir, "efi");
             }
           /* Find the Mac HFS(+) System Partition.  */
           if (!grub_util_is_directory (d))
             {
               free (d);
               d = grub_util_path_concat (2, bootdir, "EFI");
             }
           if (!grub_util_is_directory (d))
             {
               free (d);
               d = 0;
             }
           if (d)
             macppcdir = d;
         }
      if (macppcdir)  <<< added else against this if condition >>>>
         {
           char **macppcdir_device_names = NULL;
           grub_device_t macppcdir_grub_dev = NULL;
           char *macppcdir_grub_devname;
           grub_fs_t fs;

           macppcdir_device_names = grub_guess_root_devices (macppcdir);
           if (!macppcdir_device_names || !macppcdir_device_names[0])
             grub_util_error (_("cannot find a device for %s (is /dev 
mounted?)"),
                              macppcdir);

           for (curdev = macppcdir_device_names; *curdev; curdev++)
             grub_util_pull_device (*curdev);

           macppcdir_grub_devname = grub_util_get_grub_dev 
(macppcdir_device_names[0]);
           if (!macppcdir_grub_devname)
             grub_util_error (_("cannot find a GRUB drive for %s.  Check 
your device.map"),
                              macppcdir_device_names[0]);

           macppcdir_grub_dev = grub_device_open 
(macppcdir_grub_devname);
           if (! macppcdir_grub_dev)
             grub_util_error ("%s", grub_errmsg);

           fs = grub_fs_probe (macppcdir_grub_dev);
           if (! fs)
             grub_util_error ("%s", grub_errmsg);

           if (grub_strcmp (fs->name, "hfs") != 0
               && grub_strcmp (fs->name, "hfsplus") != 0
               && !is_guess)
             grub_util_error (_("filesystem on %s is neither HFS nor 
HFS+"),
                              macppcdir);
           if (grub_strcmp (fs->name, "hfs") == 0
               || grub_strcmp (fs->name, "hfsplus") == 0)
             {
               install_device = macppcdir_device_names[0];
               is_prep = 0;
             }
         }
+#if defined(__powerpc__)
+     else
+       {
+         /*
+	   * As the machine has been detected as PowerPC and not a PowerMac. 
We need to check
+	   * whether the install_device has been mentioned while installing. 
If no device has been
+	   * mentioned, we need to exit and mark it as an error as the 
install_device is required for
+	   * PowerPC installation. An installation with no device mentioned 
may lead to corruptions.
+	   */
+          if (!install_device)
+            grub_util_error ("%s", _("install device isn't specified, 
required for PowerPC"));
+       }
+#endif /* __powerpc__ */
      }




*****************

> 
> Le mar. 27 janv. 2026, 16:48, Avnish Chouhan <avnish@linux.ibm.com> a
> écrit :
> 
>> This patch adds a check on install_device while installing grub for
>> PowerPC.
>> If install_device is not mentioned in grub2-install and machine is
>> detected
>> as PowerPC, the error will be thrown and it will terminates the
>> grub2-install
>> operation. Running grub2-install on PowerPC without the
>> install_device may
>> result in bootlist corruption. When no install device is specified,
>> it attempts
>> to load images from the filesystem, which leads to nvram bootlist
>> corruption.
>> The idea is to fail the operation and avoid creating the invalid
>> boot entry.
>> 
>> Signed-off-by: Avnish Chouhan <avnish@linux.ibm.com>
>> ---
>> util/grub-install.c | 13 +++++++++++++
>> 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+)
>> 
>> diff --git a/util/grub-install.c b/util/grub-install.c
>> index 0602465..f7389b3 100644
>> --- a/util/grub-install.c
>> +++ b/util/grub-install.c
>> @@ -1289,6 +1289,19 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
>> is_prep = 0;
>> }
>> }
>> +#if defined(__powerpc__)
>> +     else
>> +       {
>> +         /*
>> +          * As the machine has been detected as PowerPC and not a
>> PowerMac. We need to check
>> +          * whether the install_device has been mentioned while
>> installing. If no device has been
>> +          * mentioned, we need to exit and mark it as an error as
>> the install_device is required for
>> +          * PowerPC installation. An installation with no device
>> mentioned may lead to corruptions.
>> +          */
>> +          if (!install_device)
>> +            grub_util_error ("%s", _("install device isn't
>> specified, required for PowerPC"));
>> +       }
>> +#endif /* __powerpc__ */
>> }
>> 
>> size_t ndev = 0;
>> --
>> 2.50.1 (Apple Git-155)
> 
> 
> Links:
> ------
> [1] 
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