From owner-freebsd-bugs@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Dec 8 03:10:05 2005 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-bugs@hub.freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-bugs@hub.freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E601116A41F for ; Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:10:04 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from gnats@FreeBSD.org) Received: from freefall.freebsd.org (freefall.freebsd.org [216.136.204.21]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 13AE643D64 for ; Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:10:03 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from gnats@FreeBSD.org) Received: from freefall.freebsd.org (gnats@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.13.3/8.13.3) with ESMTP id jB83A2fj033117 for ; Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:10:02 GMT (envelope-from gnats@freefall.freebsd.org) Received: (from gnats@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.13.3/8.13.1/Submit) id jB83A2Sf033116; Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:10:02 GMT (envelope-from gnats) Resent-Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:10:02 GMT Resent-Message-Id: <200512080310.jB83A2Sf033116@freefall.freebsd.org> Resent-From: FreeBSD-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org (GNATS Filer) Resent-To: freebsd-bugs@FreeBSD.org Resent-Reply-To: FreeBSD-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org, Chris Pressey Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B4B2016A41F for ; Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:05:27 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from nobody@FreeBSD.org) Received: from www.freebsd.org (www.freebsd.org [216.136.204.117]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6CE6443D7F for ; Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:05:27 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from nobody@FreeBSD.org) Received: from www.freebsd.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by www.freebsd.org (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id jB835RU8021979 for ; Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:05:27 GMT (envelope-from nobody@www.freebsd.org) Received: (from nobody@localhost) by www.freebsd.org (8.13.1/8.13.1/Submit) id jB835QdN021978; Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:05:26 GMT (envelope-from nobody) Message-Id: <200512080305.jB835QdN021978@www.freebsd.org> Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2005 03:05:26 GMT From: Chris Pressey To: freebsd-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org X-Send-Pr-Version: www-2.3 Cc: Subject: bin/90093: fdisk(8) incapable of altering in-core geometry X-BeenThere: freebsd-bugs@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Bug reports List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 08 Dec 2005 03:10:05 -0000 >Number: 90093 >Category: bin >Synopsis: fdisk(8) incapable of altering in-core geometry >Confidential: no >Severity: serious >Priority: medium >Responsible: freebsd-bugs >State: open >Quarter: >Keywords: >Date-Required: >Class: sw-bug >Submitter-Id: current-users >Arrival-Date: Thu Dec 08 03:10:02 GMT 2005 >Closed-Date: >Last-Modified: >Originator: Chris Pressey >Release: 7.0-CURRENT >Organization: Cat's Eye Technologies >Environment: FreeBSD catbus.biscuit.boo 7.0-CURRENT FreeBSD 7.0-CURRENT #2: Sat Dec 3 09:14:05 PST 2005 catseye@catbus.biscuit.boo:/usr/obj/usr/home/work/freebsd/src/sys/BIRDLAND i386 >Description: The fdisk(8) utility, when called to update the MBR of a disk, asks you whether you want to change "our idea of that the BIOS thinks" (i.e. the in-core value) of the geometry of that disk. However, it never actually succeeds in doing that. This behaviour has been independently observed (also on recent -CURRENT) by Andrew Turner (FreeBSD SoC BSD Installer project.) The bug was first suspected due to consistent failure of the BSD Installer tool, which calls /sbin/fdisk to change the geometry of the user's disk. The same failure is seen in FreeBSD 6.x, indicating that the same bug is in all likelihood present in 6.x as well. Anecdotal evidence from a different source suggests it may be in 5.x as well, but this is less certain. >How-To-Repeat: - As root, run "fdisk -u ad1" (or on whatever disk you like) - Tell fdisk(8) "yes, I'd like to change our idea of what the BIOS thinks (of the geometry of this disk)" - Give fdisk(8) any new geometry values you like - Be happy with this choice - Choose to write the new partition table - Get a "GEOM not found" error (optional) - Run "fdisk ad1" again and observe that the geometry hasn't changed. >Fix: Problem is probably in the GEOM layer, or in how fdisk(8) talks to the GEOM layer, but is not precisely known. >Release-Note: >Audit-Trail: >Unformatted: