Bug 6422

Summary: Previous linux directories formatted in "custom" installation
Product: [Retired] Red Hat Linux Reporter: celli
Component: installerAssignee: Jay Turner <jturner>
Status: CLOSED RAWHIDE QA Contact:
Severity: high Docs Contact:
Priority: medium    
Version: 6.1CC: srevivo
Target Milestone: ---   
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version: Doc Type: Bug Fix
Doc Text:
Story Points: ---
Clone Of: Environment:
Last Closed: 2000-02-08 19:13:53 UTC Type: ---
Regression: --- Mount Type: ---
Documentation: --- CRM:
Verified Versions: Category: ---
oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team: --- Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description celli 1999-10-27 13:23:13 UTC
I have (had) a 8GB eide HD with several Linux partition:
- hdb1 working Linux distribution
- hdb2 test-1 Linux distribution
- hdb3 test-2 Linux distribution ~800MB
- hdb4 extended
- hdb5  /home
.....

I tried to install RH-6.1 on hdb3.
I choose "custom" to preserve other linux partitions
I told to format ONLY hdb3
I set mount points for other linux partitions (es. hdb2
on /mnt/caldera, hdb5 on /mnt/home )and win partitions
on hda
I choose a lot of packages.

The installer told me the space was not enough.

I came back and removed some package (GNOME,...).

The installation started saying "formatting /mnt/caldera"
(Not "formatting /dev/hdb2"). No messages about
other partitions.

When installation ended i found:

- ALL linux partitions formatted,
- not chosen packages (Gnome,...) installed
- other chosen packages (g77,...) not installed
- mount points to win partitions non activated.

It seems as when I went back to deselect some
package the installation mode was switched to
"workstation" with very "unpleasant" consequences.

I suppose it is a very severe bug in installation
program. Obviously i can't repeat the procedure
to be sure of what i said. Actually I have got a
 lot of problems to restore my lost data.

Any way IMHO i thing it'd be very important to modify
installation procedure adding an "active" warning
before formatting a partition. In such a way i can
prevent deletion of data. This is very important in
a "full automatic" procedure where user doesn't control
what actually happens.


Best regards, Andrea Celli

Comment 1 Jay Turner 1999-11-30 19:04:59 UTC
This issue has been forwarded to a developer for further action.

Comment 2 Jay Turner 2000-02-08 19:13:59 UTC
This issue has been fixed in the latest RawHide.