Debian Bug report logs - #798465
grub-installer: Please show size as well as the device id when selecting target

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Package: grub-installer; Maintainer for grub-installer is Debian Install System Team <[email protected]>;

Reported by: Chris Lamb <[email protected]>

Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2015 17:03:02 UTC

Severity: wishlist

Tags: patch

Found in version grub-installer/1.126

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Report forwarded to [email protected], Debian Install System Team <[email protected]>:
Bug#798465; Package grub-installer. (Wed, 09 Sep 2015 17:03:06 GMT) (full text, mbox, link).


Acknowledgement sent to Chris Lamb <[email protected]>:
New Bug report received and forwarded. Copy sent to Debian Install System Team <[email protected]>. (Wed, 09 Sep 2015 17:03:06 GMT) (full text, mbox, link).


Message #5 received at [email protected] (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Chris Lamb <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: grub-installer: Please show size as well as the device id when selecting target
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 2015 18:01:28 +0100
[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]
Package: grub-installer
Version: 1.126
Severity: wishlist
Tags: patch

Hi,

On a recent install, I had to switch to the console during the as the
/dev/sdX names and device IDs were not sufficient for me to be 100% sure
I was installing grub to the right device.

Showing the device sizes would have been enough for me to avoid this (as
the sizes were widely different), and would provide a reassurance in
other cases where I was merely slightly uncertain.

Patch attached. I've retained the double-space between the device path
and the start of the metadata. Example screenshot here:
http://i.imgur.com/JSXrJ48.png  


Regards,

-- 
      ,''`.
     : :'  :     Chris Lamb
     `. `'`      [email protected] / chris-lamb.co.uk
       `-
[grub-installer.diff.txt (text/plain, attachment)]

Information forwarded to [email protected], Debian Install System Team <[email protected]>:
Bug#798465; Package grub-installer. (Wed, 09 Sep 2015 17:33:03 GMT) (full text, mbox, link).


Acknowledgement sent to Samuel Thibault <[email protected]>:
Extra info received and forwarded to list. Copy sent to Debian Install System Team <[email protected]>. (Wed, 09 Sep 2015 17:33:03 GMT) (full text, mbox, link).


Message #10 received at [email protected] (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Samuel Thibault <[email protected]>
To: Chris Lamb <[email protected]>, [email protected]
Subject: Re: Bug#798465: grub-installer: Please show size as well as the device id when selecting target
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2015 19:31:10 +0200
Chris Lamb, le Wed 09 Sep 2015 18:01:28 +0100, a écrit :
> Showing the device sizes would have been enough for me to avoid this (as
> the sizes were widely different), and would provide a reassurance in
> other cases where I was merely slightly uncertain.

That can be useful indeed. Perhaps rather show the size first, like in
partman, in case the name is really long?

Samuel



Information forwarded to [email protected], Debian Install System Team <[email protected]>:
Bug#798465; Package grub-installer. (Wed, 09 Sep 2015 17:45:14 GMT) (full text, mbox, link).


Acknowledgement sent to Chris Lamb <[email protected]>:
Extra info received and forwarded to list. Copy sent to Debian Install System Team <[email protected]>. (Wed, 09 Sep 2015 17:45:14 GMT) (full text, mbox, link).


Message #15 received at [email protected] (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Chris Lamb <[email protected]>
To: Samuel Thibault <[email protected]>, [email protected]
Subject: Re: Bug#798465: grub-installer: Please show size as well as the device id when selecting target
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 2015 18:42:24 +0100
Samuel Thibault wrote:

> That can be useful indeed. Perhaps rather show the size first, like in
> partman, in case the name is really long?

I also thought of this, but a combination of device identifiers often
only varying in their suffix and device sizes hardly being unique (!),
for safety I believe we should prioritise showing the id before any
possible truncation occurs.


Regards,

-- 
      ,''`.
     : :'  :     Chris Lamb
     `. `'`      [email protected] / chris-lamb.co.uk
       `-



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