[Lucid] Ubiquity doesn't confirm the selected partitioning and gives a wrong error message

[Pjotr12345]

Binary package hint: ubiquity

In 10.04 Lucid Lynx, Ubiquity (the installer) doesn't confirm the selected partitioning. It says:
"No partition table changes and no creation of filesystems have been planned". This message is given, even though I've agreed to the automatic partitioning proposal of Ubiquity itself. When I continue, installation proceeds normally, nevertheless.

I've checked how Ubiquity handles this in 9.10, and in 9.10 Ubiquity gave a correct confirmation.

I've placed screenshots on my website:
http://sites.google.com/site/eigenrecepten/ubiquitybug

This is very confusing for beginners with Linux. Please fix it before Lucid final ships...

[Pjotr12345 (computertip)]

Extra clarification: this happens when I accept the *automatic* partitioning proposal. I haven't tested it with a *manual* partitioning setup.

Furthermore, the bug title isn't quite correct: it should be "false error message" instead of "wrong error message".

[Evan (ev)]

Did you select "install them side by side" or "use entire disk"? As the former modifies the partition table as soon as you click next, it's entirely accurate for the summary page to say that there are no further changes to the disk. However, if you selected "use entire disk", then this is indeed a bug.

Let me know either way. Thanks!

[Pjotr12345 (computertip)]

I chose "side by side". But the summary is wrong nonetheless: choosing "side by side" *does* mean that you have planned the creation of new filesystems! Because Ubiquity will in fact automatically create a root and a swap in the next phase.

By contrast, choosing "side by side" in the ubiquity of predecessor 9.10 yields a correct summary. In the very same situation! See the link to the screenshots in my first message (third screenshot).

The current summary in the Ubiquity of 10.04 is needlessly confusing. Not for experienced Linux users, but very much so for beginners with Linux. Fixing the summary will prevent a lot of questions on the Ubuntu forums, I think.... :-)

[Evan (ev)]

"I chose "side by side". But the summary is wrong nonetheless: choosing "side by side" *does* mean that you have planned the creation of new filesystems! Because Ubiquity will in fact automatically create a root and a swap in the next phase."

As I mentioned above, when you get to the summary screen it has *already* created the new filesystems. When you get to the summary screen and you've selected "install them side by side" no further changes to the partition table will be made, so the message is entirely accurate.

I'm well aware that 9.10 did things differently, but that doesn't mean it was correct.

[Evan (ev)]

I also do not buy the assertion that this will cause confusion for new users. They'll have selected "install side by side", pressed next, watched as it made a new partition, filled out the user setup page, and pressed next to bring them to a summary page that says no further changes to the partition table are necessary. The installer is making an accurate statement and I don't see why this would in any way confuse them.

[Dooitze de Jong (dooitze)]

High Important

[Jordy van Heeswijk (jordyvh)]

> They'll have selected "install side by side", pressed next, watched as it made a new partition, filled out the user setup page, and pressed next to bring them to a summary page that says no further changes to the partition table are necessary.

If the partition changes have already taken place, and the user has seen it happen, why bother showing the 'no further change' message in the 'Ready to Install' screen? It could better be left out then. I agree with Pjotr that this could be confusing to less experienced and confident users.

Apart from this I don't think it's right that those partition changes already take place directly after the disk space allocation screen. IMHO the user should be able to make up his mind about any setting he has chosen until he presses 'Install' on the 'Ready to Install' screen.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for ubiquity (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]