Bug#230502: debian-installer wiped out my MBR
Hello,
Marc Herbert writes:
> 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.
<snip>
I know, it won't make you feel better. There was some discussion about this
starting at
http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2004/debian-boot-200401/msg01000.html
where I have tried to voice the same concern. Kind of. There was no
conclusion in the mail exchange IIRC.
IMHO the MBR is a ``sacred site''. I strongly agree with your opinion not
to touch it unless explicitly permitted. I would like to see this fixed,
too. I wouldn't even know how to fix a broken windows MBR.
Cheers,
Erich
>
>
>
> > (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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