From: Alessandro Rubini <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [patch] correctly deal with linux/minix
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2000 01:33:39 +0200
> The reason for this is that they are type 0x81 and fsys_minix refuses
> to deal with them. Since all minix fs's created under Linux are
> marked 0x81 (that's what Linus told us), 0x81 must be accepted.
I see. I'll check in your patch.
> Personally, I'd better remove all checks about partition types
> from the fsys_*.c files (like ffs_mount() and reiserfs_mount() that
> have no such checks). The partition type as stored in the partition
> table is only a hint, not authoritative information.
I disagree to that partition types are not authoritative, but I have
considered the same thing because of another reason. My point is that
one of the advantages in GRUB is that it can rescue an unbootable
machine, thanks to the flexibility. So I was considering if GRUB
should be able to load a file in a disk even when the partition table
of the disk is a bit corrupted. But, on the other hand, I didn't think
it would be a secure way to execute a kernel image in a (possibly)
corrupted disk. Additionally, magic numbers alone are not always
reliable (e.g. a swap partition may have the same magic number
accidentally). So I kept the code untouched.
> didn't even remember. I don't want to be forced to enter fdisk
> whenever I create a different filesystem on a partition, and I don't
> want GRUB to force me to do that.
The patch by Stefan Ondreji enables GRUB to modify partition tables,
so you won't have to invoke FDISK just for changing a partition
type. I haven't checked in his patch yet, simply because I was busy
with other tasks.
Thanks,
Okuji
