[parted-devel] [PATCH 1/2] libparted: check PMBR before GPT partition table (#805272)

[Phillip Susi]

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On 03/20/2012 08:25 PM, Brian C. Lane wrote:
> From: "Brian C. Lane" <bcl at redhat.com>
> 
> The UEFI spec requires that a valid GPT disk label have a PMBR
> partition. This moves the PMBR check to before the GPT check,
> exiting gpt_probe with a 0 if the PMBR is not valid.
> 
> The previous behavior would cause problems in the following situation:
>  1. format a disk as GPT
>  2. re-format it as MSDOS using tools that don't understand GPT
> 
> Subsequent operations with parted would then complain about the invlid
> PMBR, but would not allow the disk to be used as a msdos disk. This
> change causes parted to tread the disk as a msdos disk.

I don't think this patch is quite right.  The exception should be fixed rather than removed.  If it is supposed to be a GPT disk, then we should fix the broken PMBR.  If it is not, then we should zap the GPT and then fail to recognize the disk as GPT ( thus allowing it to be recognized as DOS ).

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