Re: [util-linux] cfdisk bug?

Re: [util-linux] cfdisk bug?

[Andries.Brouwer]

	From: Timo Benk <t_benk@web.de>

	[report on cfdisk failure where other *fdisk work,
	where things are fine with different size partitions,
	where things are fine when the bootable bit is set]

Ha - I see what happens. You have CONFIG_ACORN_PARTITION_POWERTEC
set. The Acorn code checks an 8-bit checksum over block 0,
and believes that you have an Acorn partition when that
checksum is OK.
So, everybody has a chance of 1 in 256 of having her block 0
recognized as a POWERTEC partition. And indeed, minor changes
will fix the situation.

Assuming that you do not actually have an Acorn, you can
switch off this configuration option.

I'll cc this to linux-kernel, so that problem and solution
are documented on a public list.

And maybe someone who knows about Acorns can add a test
to make it less likely that an Acorn is recognized by accident.

Andries

Re: [util-linux] cfdisk bug?

[Russell King]

On Fri, Mar 14, 2003 at 02:33:21PM +0100, Andries.Brouwer@cwi.nl wrote:
> And maybe someone who knows about Acorns can add a test
> to make it less likely that an Acorn is recognized by accident.

Unfortunately, the checksum is all there is to positively identify
this partitioning scheme.  Yes, it's crap, but that's what happens
when there's a lack of direction from the top and people go off and
do their own partitioning schemes.

-- 
Russell King (rmk@arm.linux.org.uk)                The developer of ARM Linux
             http://www.arm.linux.org.uk/personal/aboutme.html