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