ubuntustudio-bugs team mailing list archive

[Simon Quigley <2046500@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Given our discussions in the Lubuntu Development channel and a wide
variety of opinions, as the Lubuntu Release Manager, I am deciding this
is a "Won't Fix."

In my own capacity, maybe stop confusing new users with partition table
types, in 2023 where it's mostly automatic? If they don't have to worry
about it, why burden them with having to learn? This is pretty pedantic,
and as you even mentioned, in edge cases they can just use the manual
install.

** Changed in: calamares (Ubuntu)
       Status: In Progress => Won't Fix

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2046500

Title:
  Noble daily calamares installer does not honor existing partition
  table on "Erase All"

Status in calamares package in Ubuntu:
  Won't Fix

Bug description:
  Noble Daily Lubuntu image: 20231214

  General:
  If a user choice of a pre-existing partition table was to create and leave a Partition Table Type, that choice is overridden by the installer logic.

  We often recommend to new users, the benefits of using a GPT partition
  table type, when recommending how they install their new installation.

  On most Ubuntu Installers that are Ubiquity or Subiquity based, on what is found, if one of the "Erase All" install options are chosen:
  If the device probe process does not find an existing partition table, then the logic rules creates a new partition table with a partition type based on the boot mode.
  - GPT for UEFI
  - MS-DOS for Legacy boot mode.
   (- If Legacy, there are considerations for disks over 2TB.)

  If the device probe process does find an existing partition table then
  - If leaves the partition table (erases all partitions in it)
   -- If the partition table is type MS-DOS type and Legacy Boot, then normal partitions for that mode.
   -- If the partition table is type GPT type and Legacy Boot, then if adds a bios_boot partition.
   -- If the partition table is type MS-DOS and UEFI boot, then adds ESP partition.
   -- If the partition table is type GPT and UEFI Boot, then adds normal partitions for that mode.

  But with Calamares, if you choose "Erase All', then the default
  behavior is to delete any partition table if it does exist, then add a
  new partition table based on the Boot mode. It will not honor leaving
  a pre-existing partition table type.

  You can work-around that by using "other", entering the manual
  partitioner to do all partition table maintenance (creation),
  partitioning, mounts, etc, then continuing the install, but that is
  outside of that erase all option.

  To much of this, this is choice taken away, and considered a Bug by
  many of us. To others this seems to be a matter of semantics, where
  "Erase all" should include the partition table type.

  I, and many others seem to agree that this should be filed as a bug,
  and sent upstream to Calamares. If not considered a bug by them, then
  maybe they should consider adding that logic as a proposed
  enhancement.

  To reproduce:
  1) Start the Lubuntu Calamares Installer in Legacy boot mode. Use "Try" add a GPT type partition table. Start the installer. The installed system will end up be on an MS-DOS type partition table.
  2) Start the Lubuntu Calamares Installer in UEFI boot mode. Use "Try" add an MS_DOS type partition table. Start the installer. The installed system will end up be on a GPT type partition table.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
  Package: calamares 3.3.0.0-0ubuntu1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.5.0-9.9-generic 6.5.3
  Uname: Linux 6.5.0-9-generic x86_64
  .etc.calamares.modules.after_bootloader_context.conf:
   ---
   dontChroot: false
   timeout: 120
   firmwareType:
       "*": "-rm ${ROOT}/home/${USER}/Desktop/lubuntu-calamares.desktop"
  .etc.calamares.modules.finished.conf:
   ---
   restartNowMode: user-checked
   restartNowCommand: "systemctl -i reboot"
  .etc.calamares.modules.fstab.conf:
   crypttabOptions: luks,keyscript=/bin/cat
   efiMountOptions: umask=0077
  .etc.calamares.modules.shellprocess_logs.conf:
   ---
   dontChroot: true
   timeout: 30
   script:
       - calamares-logs-helper ${ROOT}
  .etc.calamares.modules.unpackfs.conf:
   ---
   unpack:
       -   source: "/cdrom/casper/filesystem.squashfs"
           sourcefs: "squashfs"
           destination: ""
  ApportVersion: 2.27.0-0ubuntu6
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
  CasperVersion: 1.489
  CurrentDesktop: LXQt
  Date: Thu Dec 14 23:17:32 2023
  LiveMediaBuild: Lubuntu 24.04 LTS "Noble Numbat" - Daily amd64 (20231214)
  RelatedPackageVersions:
   calamares-settings-ubuntu-common 1:24.04.9
   calamares-settings-lubuntu       1:24.04.9
   xfsprogs                         6.5.0-1ubuntu1
   btrfs-progs                      6.3.2-1
  SourcePackage: calamares
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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