[needs-packaging] Clean-Ubiquity (automatic boot files backup)

Bug #747279 reported by YannUbuntu
276
This bug affects 65 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Baltix
New
Undecided
Unassigned
Ubuntu
Confirmed
Wishlist
YannUbuntu

Bug Description

Binary package hint: ubiquity

Clean-Ubiquity is a small tool (<100ko), written in Bash, that performs a backup of:
1) the MBR of all disks
2) the partition table of all disks
before Ubuntu's installation. (and links the MBR to the new Linux's partition UUID).
No visible change for the user.

Licence: GPLv3

Project page : https://launchpad.net/clean-ubiquity
Source code and DEBs : https://launchpad.net/~yannubuntu/+archive/clean-ubiquity/+packages

Its MBR backups can be recovered manually, but they can also be used by the 2 following graphical tools :
- OS-Uninstaller (allows to uninstall any Windows, MacOS, Ubuntu... in 1 click)
- Boot-Repair (repair frequent boot problems, restore MBR, reinstall GRUB)

DEB packages are ready, on the PPA, for Ubuntu 10.04, 10.10, 11.04, 11.10 and 12.04, and have already been included them with success in ISO of Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu 10.10, 11.04 and 11.10 (see http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1615667), and also Ubuntu derivatives.

Integration in ISO is easy : Clean-Ubiquity needs 2 DEB (from PPA) and 2 preseed, one to launch a bash script before installation, the other to launch another script after the installation.
Clean-Ubiquity and the 2 above tools have been intensively tested, and already used by ~10.000 French users. (+1000 ISO downloads per week worldwide.)

(This is not an April fool. :-)

Revision history for this message
uboops (oops66) wrote :

Hello,
I strongly support this request too,
This is an useful improvement which will bring a more secure aspect, especially for the news Ubuntu users (but not only).

tags: added: needs-packaging
Revision history for this message
Brian Murray (brian-murray) wrote :

*** This is an automated message ***

This bug is tagged needs-packaging which identifies it as a request for a new package in Ubuntu. As a part of the managing needs-packaging bug reports specification, https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/Specs/NeedsPackagingBugs, all needs-packaging bug reports have Wishlist importance. Subsequently, I'm setting this bug's status to Wishlist.

Changed in ubiquity (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
Revision history for this message
Joj (davidjolly) wrote :

Hi,
Very easy to use and powerful tool, especially in case of a multiboot.
Great work.

Revision history for this message
YannUbuntu (yannubuntu) wrote :

Dear all,
It now has its own PPA : https://launchpad.net/~yannubuntu/+archive/clean-ubiquity

integration in an ISO is very simple : just needs to install the 2 packages from the PPA and add 2 lines in the iso/preseed :
ubiquity partman/early_command string /usr/bin/cleanubiquitybefore
ubiquity ubiquity/success_command string /usr/bin/cleanubiquityafter success

This tool has been used with success by thousands of ubuntu-fr users since almost one year, a new Remix integrates it in Ubuntu 11.04, and several Ubuntu derivatives are integrating it.

Anyone working on packaging ?

YannUbuntu (yannubuntu)
description: updated
YannUbuntu (yannubuntu)
description: updated
Revision history for this message
Rasputin Paskudniak (rpaskudniak) wrote :

This is an EXTREMELY IMPORTANT feature to add to the Ubuntu distribution. Every time I have installed Ubuntu, the process destroyed my MBR and I had to recover my Windows boot followed by manual reinstall of the GRUB from an Ubuntu-live CD. Ubuntu is great one you have it up but a painful installation process. At least have the courtesy to back up the MBR before mangling it! Here is the software to do it; it belongs in the distribution and should be run by default.

Now where is that "vote" button?

Revision history for this message
tsuka (tsuka) wrote :

 "Does this bug affect you?" YES !!

YannUbuntu (yannubuntu)
description: updated
description: updated
description: updated
Changed in ubiquity (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
YannUbuntu (yannubuntu)
description: updated
affects: ubiquity (Ubuntu) → ubuntu
YannUbuntu (yannubuntu)
description: updated
Changed in ubuntu:
assignee: nobody → YannUbuntu (yannubuntu)
Revision history for this message
jerrylamos (jerrylamos) wrote :

Pangolin 12.04 beta 2 updates are mangling grub. After an update that does a update-grub rebooting results in a:

Purple screen with a few columns of faint black lines at the top.

Sometimes boot-repair works, not recently, it repairs to the same purple screen and faint black lines.

So I get my multi-partitions going again by installing Lucid Lynx in a spare partition. So far, never fails!

Attached is a copy of the boot-repair info. It said it worked but I got the same purple screen with a few black lines at the top.
With nothing running can't do an ubuntu-bug grub.

Sure would like to know how to save grub & configuration so I could at least boot live and restore them.

Acer Aspire 5253 notebook AMD Dual-Core Processor E-350, 2 GB memory 15.6" HD LED LCD.

Thanks much,

Jerry

Revision history for this message
YannUbuntu (yannubuntu) wrote :

Hi Jerry, please could you report your problem at: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+filebug

Revision history for this message
jerrylamos (jerrylamos) wrote :

Thanks for your reply and link. Here it is:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/974779

Additional info: super-grub2-usb got me going again - I'll hang on to my hat for the next debilitating update, with super-grub2-usb handy. Sure would be great if ubuntu had the previous working configuration before update clobbers it.

Jerry

Revision history for this message
anna morris (anna-morris-xiino12) wrote :

+one year

This is still a must have. May we have it soonventually (without a remix)?

Or mayhaps a few click utility to patch existing ubuntu ISOs?

Revision history for this message
David Pires (slickymaster) wrote :

I strongly support this request. Not only is an useful improvement but also will bring a more secure aspect, especially for the news Ubuntu users.

YannUbuntu (yannubuntu)
description: updated
YannUbuntu (yannubuntu)
summary: - [needs-packaging] Clean-Ubiquity (automatic MBR backup)
+ [needs-packaging] Clean-Ubiquity (automatic boot files backup)
Revision history for this message
Mary Anna Singer (maryanna) wrote :

I urge you to add this -- borked my Ubuntu 10.04 netbook on upgrade to 12.04 due to grub MBR issues. Had to restore from clone until I have time to fix it.

Revision history for this message
Stan Williams (stanwmusic) wrote :

I strongly support this request. And Urge you to include it in the .iso
This is a useful and needed improvement , especially for the news Ubuntu users.

To post a comment you must log in.
This report contains Public information  
Everyone can see this information.

Other bug subscribers

Remote bug watches

Bug watches keep track of this bug in other bug trackers.