Bug#681227: Can anyone reproduce #681227: installation-reports: grub-install tries to install to a nonsense string?!

[Matthew Vernon <matthewv+sacbugs@coriolis.greenend.org.uk>]

Hi,

Sorry, I don't think this email's going to help very much.

On 02/01/13 22:49, Steven Chamberlain wrote:
> Hi!
>
> On 02/01/13 20:26, Cyril Brulebois wrote:

> > Jul 10 16:48:43 in-target: grub-common is already the newest version.
> > Jul 10 16:48:43 in-target: 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
> > Jul 11 07:56:28 grub-installer: info: Installing grub on '/dev/sdb  w33sxs34rfvbg789iokm·']'
>
> Notice the long delay there.  I suspect the installer paused at `db_get
> grub-installer/bootdev`, which according to grub-installer.templates for
> v1.70 was of 'string' type:
>
> > Template: grub-installer/bootdev
> > Type: string
>
> > The device should be specified as a device in /dev. Below are some
> > examples:
>
>
> So I imagined typing that 'nonsense' string on a keyboard:
>
> w33...  sxs...  34rfvbg... 789iokm...
> and a middot which I'm not sure how you would type, and finally
> ... ']... enter key?
>
> On a QWERTY keyboard these sequences of keys are all adjacent!
>
> To the original submitter of the bug report:  do you have a cat?

No. The machine is my work desktop. I do have a QWERTY keyboard 
(Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000). I don't know how one might 
have gotten a middot out of it! That said, I cannot eliminate the 
possibility that a cleaner was overzealous or similar, but it seems 
unlikely...?

Regards,

Matthew