Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

[Arun Isaac]

Instead of having to manually specify custom grub entries in config.scm,
can Guix use os-prober to automatically detect other operating system
and generate grub entries?

https://joeyh.name/code/os-prober/

Re: Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

[Ludovic Courtès]

Arun Isaac <arunisaac@systemreboot.net> skribis:

> Instead of having to manually specify custom grub entries in config.scm,
> can Guix use os-prober to automatically detect other operating system
> and generate grub entries?
>
> https://joeyh.name/code/os-prober/

I think there is value in having everything in the GuixSD config, which
can then be put under version control.

Now, I have a single OS on my machines so I’m probably not part of the
target audience.  :-)

Thoughts?

Ludo’.

Re: Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

[Amirouche Boubekki]

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On Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 3:39 PM Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org> wrote:

> Arun Isaac <arunisaac@systemreboot.net> skribis:
>
> > Instead of having to manually specify custom grub entries in config.scm,
> > can Guix use os-prober to automatically detect other operating system
> > and generate grub entries?
> >
> > https://joeyh.name/code/os-prober/
>
> I think there is value in having everything in the GuixSD config, which
> can then be put under version control.
>
> Now, I have a single OS on my machines so I’m probably not part of the
> target audience.  :-)
>
> Thoughts?
>

My understanding is that os-probe could generate part of GuixSD config.


>
> Ludo’.
>
>

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Re: Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

[Ludovic Courtès]

Amirouche Boubekki <amirouche.boubekki@gmail.com> skribis:

> On Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 3:39 PM Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org> wrote:
>
>> Arun Isaac <arunisaac@systemreboot.net> skribis:
>>
>> > Instead of having to manually specify custom grub entries in config.scm,
>> > can Guix use os-prober to automatically detect other operating system
>> > and generate grub entries?
>> >
>> > https://joeyh.name/code/os-prober/
>>
>> I think there is value in having everything in the GuixSD config, which
>> can then be put under version control.
>>
>> Now, I have a single OS on my machines so I’m probably not part of the
>> target audience.  :-)
>>
>> Thoughts?
>>
>
> My understanding is that os-probe could generate part of GuixSD config.

Ah yes, that’d be easy and useful.  The first step would be to make a
package for it.

Ludo’.

Re: Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

[Arun Isaac]

Ludovic Courtès writes:

> Amirouche Boubekki <amirouche.boubekki@gmail.com> skribis:
>
>> On Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 3:39 PM Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Arun Isaac <arunisaac@systemreboot.net> skribis:
>>>
>>> > Instead of having to manually specify custom grub entries in config.scm,
>>> > can Guix use os-prober to automatically detect other operating system
>>> > and generate grub entries?
>>> >
>>> > https://joeyh.name/code/os-prober/
>>>
>>> I think there is value in having everything in the GuixSD config, which
>>> can then be put under version control.
>>>
>>> Now, I have a single OS on my machines so I’m probably not part of the
>>> target audience.  :-)
>>
>> My understanding is that os-probe could generate part of GuixSD config.
>
> Ah yes, that’d be easy and useful.  The first step would be to make a
> package for it.

I have packaged os-prober.

https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=28281

Re: Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

[Ludovic Courtès]

Hi Arun,

Arun Isaac <arunisaac@systemreboot.net> skribis:

> Ludovic Courtès writes:
>
>> Amirouche Boubekki <amirouche.boubekki@gmail.com> skribis:
>>
>>> On Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 3:39 PM Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Arun Isaac <arunisaac@systemreboot.net> skribis:
>>>>
>>>> > Instead of having to manually specify custom grub entries in config.scm,
>>>> > can Guix use os-prober to automatically detect other operating system
>>>> > and generate grub entries?
>>>> >
>>>> > https://joeyh.name/code/os-prober/
>>>>
>>>> I think there is value in having everything in the GuixSD config, which
>>>> can then be put under version control.
>>>>
>>>> Now, I have a single OS on my machines so I’m probably not part of the
>>>> target audience.  :-)
>>>
>>> My understanding is that os-probe could generate part of GuixSD config.
>>
>> Ah yes, that’d be easy and useful.  The first step would be to make a
>> package for it.
>
> I have packaged os-prober.
>
> https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=28281

I guess a next step could be to document it in the installation manual.
Or we could write a new tool that creates an ‘operating-system’ template
based on ‘os-prober’ output?

Thoughts?

Ludo’.

Re: Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

[Arun Isaac]

>> I have packaged os-prober.
>>
>> https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=28281
>
> I guess a next step could be to document it in the installation manual.
> Or we could write a new tool that creates an ‘operating-system’ template
> based on ‘os-prober’ output?
>
> Thoughts?

Yes, the next step is to use `os-prober' to generate an
`operating-system' template. Unless somebody else is interested in
taking this up, I will do it. But, it might take "a while".

Re: Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

[Arun Isaac]

Ludovic Courtès writes:

> Arun Isaac <arunisaac@systemreboot.net> skribis:
>
>> Instead of having to manually specify custom grub entries in config.scm,
>> can Guix use os-prober to automatically detect other operating system
>> and generate grub entries?
>>
>> https://joeyh.name/code/os-prober/
>
> I think there is value in having everything in the GuixSD config, which
> can then be put under version control.
>
> Now, I have a single OS on my machines so I’m probably not part of the
> target audience.  :-)
>
> Thoughts?

I too now only have a single OS. So, I don't really need this feature
either. But, I do think we should offer an user experience as close as
possible to other distros. Hence, I think automatic os detection and
grub generation is worthwile. It's nice to have the grub work
automagically out of the box.

Also, I noticed that custom grub entries are a problem for the proposed
"guix system delete-generations"

https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guix-devel/2017-03/msg00194.html

Would automatic grub generation solve, or at least alleviate, this
problem?

Re: Automatically detect other OSs and generate grub entries

[Ludovic Courtès]

Arun Isaac <arunisaac@systemreboot.net> skribis:

> Ludovic Courtès writes:
>
>> Arun Isaac <arunisaac@systemreboot.net> skribis:
>>
>>> Instead of having to manually specify custom grub entries in config.scm,
>>> can Guix use os-prober to automatically detect other operating system
>>> and generate grub entries?
>>>
>>> https://joeyh.name/code/os-prober/
>>
>> I think there is value in having everything in the GuixSD config, which
>> can then be put under version control.
>>
>> Now, I have a single OS on my machines so I’m probably not part of the
>> target audience.  :-)
>>
>> Thoughts?
>
> I too now only have a single OS. So, I don't really need this feature
> either. But, I do think we should offer an user experience as close as
> possible to other distros. Hence, I think automatic os detection and
> grub generation is worthwile. It's nice to have the grub work
> automagically out of the box.

I agree.  Perhaps we can use/tweak os-prober to generate ‘menu-entry’
forms suitable for use in the GuixSD config file?

> Also, I noticed that custom grub entries are a problem for the proposed
> "guix system delete-generations"
>
> https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guix-devel/2017-03/msg00194.html
>
> Would automatic grub generation solve, or at least alleviate, this
> problem?

No, I think we still need to support entries specified in the OS config.

Ludo’.