Public bug reported: It seems the kernel doesn't clear /proc/partitions information completely on detach of a loop device.
See the following: DEVLOOP="/dev/loop5" PT_IMG="/tmp/partitioned.img" UNPT_IMG="/tmp/unpartitioned.img" DEVLOOPB=${DEVLOOP##*/} ### Just show that loop device had no prior state ## % ls -l $DEVLOOP*; echo "#/proc/partitions"; grep $DEVLOOPB /proc/partitions brw-rw---- 1 root disk 7, 5 Mar 1 01:40 /dev/loop5 --/proc/partitions-- % losetup --show $DEVLOOP loop: can't get info on device /dev/loop5: No such device or address ### create an image file, put a partition table on it, losetup ### % rm -f $UNPT_IMG; truncate --size 1G $PT_IMG % echo "1,1" | sfdisk $PT_IMG >/dev/null 2>&1 ; echo $? # its just noisy % losetup $DEVLOOP $PT_IMG ### no knowledge of this partition table yet ### % ls -l $DEVLOOP*; echo "--/proc/partitions--"; grep $DEVLOOPB /proc/partitions brw-rw---- 1 root disk 7, 5 Mar 1 01:47 /dev/loop5 --/proc/partitions-- 7 5 1048576 loop5 ### tell the kernel about partition table ### % partx --update $DEVLOOP ### See its there now ### % ls -l $DEVLOOP*; echo "--/proc/partitions--"; grep $DEVLOOPB /proc/partitions brw-rw---- 1 root disk 7, 5 Mar 1 01:47 /dev/loop5 brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259, 0 Mar 1 01:48 /dev/loop5p1 --/proc/partitions-- 7 5 1048576 loop5 259 0 8032 loop5p1 ### get rid of it and show its really gone ### % losetup --detach $DEVLOOP % ls -l $DEVLOOP*; echo "--/proc/partitions--"; grep $DEVLOOPB /proc/partitions brw-rw---- 1 root disk 7, 5 Mar 1 01:49 /dev/loop5 brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259, 0 Mar 1 01:48 /dev/loop5p1 --/proc/partitions-- % losetup --show $DEVLOOP loop: can't get info on device /dev/loop5: No such device or address ### create a new image file with no partition table ### % rm -f $UNPT_IMG; truncate --size 1G $UNPT_IMG ### Set it up ### % losetup $DEVLOOP $UNPT_IMG ### What?? it has a partition table on it ? ### % ls -l $DEVLOOP*; echo "--/proc/partitions--"; grep $DEVLOOPB /proc/partitions brw-rw---- 1 root disk 7, 5 Mar 1 01:51 /dev/loop5 brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259, 0 Mar 1 01:48 /dev/loop5p1 --/proc/partitions-- 7 5 1048576 loop5 259 0 8032 loop5p1 % uname -r 3.8.0-6-generic % dpkg -S /boot/vmlinuz-$(uname -r) linux-image-3.8.0-6-generic: /boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-6-generic ** Affects: linux (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: Incomplete ** Tags: raring ** Package changed: ubuntu => linux (Ubuntu) -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1136781 Title: partx information not cleared on loop device detach To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1136781/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs