x86: Installing GRUB 2 by Using the bootadm install-bootloader Command

If the GRUB 2 boot loader becomes corrupted, and the system can no longer boot, you might be required to boot from media and manually reinstall the boot loader. To reinstall the boot loader, you must boot from the Oracle Solaris installation media (for example, by using the text installer ISO image) and get to a command prompt.

x86: How to Install the Boot Loader

You must import the root pool before you can reinstall GRUB 2. The following procedure describes the steps to follow.

1. Assume the root role.

   See Using Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Securing Users and Processes in Oracle Solaris 11.2 .

2. Boot the system from the Oracle Solaris media.
3. Import the root pool.

   # zpool import -f pool-name

4. Install the boot loader.

   # bootadm install-bootloader [-f] -P pool-name

   –f

   Forces the installation of the boot loader an bypasses any versioning checks for not downgrading the version of the boot loader on the system.

   ---

   Note - Do not used the –f option unless you are sure that you want to overwrite the boot loader with the version that is on the media.

   ---

   –P

   Specifies the boot configuration for the pool to be used

5. Export the root pool.

   # zpool export pool-name

6. Reboot the system.

x86: How to Install GRUB in a Location Other Than the Default Location

On systems with BIOS firmware, sometimes it is necessary or desirable to install GRUB 2 into the master boot record. The following procedure describes how to do so. After the installation, GRUB 2 is then the default system boot loader, regardless of which DOS partition is marked as the active partition. When DOS partitioning is used on systems with BIOS firmware, and the Solaris partition is a primary partition, the default GRUB 2 installation location is the partition boot record. If the partition is a logical partition, GRUB 2 is always installed in the MBR.

1. Assume the root role.

   See Using Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Securing Users and Processes in Oracle Solaris 11.2 .

2. Install the boot loader into the MBR location.

   # bootadm install-bootloader -M

3. Reboot the system.