Gene Heskett composed on 2019-04-03 18:21 (UTC-0400):

> It seems to me that this problem 
> could be fixed once and for all by simply installing grub while the 
> partition was only at the minimal install stage, I think by waiting till 
> the end of the install, grub is too far into the disk for a dumb 
> messydos bios to find.  Thats my theory at least.
Valid theory when the BIOS is old and dumb enough.

With a new or wiped disk, order of things on MBR disks here is:

1-booted to live Knoppix, or with the disk in a different PC, partition completely
2-install generic MBR code
3-format all partitions intended for use by bootloader and initial OS installation
4-install and configure bootloader on primary partition below 504MB
5-begin first OS installation

For KISS leanings within the multiboot always environment here, the only
bootloader I use on MBR systems without OS/2 on them is openSUSE's Grub Legacy
with Gfxboot, which has adequate EXT4 support that Debian's last Grub Legacy
versions lack. I suppose if it didn't work so well for me I might try something
else, most likely rEFInd or syslinux. Grub2 is only used here for 2 PCs using UEFI
mode.

I could hardly suggest the entirety of what I do for your single OS installation.
Letting the Debian installer do with bootloader as it pleases should be quite
sufficient once you've successfully navigated *manual* "partitioning", in which,
since you've already partitioned and formatted, the only thing to do is select
mount points and options. It's easy enough to select for formatting during this
phase if you forgot to or chose not to format before beginning installation.

This selection process seems to be where people, including you, get flummoxed.
When I first encountered it it did not seem intuitive or easy, but it really is
logical, and easy enough. I looked for screenshots of these screens on debian.org
just now and failed. I know I've seen some in the past, but apparently not in the
Debian Handbook.
-- 
Evolution as taught in public schools is religion, not science.

 Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/