Hirsute can not read FAT32

[Earl]

this bug is *NOT* related to the installer nor grub-install, in my opinion.

Hirsute GParted can not read (and write??) data on any FAT32 partition.

In fact, GParted says:

"WARNING unable to read the contents of this (FAT32) file system! Because of this some operations may be unavailable. The cause might be a missing software package. The following list of software packages is required for fat32 file system support: dosfstools, mtools."

However, it appears that dosfstools and mtools packages are not missing, therefore the bug is somewhere else.

If I remember correctly, this does not happen with Umate 20.04, only Hirsute.

I replicate this bug with every new daily Hirsute build, including 24 March.

Easy to confirm by using GParted to select a FAT32 partition, right click, select information.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 21.04
Package: ubiquity 21.04.11
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.11.0-11.12-generic 5.11.0
Uname: Linux 5.11.0-11-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu60
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CasperVersion: 1.461
Date: Wed Mar 24 08:58:40 2021
InstallCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz nomodeset file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu-mate.seed maybe-ubiquity quiet splash ---
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu-MATE 21.04 "Hirsute Hippo" - Alpha amd64 (20210324)
RebootRequiredPkgs:
 linux-image-5.11.0-11-generic
 linux-base
SourcePackage: grub-installer
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Earl (2104-amdgpu)]

bug still present in Hirsute build 25 March

[Earl (2104-amdgpu)]

Hirsute build 26 March

If I look with GParted at USB sticks that have never had anything to do with Hirsute, there is no problem with reading FAT32 partition files.

However, for FAT32 partitions created with Hirsute, they can not be read.

So the question arises whether Hirsute has a problem correctly writing FAT32 partitions? If yes, then of course these FAT32 partitions can not be read because they have been created with errors. Also the FAT32 EFI partition will be incorrectly created, thereby generating grub-install failure.

[Earl (2104-amdgpu)]

I just booted from Umate 20.04.2 LIVE USB and with GParted, I can read all FAT32 partitions from many various USB sticks, regardless whether created by Hirsute or not.

This means that Hirsute must be creating / writing FAT32 partitions correctly, even if Hirsute can not read them.

[Earl (2104-amdgpu)]

Hirsute build 27 March

Today I wrote the image to the USB stick using a 2nd computer running MINT-18.3

Booted the Hirsute LIVE USB on a 3rd computer.

Hirsute GParted can not read any FAT32 partitions regardless of how they were created and regardless which distribution or version created them.

[Earl (2104-amdgpu)]

Hirsute build 28 March

Today is different from yesterday.
Hirsute LIVE USB can not read FAT16 or FAT32 that Hirsute GParted creates.

However it does read FAT32 created by a different distribution based on a older Ubuntu.
This was not the case yesterday.

A bit strange.

[Earl (2104-amdgpu)]

Hirsute build 29 March

I did some new tests today.

1) Created LIVE USB daily. Booted.
2) Hirsute GParted could not read a non-Hisute-generated FAT32 partition.
3) Added Classic Menu to top bar.
4) Clicked on Places.
5) Selected the FAT32-formatted USB stick that GParted could not read.
6) Surprise! CAJA was able to read this FAT32-formatted with no problems.
7) Surprise again! Hirsute GParted can now see the FAT32 partition with no error icon+msg.
Before activating CAJA, Hirsute GParted could not read this partition!

I hope this helps the developers to find this strange bug.

[Earl (2104-amdgpu)]

Hirsute build 30 March still there.