Hello Matt and Colin

We are assessing Ubuntu Server 6.06 LTS (32 and 64bit) for use as a low
cost Linux web hosting platform in our Datacentres across Europe.

Having used the Debian Installer for installing Debian for some time
now, we were keen to try out the Ubuntu kickstart install as a
replacement.  Debian has been a popular choice for many of our customers
over Redhat for a number of reasons and we feel that Ubuntu can trump
that.  However, like Matt, we have noted some issues with this in
relation to partitioning.

We have noted the following results so far:

1. When using the following config for partitioning:

# disk config
zerombr yes
clearpart --all --initlabel
bootloader --location=mbr
part / --fstype=ext3 --size=8192 --asprimary
part swap --size=512 --grow --maxsize=2048 --asprimary
part /var --fstype=ext3 --size=6000 --grow --asprimary

This produces an installed system which is partitioned as follows:

[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~# fdisk -l /dev/hda

Disk /dev/hda: 40.0 GB, 40016019456 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1               1         996     8000338+  83  Linux
/dev/hda2             997        1058      498015   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/hda3            1059        4865    30579727+   5  Extended
/dev/hda5            1059        4865    30579696   83  Linux

[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~# df -h
Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/hda1             7.6G  485M  6.7G   7% /
varrun                125M   48K  125M   1% /var/run
varlock               125M     0  125M   0% /var/lock
udev                  125M   40K  125M   1% /dev
devshm                125M     0  125M   0% /dev/shm
lrm                   125M   18M  107M  15% /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-686/volatile
/dev/hda5              29G  266M   27G   1% /var

[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~# mount
/dev/hda1 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
/sys on /sys type sysfs (rw)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw)
procbususb on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
devshm on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
lrm on /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-686/volatile type tmpfs (rw)
/dev/hda5 on /var type ext3 (rw)

Hence, the system has not followed our request to partition /var as a
primary partition.  But it has for / and swap partitions.

2. When using the following config for partitioning:

# disk config
zerombr yes
clearpart --all --initlabel
bootloader --location=mbr
part / --fstype ext3 --size 8192
part swap --size 2048
part /var --fstype ext3 --size 1 --grow

This produces an installed system which is partitioned as follows:

[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~# fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 36.2 GB, 36270243840 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4409 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1        4409    35415261    5  Extended
/dev/sda5               1         996     8000307   83  Linux
/dev/sda6             997        1245     2000061   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7            1246        4409    25414798+  83  Linux

[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~# df -h
Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda5             7.6G  485M  6.7G   7% /
varrun               1013M   48K 1013M   1% /var/run
varlock              1013M     0 1013M   0% /var/lock
udev                 1013M   68K 1013M   1% /dev
devshm               1013M     0 1013M   0% /dev/shm
lrm                  1013M   18M  995M   2% /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-686/volatile
/dev/sda7              24G  266M   23G   2% /var

As you can see the Ubuntu kickstart leans towards a preference to place
all partitions on extended/logical partitions.

In addition, is it possible to use the include parameter within the
Ubuntu kickstart configuration file so that we can check for IDE vs SCSI
disks and create an appropriate partition configuration.  We have had to
do this with Redhat as otherwise we were noting that the Redhat
partitioner would attempt to use a second disk to span the partitioning;
hence, we have been specifying the actual disk to use for partitions
eg.:

part / --fstype=ext3 --size=8192 --asprimary --ondisk=sda
part swap --recommended --ondisk=sda
part /var --fstype=ext3 --size=6000 --grow --asprimary --ondisk=sda

We would definitely prefer to see better control of partitioning within
this installation method before moving to Ubuntu.  Have you any
suggestions about how we might resolve this partitioning issue without
resorting to some pre-install shell scripting?  Is there another
installation method which is better supported and regarded as the
preferred method of install?

kind regards

- William Oakley

-- 
kickstart partitioning fails with --recommended or --asprimary
https://launchpad.net/bugs/48311

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