Updated on 2024-03-01 GMT+08:00

Changing the Disk Identifier in the GRUB Configuration File to UUID

Scenarios

When optimizing a Linux private image, you need to change the disk identifier to UUID in the GRUB configuration file of the ECS.

Modify the menu.lst or grub.cfg configuration file (/boot/grub/menu.lst, /boot/grub/grub.cfg, /boot/grub2/grub.cfg, /boot/grub/grub.conf, or /boot/efi/EFI/euleros/grub.cfg), and configure the boot partition using the UUID.

The root partition identified in the configuration file varies depending on the OS. It may be root=/dev/xvda or root=/dev/disk.

Procedure

  • Ubuntu 14.04: Run blkid to obtain the UUID of the root partition. Modify the /boot/grub/grub.cfg file and use the UUID of the root partition to configure the boot item. If the root partition already uses UUID, no modification is required. The procedure is as follows:
    1. Log in to the ECS as user root.
    2. Run the following command to query all types of mounted file systems and device UUIDs:

      blkid

      The following information is displayed:

      /dev/xvda1: UUID="ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34" TYPE="ext3"
      /dev/xvda5: UUID="7a44a9ce-9281-4740-b95f-c8de33ae5c11" TYPE="swap"
    1. Run the following command to query the grub.cfg file:

      cat /boot/grub/grub.cfg

      The following information is displayed:

      ......menuentry 'Ubuntu Linux, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os --unrestricted $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.13.0-24-generic-advanced-ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34' {
      recordfail
      load_video
      gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
      insmod gzio
      insmod part_msdos
      insmod ext2
      if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34
      else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34
      fi
      echo 'Loading Linux 3.13.0-24-generic ...'
      linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic root=/dev/xvda1 ro 
      echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
      initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic 
      }
    1. Check whether the root partition in the /boot/grub/grub.cfg configuration file contains root=/dev/xvda1 or root=UUID=ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34.
      • If root=UUID=ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34 is contained, the root partition is in the UUID format and requires no change.
      • If root=/dev/xvda1 is contained, the root partition is in the device name format. Go to 5.
    1. Identify the UUID of the root partition device based on root=/dev/xvda1 (device name of the root partition) and the partition information obtained by running the blkid command.
    2. Run the following command to open the grub.cfg file:

      vi /boot/grub/grub.cfg

    3. Press i to enter editing mode and change the root partition to the UUID format, for example, from root=/dev/xvda1 to root=UUID=ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34.
    4. Press Esc, enter :wq, and press Enter. The system saves the configuration and exits the vi editor.
    5. Run the following command to verify the change:

      cat /boot/grub/grub.cfg

      The change is successful if information similar to the following is displayed:

      ......menuentry 'Ubuntu Linux, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os --unrestricted $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.13.0-24-generic-advanced-ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34' {
      recordfail
      load_video
      gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
      insmod gzio
      insmod part_msdos
      insmod ext2
      if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34
      else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34
      fi
      echo 'Loading Linux 3.13.0-24-generic ...'
      linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic root=UUID=ec51d860-34bf-4374-ad46-a0c3e337fd34 ro
      echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
      initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic
      }
  • CentOS 6.5: Run blkid to obtain the UUID of the root partition. Modify the /boot/grub/grub.conf file and use the UUID of the root partition to configure the boot item. If the root partition already uses UUID, no modification is required. The procedure is as follows:
    1. Log in to the ECS as user root.
    2. Run the following command to query all types of mounted file systems and device UUIDs:

      blkid

      The following information is displayed:

      /dev/xvda1: UUID="749d6c0c-990a-4661-bed1-46769388365a" TYPE="swap"  
      /dev/xvda2: UUID="f382872b-eda6-43df-9516-5a687fecdce6" TYPE="ext4"
    1. Run the following command to query the grub.conf file:

      cat /boot/grub/grub.conf

      The following information is displayed:

      default=0 
      timeout=5 
      splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz 
      hiddenmenu 
      title CentOS (2.6.32-573.8.1.el6.x86_64) 
      root (hd0,1) 
      kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-573.8.1.el6.x86_64 ro root=/dev/xvda2 rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_LVM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 rd_NO_MD SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 crashkernel=autoKEYBOARDTYPE=pc KEYTABLE=us rd_NO_DM rhgb quiet 
      initrd /boot/initramfs-2.6.32-573.8.1.el6.x86_64.img
    1. Check whether the root partition in the /boot/grub/grub.conf configuration file contains root=/dev/xvda2 or root=UUID=f382872b-eda6-43df-9516-5a687fecdce6.
      • If root=UUID=f382872b-eda6-43df-9516-5a687fecdce6 is contained, the root partition is in the UUID format and requires no change.
      • If root=/dev/xvda2 is contained, the root partition is in the device name format. Go to 5.
    1. Identify the UUID of the root partition device based on root=/dev/xvda2 (device name of the root partition) and the partition information obtained by running the blkid command.
    2. Run the following command to open the grub.conf file:

