problem disabling os_prober with dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc

[m_pav]

You may have missed my intent, it didn't fix the missing windows in my test, but I'll have to leave it for now cause it's late at night and check back in the morning

[asqwerth]

No worries, I'll be your guinea pig!

Before I run the commands, the first one says:

sudo sed -i '/export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER/aelse\n export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"' /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober

Is it really "aelse" ?

yes, in "aelse" the "a" is a sed command, which means: append a new line with all the following text.
which means:
the sed command expression
aelse\n export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"

appends a new line

else\n export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"

where \n is also replaced with an addtional new-line
which gives:

Code: Select all

else
   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"

@fehlix your command works to stop the os-prober from running. An update-grub now only generates the entries for MX23 XFCE itself. Thanks.

@m_pav yours seems to be the opposite problem from mine, in that you want os_prober to be enabled, to run and to detect Windows.

[fehlix]

No worries, I'll be your guinea pig!

Before I run the commands, the first one says:

sudo sed -i '/export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER/aelse\n export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"' /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober

Is it really "aelse" ?

yes, in "aelse" the "a" is a sed command, which means: append a new line with all the following text.
which means:
the sed command expression
aelse\n export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"

appends a new line

else\n export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"

where \n is also replaced with an addtional new-line
which gives:

Code: Select all

else
   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"

@fehlix your command works to stop the os-prober from running. An update-grub now only generates the entries for MX23 XFCE itself. Thanks.

@m_pav yours seems to be the opposite problem from mine, in that you want os_prober to be enabled, to run and to detect Windows.

Thanks, for the brave test.

In case some one wants to have the os-prober run always enabled - not disabled - do run

Code: Select all

sudo dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc

and tick the check mark "Run os-prober automatically to detect and boot other OSes?"
followed by "Next" , for BIOS-GRUB the selection of MBR-target for the bios-grub-pc boot loader should be selected.

[asqwerth]

Thanks, for the brave test.

...

@fehlix

I booted into MX23 XFCE again today and noted that the grub menu list still seemed rather long even though I ran update grub last time after running your command to help disable os_prober.

So I ran your command and then update-grub again, and got this error message in the os_prober script:

Code: Select all

$ sudo update-grub
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found theme: /boot/grub/themes/mx_linux/theme.txt
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-13-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-13-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-12-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-12-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-11-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-11-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-10-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-10-amd64
/etc/grub.d/30_os-prober: 12: Syntax error: "else" unexpected (expecting "fi")

Anyway, I thought I would install updates while booted into MX23 before I rebooted to check the grub menu, and got even more errors and issues. Looks like because of the error in your command, errors are generated when the updates require the removal of an older kernel. See terminal output below.

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt update
Hit:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates InRelease
Hit:2 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm InRelease                                              
Hit:3 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security InRelease                       
Hit:4 https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable InRelease                                      
Hit:5 http://it.mxrepo.com/mx/repo bookworm InRelease                                              
Hit:6 http://shop.softmaker.com/repo/apt stable InRelease                        
Hit:7 https://repo.nordvpn.com/deb/nordvpn/debian stable InRelease         
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
12 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.


