Bug 26933

Summary: sysinstall - fdisk does not properly "dangerously dedicate" a disk
Product: Base System Reporter: sparkstp <sparkstp>
Component: miscAssignee: Eric Melville <eric>
Status: Closed FIXED    
Severity: Affects Only Me    
Priority: Normal    
Version: 4.2-RELEASE   
Hardware: Any   
OS: Any   

Description sparkstp 2001-04-28 22:30:00 UTC 
When allocating disk space using the fdisk utiltiy, selecting
"A = Use Entire Disk" command, no dialog box pops up to confirm 
the dedication of the entire disk. Two partitions are created. 
Th first partion starts at 0 and ends at 62 and is marked as
"unused". The compatibilty partition? The second partition 
uses the remaining disk space.

How-To-Repeat: Boot up installation system using 4.3-RELEASE kern.flp/mfsroot.flp
configure devices as required
When the systems runs sysinstall, select Standard.
Toggle through the dialogue boxes to get to the Fdisk Partition Editor
Select "A = Use Entire Disk"
Comment 1 davidt 2001-04-28 23:30:55 UTC 
> >Description:
> When allocating disk space using the fdisk utiltiy, selecting
> "A = Use Entire Disk" command, no dialog box pops up to confirm 
> the dedication of the entire disk. Two partitions are created. 
> Th first partion starts at 0 and ends at 62 and is marked as
> "unused". The compatibilty partition? The second partition 
> uses the remaining disk space.
> 

Try reading the help (F1, whilst in fdisk, IIRC).

Dangerously dedicated mode is depreciated, and can only be activated through
the 'F' (?) command, which is presumably deliberately not displayed on the
menu.

-- 
David Taylor
davidt@yadt.co.uk
Comment 2 Kris Kennaway freebsd_committer freebsd_triage 2001-04-30 21:20:09 UTC 
Responsible Changed
From-To: freebsd-bugs->jkh

jkh is the sysinstall maintainer
Comment 3 jkh freebsd_committer freebsd_triage 2001-08-31 01:08:17 UTC 
Responsible Changed
From-To: jkh->eric

Because eric's not paying attention at the moment.
Comment 4 John Baldwin freebsd_committer freebsd_triage 2001-09-05 01:57:54 UTC 
State Changed
From-To: open->closed

As the audit trail indicates, the observed behavior is correct because 
dangerously dedicated (DD) mode is deprecated.  DD is known to cause some 
BIOS's to _crash_ and thus should _not_ be used unless the system refuses 
to boot with a AT BIOS-compliant mbr.