Installer erases mbr on non-target disk during live disk installation

[albert fishnets]

When installing Ubuntu 10.10 I chose to install manually on /sde instead of the default /sda. Installation hung a bit, but was otherwise ok. Upon booting into my installation I noticed my drive on sda was not shown as mountable. Upon further inspection it was shown the drive was being listed as unformatted in gparted and disk utility. I found instructions on using Test Disk to recover MBRs on disk and used the tool following the tutorial. I was able to fully recover the MBR and the data on the disk without difficulty. I'm not sure if the partition manager failed here or if it was trying to install the boot loader on /sda and failed in that way so I'm not sure what program to file the bug against.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: parted 2.3-2ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.33-generic 2.6.35.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: amd64
CheckboxSubmission: c6f706b407fa9155748548a12cd5a198
CheckboxSystem: edda5d4f616ca792bf437989cb597002
Date: Mon Oct 11 22:55:49 2010
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release amd64 (20101007)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: parted

[Book 'em Dano (heymrdjd)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Unfortunately, we can't start working on it yet, because your description didn't include enough information. Please include the information requested at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingUbiquity/AttachingLogs as separate attachments. Thanks in advance.

[albert fishnets (mateolingerhaus)]

/bin/partman: *******************************************************
/lib/partman/init.d/30parted: *******************************************************
parted_server: ======= Starting the server
parted_server: main_loop: iteration 1
parted_server: Opening infifo
/lib/partman/init.d/30parted: IN: OPEN =dev=sda /dev/sda
parted_server: Read command: OPEN
parted_server: command_open()
parted_server: Request to open =dev=sda
parted_server: Opening outfifo
parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: Note =dev=sda as unchanged
parted_server: Closing infifo and outfifo
parted_server: main_loop: iteration 2
parted_server: Opening infifo
/lib/partman/init.d/30parted: IN: OPEN =dev=sde /dev/sde
parted_server: Read command: OPEN
parted_server: command_open()
parted_server: Request to open =dev=sde
parted_server: Opening outfifo
parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: Note =dev=sde as unchanged
parted_server: Closing infifo and outfifo
parted_server: main_loop: iteration 3
parted_server: Opening infifo
/lib/partman/init.d/30parted: IN: OPEN =dev=sdf /dev/sdf
parted_server: Read command: OPEN
parted_server: command_open()
parted_server: Request to open =dev=sdf
parted_server: Opening outfifo
parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: Note =dev=sdf as unchanged
parted_server: Closing infifo and outfifo
parted_server: main_loop: iteration 4
parted_server: Opening infifo
/lib/partman/init.d/30parted: IN: OPEN =dev=sdg /dev/sdg
parted_server: Read command: OPEN
parted_server: command_open()
parted_server: Request to open =dev=sdg
parted_server: Opening outfifo
parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: Note =dev=sdg as unchanged
parted_server: Closing infifo and outfifo
parted_server: main_loop: iteration 5
parted_server: Opening infifo
/lib/partman/init.d/30parted: IN: OPEN =dev=sdh /dev/sdh
parted_server: Read command: OPEN
parted_server: command_open()
parted_server: Request to open =dev=sdh
parted_server: Opening outfifo
parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: Note =dev=sdh as unchanged
parted_server: Closing infifo and outfifo
parted_server: main_loop: iteration 6
parted_server: Opening infifo
/lib/partman/init.d/30parted: IN: PARTITIONS =dev=sda
parted_server: Read command: PARTITIONS
parted_server: command_partitions()
parted_server: Opening outfifo
parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: OUT: 1 31744-998824959 998793216 primary fat32 /dev/sda1

parted_server: Partitions printed
parted_server: OUT:

parted_server: Closing infifo and outfifo
parted_server: main_loop: iteration 7
parted_server: Opening infifo
/lib/partman/init.d/30parted: IN: CLOSE =dev=sda
parted_server: Read command: CLOSE
parted_server: command_close()
parted_server: Opening outfifo
parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: Closing infifo and outfifo
parted_server: main_loop: iteration 8
parted_server: Opening infifo
/lib/partman/init.d/30parted: IN: PARTITIONS =dev=sde
parted_server: Read command: PARTITIONS
parted_server: command_partitions()
parted_server: Opening outfifo
parted_server: OUT: OK

parted_server: OUT: -1 32256-1500301910015 1500301877760 pri/log fre...