$ sudo apt full-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libbotan-2-19 libclutter-gtk-1.0-0 libgnome-games-support-1-3 libgnome-games-support-common
  libmikmod3 libotr5 libqt6concurrent6 libqt6sql6 libqt6sql6-sqlite libqt6widgets6 librnp0
  libsdl-mixer1.2 libtspi1 linux-headers-6.1.0-11-common
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  linux-headers-6.1.0-11-amd64 linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64
The following packages will be upgraded:
  gir1.2-javascriptcoregtk-4.0 gir1.2-webkit2-4.0 google-chrome-stable libjavascriptcoregtk-4.0-18
  libjavascriptcoregtk-4.1-0 libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37 libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 mx-goodies mx-installer
  mx-remaster mx-system timeshift
12 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 2 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 161 MB of archives.
After this operation, 403 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main amd64 gir1.2-webkit2-4.0 amd64 2.42.1-1~deb12u1 [102 kB]
Get:2 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main amd64 gir1.2-javascriptcoregtk-4.0 amd64 2.42.1-1~deb12u1 [46.8 kB]
Get:3 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main amd64 libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37 amd64 2.42.1-1~deb12u1 [20.3 MB]
Get:4 https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable/main amd64 google-chrome-stable amd64 118.0.5993.88-1 [104 MB]
Get:5 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main amd64 libjavascriptcoregtk-4.0-18 amd64 2.42.1-1~deb12u1 [7,529 kB]
Get:6 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main amd64 libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 amd64 2.42.1-1~deb12u1 [20.3 MB]
Get:7 http://it.mxrepo.com/mx/repo bookworm/main amd64 mx-remaster all 23.10.01mx23 [170 kB]       
Get:8 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main amd64 libjavascriptcoregtk-4.1-0 amd64 2.42.1-1~deb12u1 [7,529 kB]
Get:9 http://it.mxrepo.com/mx/repo bookworm/main amd64 mx-goodies all 23.09.02 [49.1 kB]           
Get:10 http://it.mxrepo.com/mx/repo bookworm/main amd64 mx-installer amd64 23.10.02mx23 [518 kB]
Get:11 http://it.mxrepo.com/mx/repo bookworm/main amd64 mx-system all 23.10.01mx23 [72.9 kB]
Get:12 http://it.mxrepo.com/mx/repo bookworm/main amd64 timeshift amd64 23.07.1-1+mx23+2 [686 kB]
Fetched 161 MB in 3s (63.3 MB/s)    
(Reading database ... 444442 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing linux-headers-6.1.0-11-amd64 (6.1.38-4) ...
Removing linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64 (6.1.38-4) ...
/etc/kernel/prerm.d/dkms:
dkms: removing: 8812au 5.13.6 (6.1.0-11-amd64) (x86_64)
/usr/sbin/dkms.mx remove -m 8812au -v 5.13.6 -k 6.1.0-11-amd64 -a x86_64
Module 8812au-5.13.6 for kernel 6.1.0-11-amd64 (x86_64).
Before uninstall, this module version was ACTIVE on this kernel.

8812au.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/6.1.0-11-amd64/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.
depmod...
dkms: removing: broadcom-sta 6.30.223.271 (6.1.0-11-amd64) (x86_64)
/usr/sbin/dkms.mx remove -m broadcom-sta -v 6.30.223.271 -k 6.1.0-11-amd64 -a x86_64
Module broadcom-sta-6.30.223.271 for kernel 6.1.0-11-amd64 (x86_64).
Before uninstall, this module version was ACTIVE on this kernel.

wl.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/6.1.0-11-amd64/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.
depmod...
dkms: removing: rtl8821ce 5.5.2.1+git20230504 (6.1.0-11-amd64) (x86_64)
/usr/sbin/dkms.mx remove -m rtl8821ce -v 5.5.2.1+git20230504 -k 6.1.0-11-amd64 -a x86_64
grep: /lib/modules/6.1.0-11-amd64/build/.config: No such file or directory
Deprecated feature: MODULES_CONF (/var/lib/dkms/rtl8821ce/5.5.2.1+git20230504/source/dkms.conf)
Module rtl8821ce-5.5.2.1+git20230504 for kernel 6.1.0-11-amd64 (x86_64).
Before uninstall, this module version was ACTIVE on this kernel.

rtl8821ce.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/6.1.0-11-amd64/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.
depmod...
dkms: removing: rtl8821cu 5.12.0 (6.1.0-11-amd64) (x86_64)
/usr/sbin/dkms.mx remove -m rtl8821cu -v 5.12.0 -k 6.1.0-11-amd64 -a x86_64
Module rtl8821cu-5.12.0 for kernel 6.1.0-11-amd64 (x86_64).
Before uninstall, this module version was ACTIVE on this kernel.

