Bug#230502: debian-installer wiped out my MBR
On Sat, 31 Jan 2004, Christian Perrier wrote:
> Quoting Marc Herbert (Marc.Herbert@free.fr):
>
> > Generally speaking, I find the new design of the installer very nice:
> > I like the idea of being able to go back and forth between "clever"
> > and "manual" modes. But please, just ask confirmation (just provide
> > a "back" button) before doing anything "clever", at the very least in
> > the MBR case.
>
> Just saw your IRC exchanges with joeyh about this. Can you indicate which
> boot loader was involved?
As if I had time to choose one! The default one of course: GRUB.
By the way, it's kinda funny to provide two boot loaders when you just
can't choose.
> (probably any of lilo and grub installers exhibit the same problem)
That's why I filed this bug "above", to debian-installer. I think it's
not safe for debian-installer to call whatever-MBR-spoiler without any
user interaction, and then cross fingers and trust that everything
will be fine below. Two warnings and user confirmations are obviously
safer than none.
I heard that one of the design goal of the new installer is be more
newbie-friendly. So far, so good. But IMHO, what is not
newbie-friendly is just asking complex technical questions that can be
solved automagically 95% of the time. I think that asking: "Final
step, I will change the way your machine is booting, are you sure you
want to do that ?" _is_ newbie-friendly, every user can understand
that, and everyone still has the chance to press the "back" button".
What is not newbie-friendly is just questions that stick you because
you do not know the answer (and where the installer can make a good
guess of course). Every newbie can choose between "yes" and "back".
Sometimes without even understanding the consequences, but then there
is no solution at all. You cannot say: "Let's not warn the user about
this dangerous action, since he may be afraid of it".
What is also funny is that the installer stops and ask confirmation
before rebooting. You know why? because at this time, there is the
great danger of... rebooting from the CD! A very frightening situation
indeed.
> By the way, you are certainly a bit angry about this, but as you say,
> come on.......I'm pretty sure you have skills enough for fixing the
> problem, so I don't see any need for being that negative.
- First I still not have figured out how to get my other systems
working again, assuming I can, which I don't even know yet. (No: I
don't have enough skills to write a windows MBR by hand with a disk
editor).
- Then I did not of course tagged this bug "critical" just because it
destroyed MY machine, but because it can destroy everyone's MBR.
> Remember that, no, Debian is not Windows, neither Redhat....this is a volunteer
> project....:-)
I have never and will never complain loud about free software that
does not deliver. But this is different: it actually delivers
something really nasty.
> If this is lilo, I think this BR may be merged with 229211.
I don't think so. The debian-installer should also pause and think for
a second instead of rushing like this and fully delegate to some
sub-module such a dangerous action. I am just suggesting here a
complex, cutting-edge technology: a confirmation box, "yes/back".
Again, I don't see the point in fixing bugs with LILO since you don't
even have the time to choose LILO.
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