      vi /boot/grub/grub.conf

    3. Press i to enter editing mode and change the root partition to the UUID format, for example, from root=/dev/xvda2 to root=UUID=f382872b-eda6-43df-9516-5a687fecdce6.
    4. Press Esc, enter :wq, and press Enter. The system saves the configuration and exits the vi editor.
    5. Run the following command to verify the change:

      cat /boot/grub/grub.conf

      The change is successful if information similar to the following is displayed:

      default=0 
      timeout=5 
      splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz 
      hiddenmenu 
      title CentOS (2.6.32-573.8.1.el6.x86_64) 
      root (hd0,1) 
      kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-573.8.1.el6.x86_64 ro root=UUID=f382872b-eda6-43df-9516-5a687fecdce6 rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_LVM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 rd_NO_MD SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 crashkernel=autoKEYBOARDTYPE=pc KEYTABLE=us rd_NO_DM rhgb quiet 
      initrd /boot/initramfs-2.6.32-573.8.1.el6.x86_64.img
  • CentOS 7.0: Run blkid to obtain the UUID of the root partition. Modify the /boot/grub2/grub.cfg file and use the UUID of the root partition to configure the boot item. If the root partition already uses UUID, no modification is required.
    1. Log in to the ECS as user root.
    2. Run the following command to query all types of mounted file systems and device UUIDs:

      blkid

      The following information is displayed:

      /dev/xvda2: UUID="4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130" TYPE="xfs"  
      /dev/xvda1: UUID="2de37c6b-2648-43b4-a4f5-40162154e135" TYPE="swap" 
    1. Run the following command to query the grub.cfg file:

      cat /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

      The following information is displayed:

      ......
      menuentry 'CentOS Linux (3.10.0-229.el7.x86_64) 7 (Core)' --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os --unrestricted $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.10.0-229.el7.x86_64-advanced-4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130' { 
      load_video 
      set gfxpayload=keep 
      insmod gzio 
      insmod part_msdos 
      insmod xfs 
      set root='hd0,msdos2' 
      if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then 
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint='hd0,msdos2'4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130 
      else 
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130 
      fi 
      linux16 /boot/vmlinuz-3.10.0-229.el7.x86_64 root=/dev/xvda2 ro crashkernel=auto rhgb quiet LANG=en_US.UTF-8 
      initrd16 /boot/initramfs-3.10.0-229.el7.x86_64.img 
      }
    1. Check whether the root partition in the /boot/grub2/grub.cfg configuration file contains root=/dev/xvda2 or root=UUID=4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130.
      • If root=UUID=4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130 is contained, the root partition is in the UUID format and requires no change.
      • If root=/dev/xvda2 is contained, the root partition is in the device name format. Go to 5.
    1. Identify the UUID of the root partition device based on root=/dev/xvda2 (device name of the root partition) and the partition information obtained by running the blkid command.
    2. Run the following command to open the grub.cfg file:

      vi /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

    3. Press i to enter editing mode and change the root partition to the UUID format, for example, from root=/dev/xvda2 to root=UUID=4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130.
    4. Press Esc, enter :wq, and press Enter. The system saves the configuration and exits the vi editor.
    5. Run the following command to verify the change:

      cat /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

      The change is successful if information similar to the following is displayed:

      ......
      menuentry 'CentOS Linux (3.10.0-229.el7.x86_64) 7 (Core)' --class fedora --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os --unrestricted $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.10.0-229.el7.x86_64-advanced-4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130' { 
      load_video 
      set gfxpayload=keep 
      insmod gzio 
      insmod part_msdos 
      insmod xfs 
      set root='hd0,msdos2' 
      if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then 
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint='hd0,msdos2'4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130 
      else 
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130 
      fi 
      linux16 /boot/vmlinuz-3.10.0-229.el7.x86_64 root=UUID=4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130 ro crashkernel=auto rhgb quiet LANG=en_US.UTF-8 
      initrd16 /boot/initramfs-3.10.0-229.el7.x86_64.img 
      }