8821cu.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/6.1.0-11-amd64/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.
depmod...
dkms: removing: virtualbox 7.0.10 (6.1.0-11-amd64) (x86_64)
/usr/sbin/dkms.mx remove -m virtualbox -v 7.0.10 -k 6.1.0-11-amd64 -a x86_64
Module virtualbox-7.0.10 for kernel 6.1.0-11-amd64 (x86_64).
Before uninstall, this module version was ACTIVE on this kernel.

vboxdrv.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/6.1.0-11-amd64/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

vboxnetadp.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/6.1.0-11-amd64/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

vboxnetflt.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/6.1.0-11-amd64/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.
depmod...
/etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Deleting /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-11-amd64
/etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub:
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found theme: /boot/grub/themes/mx_linux/theme.txt
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-13-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-13-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-12-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-12-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-10-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-10-amd64
/etc/grub.d/30_os-prober: 12: Syntax error: "else" unexpected (expecting "fi")
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub exited with return code 2
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64 (--remove):
 installed linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64 package post-removal script subprocess returned error exit sta
tus 1
dpkg: too many errors, stopping
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64
Processing was halted because there were too many errors.
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)


tuaz@mx23rc3:~
$ sudo dpkg -C
The following packages are only half installed, due to problems during
installation.  The installation can probably be completed by retrying it;
the packages can be removed using dselect or dpkg --remove:
 linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64 Linux 6.1 for 64-bit PCs (signed)


tuaz@mx23rc3:~
$ sudo dpkg --remove linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64
(Reading database ... 432992 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64 (6.1.38-4) ...
/etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Deleting /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-11-amd64
/etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub:
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found theme: /boot/grub/themes/mx_linux/theme.txt
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-13-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-13-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-12-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-12-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-10-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.1.0-10-amd64
/etc/grub.d/30_os-prober: 12: Syntax error: "else" unexpected (expecting "fi")
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub exited with return code 2
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64 (--remove):
 installed linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64 package post-removal script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-6.1.0-11-amd64
tuaz@mx23rc3:~
$

[asqwerth]

Added: I am still able to reboot using the current kernel, but because of the error during kernel removal, the updates are unable to go through.


YIKES! I just realised your original post with the command said to run it only once. So I have now run it once or twice more. That's probably the problem, right?


SOLVED - I edited the os-prober script as root and removed the additional added lines.

[fehlix]

I booted into MX23 XFCE again today and noted that the grub menu list still seemed rather long even though I ran update grub last time after running your command to help disable os_prober.

So I ran your command and then update-grub again, and got this error message in the os_prober script:

++EDIT+++, ok you fixed it.
#---------
maybe you run the command twice.
Better show how it looks now, with

Code: Select all

head -20 /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober

[asqwerth]

Code: Select all

$ head -20 /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober

#! /bin/sh

#tag for mx-system update
#mx-system 20.11.02+4

export LVM_SUPPRESS_FD_WARNINGS=true

if [ "x$(debconf-get-selections |grep  '^grub-pc\sgrub2/enable_os_prober\sboolean\strue' | awk '{print $4}')" = "xtrue" ]; then
   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="false"
else
   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"
#else
#   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"
#else
#   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"
fi

set -e

I commented out what I thought were the wrongly-added extra lines (instead of deleting them), to test my solution.

[fehlix]

Code: Select all

$ head -20 /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober

#! /bin/sh

#tag for mx-system update
#mx-system 20.11.02+4

export LVM_SUPPRESS_FD_WARNINGS=true

if [ "x$(debconf-get-selections |grep  '^grub-pc\sgrub2/enable_os_prober\sboolean\strue' | awk '{print $4}')" = "xtrue" ]; then
   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="false"
else
   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"
#else
#   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"
#else
#   export GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER="true"
fi

set -e

I commented out what I thought were the wrongly-added extra lines (instead of deleting them), to test my solution.

Seems you have run it three times and added every time a new else clause.