[albert fishnets (mateolingerhaus)]

Generating locales...
  en_US.UTF-8... done
Generation complete.
Using CD-ROM mount point /cdrom/
Identifying.. [c8a8257fc2a1a46a7c20937fe5667591-2]
Scanning disc for index files..
Found 2 package indexes, 0 source indexes, 0 translation indexes and 1 signatures
Found label 'Ubuntu 10.10 _Maverick Meerkat_ - Release amd64 (20101007)'
This disc is called:
'Ubuntu 10.10 _Maverick Meerkat_ - Release amd64 (20101007)'
Copying package lists...gpgv: Signature made Thu Oct 7 16:24:11 2010 UTC using DSA key ID FBB75451
gpgv: Good signature from "Ubuntu CD Image Automatic Signing Key <email address hidden>"

Reading Package Indexes... 0%

Reading Package Indexes... 2%

Reading Package Indexes... Done

Writing new source list
Source list entries for this disc are:
deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 10.10 _Maverick Meerkat_ - Release amd64 (20101007)]/ maverick main restricted
Repeat this process for the rest of the CDs in your set.
W: Skipping nonexistent file /cdrom/dists/maverick/main/binary-amd64/Packages
W: Skipping nonexistent file /cdrom/dists/maverick/restricted/binary-amd64/Packages
No value set for `/apps/netbook-launcher/favorites/favorites_list'
No value set for `/apps/netbook-launcher/favorites/favorites_list'
No value set for `/apps/netbook-launcher/favorites/favorites_list'
No value set for `/apps/netbook-launcher/favorites/favorites_list'
No value to set for key: `/apps/netbook-launcher/favorites/favorites_list'
No value to set for key: `/apps/netbook-launcher/favorites/favorites_list'

[albert fishnets (mateolingerhaus)]

Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: imklog 4.2.0, log source = /proc/kmsg started.
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu rsyslogd: [origin software="rsyslogd" swVersion="4.2.0" x-pid="1433" x-info="http://www.rsyslog.com"] (re)start
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu rsyslogd: rsyslogd's groupid changed to 103
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu rsyslogd: rsyslogd's userid changed to 101
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu rsyslogd-2039: Could no open output file '/dev/xconsole' [try http://www.rsyslog.com/e/2039 ]
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] Initializing cgroup subsys cpuset
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] Initializing cgroup subsys cpu
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] Linux version 2.6.35-22-generic (buildd@allspice) (gcc version 4.4.5 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.4.4-14ubuntu4) ) #33-Ubuntu SMP Sun Sep 19 20:32:27 UTC 2010 (Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.33-generic 2.6.35.4)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] Command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash -- maybe-ubiquity
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-provided physical RAM map:
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 0000000000000000 - 000000000009e800 (usable)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 000000000009e800 - 00000000000a0000 (reserved)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 00000000000e4c00 - 0000000000100000 (reserved)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 0000000000100000 - 00000000bf780000 (usable)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 00000000bf780000 - 00000000bf798000 (ACPI data)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 00000000bf798000 - 00000000bf7dc000 (ACPI NVS)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 00000000bf7dc000 - 00000000c0000000 (reserved)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 00000000fee00000 - 00000000fee01000 (reserved)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 00000000ffe00000 - 0000000100000000 (reserved)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 0000000100000000 - 0000000340000000 (usable)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] NX (Execute Disable) protection: active
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] DMI 2.5 present.
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] AMI BIOS detected: BIOS may corrupt low RAM, working around it.
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] e820 update range: 0000000000000000 - 0000000000010000 (usable) ==> (reserved)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] e820 update range: 0000000000000000 - 0000000000001000 (usable) ==> (reserved)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] e820 remove range: 00000000000a0000 - 0000000000100000 (usable)
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] No AGP bridge found
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] last_pfn = 0x340000 max_arch_pfn = 0x400000000
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] MTRR default type: uncachable
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] MTRR fixed ranges enabled:
Oct 12 01:24:34 ubuntu kernel: [ 0.000000] 00000-9FFFF write-back
Oct 1...

[albert fishnets (mateolingerhaus)]

This bug was fixed in Ubuntu 11.04

[albert fishnets (mateolingerhaus)]

This bug no longer exist in ubuntu 12.04.