Ubuntu
usb-creator package

  1. Precise (12.04)
  2. Bug #484252
  3. Comment #44

Comment 44 for bug 484252

Revision history for this message
Evan (ev) wrote : Re: [Bug 484252] Re: Format action wipes all partitions

On Fri, May 4, 2012 at 7:04 PM, Steve Langasek
<email address hidden> wrote:
> We don't necessarily need to support installing to a single partition on
> the disk if that's error-prone in other ways, but we should definitely
> make it clear that the entire disk will be formatted.

This is already the case. The button says "Erase Disk" not "Erase Partition."

I'm happy with us being explicit about it to avoid the confusion of
selecting what looks like a partition and then acting on the entire
device. I think this would entail throwing up a dialog that said "The
entire contents of $USB_DEVICE_NAME will be lost. Do you want to
continue?"

I do not think just formatting a partition is the right approach for
the reasons I outlined in my previous comment:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/usb-creator/+bug/484252/comments/7

Adding to that list, usb-creator and other tools write to the MBR,
which would not be cleared by just wiping the partition and its VBR.