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Date:      Fri, 26 Jan 2024 18:40:24 +0200
From:      Toomas Soome <tsoome@me.com>
To:        "Rodney W. Grimes" <freebsd-rwg@gndrsh.dnsmgr.net>
Cc:        Alexander Leidinger <Alexander@Leidinger.net>, Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com>, Ed Maste <emaste@freebsd.org>, FreeBSD Current <freebsd-current@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: Removing fdisk and bsdlabel (legacy partition tools)
Message-ID:  <CC89CB84-FFAF-46F4-BB05-115BFB3F81B9@me.com>
In-Reply-To: <202401261621.40QGLIv7006285@gndrsh.dnsmgr.net>
References:  <202401261621.40QGLIv7006285@gndrsh.dnsmgr.net>

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> On 26. Jan 2024, at 18:21, Rodney W. Grimes =
<freebsd-rwg@gndrsh.dnsmgr.net> wrote:
>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>> On 26. Jan 2024, at 18:02, Rodney W. Grimes =
<freebsd-rwg@gndrsh.dnsmgr.net> wrote:
>>>=20
>>> -- Start of PGP signed section.
>>>> Am 2024-01-25 18:49, schrieb Rodney W. Grimes:
>>>>>> On Thu, Jan 25, 2024, 9:11?AM Ed Maste <emaste@freebsd.org> =
wrote:
>>>>>>=20
>>>>>>> On Thu, 25 Jan 2024 at 11:00, Rodney W. Grimes
>>>>>>> <freebsd-rwg@gndrsh.dnsmgr.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>>=20
>>>>>>>>> These will need to be addressed before actually removing any =
of these
>>>>>>>>> binaries, of course.
>>>>>>>>=20
>>>>>>>> You seem to have missed /rescue.  Now think about that long
>>>>>>>> and hard, these tools classified as so important that they
>>>>>>>> are part of /rescue.  Again I can not stress enough how often
>>>>>>>> I turn to these tools in a repair mode situation.
>>>>>>>=20
>>>>>>> I haven't missed rescue, it is included in the work in progress =
I
>>>>>>> mentioned. Note that rescue has included gpart since 2007.
>>>>>>>=20
>>>>>>=20
>>>>>> What can fdisk and/or disklabel repair that gpart can't?
>>>>>=20
>>>>> As far as I know there is no way in gpart to get to the
>>>>> MBR cyl/hd/sec values, you can only get to the LBA start
>>>>> and end values:
>>>>> sysid 165 (0xa5),(FreeBSD/NetBSD/386BSD)
>>>>>   start 63, size 8388513 (4095 Meg), flag 80 (active)
>>>>>       beg: cyl 0/ head 1/ sector 1;
>>>>>       end: cyl 1023/ head 15/ sector 63
>>>>>=20
>>>>> gpart show ada0
>>>>> =3D>     63  8388545  ada0  MBR  (4.0G)
>>>>>      63  8388513     1  freebsd  [active]  (4.0G)
>>>>> 8388576       32        - free -  (16K)
>>>>=20
>>>> What are you using cyl/hd/sec values for on a system which runs =
FreeBSD=20
>>>> current or on which you would have to use FreeBSD-current in case =
of a=20
>>>> repair need? What is the disk hardware on those systems that you =
still=20
>>>> need cyl/hd/sec and LBA doesn't work? Serious questions out of=20
>>>> curiosity.
>>>=20
>>> Your making way to many assuptions, I deal with all sorts of =
operating
>>> systems, not just FreeBSD, and I often many drives from many systems
>>> connected to a FreeBSD box doing work to repair various anomolyies.
>>> FreeBSD is my swiss army knife of choice for fixing things.
>>>=20
>>> UEFI CMS and BIOS emplemntations can get very confused about a
>>> disk if these values are not properly set.  Also make a big
>>> mental note that GPT is really just a BIOS type 0x238 MBR
>>> entry and if that entry is messed up you are screwed.  I am
>>> not sure gpart has anyway to fix the protective MBR other
>>> than to rewrite it, probably destroying access to the whole
>>> contents of the disk.
>>>=20
>>=20
>> That does not make too much sense because PMBR is just fake partition =
covering whole disk (within the data type size limit), with the hope =
that MBR only tool will see all the space is allocated and will not =
attempt anything silly. Right after sector 0, in sector 1 there is GPT, =
followed by GPT table array ? that is, if anything will attempt to write =
anything other into sectors 1-33 (or depending on how large is your =
table array), you are in trouble as the primary GPT is destroyed.
>=20
> *SIGH* Seriously if you think it is so fake NUKE it and see how good =
your system works.
>=20
> dd if=3D/dev/zero of=3D/dev/FOO count=3D1
> GOOD LUCK!
>=20

It is fake in a sense that a) its role is to denote the marked space is =
in use and b) in case of large disks, the PMBR end is not the same as =
disk end (due to data type limit).

It is entirely other matter what happens when PMBR is wiped. However, =
even if you wipe it, it is trivial to restore.

rgds,
toomas

>> rgds,
>> toomas
>>> I am getting rather tired of hearing from people who just simply
>>> do not use these tools or can not phantom there are legitamate
>>> uses for them.  But it is evident the project has decided to
>>> remote them to ports no matter what, so be it, yet another
>>> reason for me to use less FreeBSD and more of someone elses
>>> product.
>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>> Bye,
>>>> Alexander.
>>>>=20
>>>> --=20
>>>> http://www.Leidinger.net Alexander@Leidinger.net: PGP =
0x8F31830F9F2772BF
>>>> http://www.FreeBSD.org    netchild@FreeBSD.org  : PGP =
0x8F31830F9F2772BF
>>> -- End of PGP section, PGP failed!
>>>=20
>>> --=20
>>> Rod Grimes                                                 =
rgrimes@freebsd.org
> --=20
> Rod Grimes                                                 =
rgrimes@freebsd.org <mailto:rgrimes@freebsd.org>

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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dus-ascii"></head><body style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><br =
id=3D"lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div><br><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><div>On 26. Jan 2024, at 18:21, Rodney W. Grimes =
&lt;freebsd-rwg@gndrsh.dnsmgr.net&gt; wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><div><meta =
charset=3D"UTF-8"><blockquote type=3D"cite" style=3D"font-family: =
Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: =
normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; =
text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
text-decoration: none;"><br><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On 26. Jan =
2024, at 18:02, Rodney W. Grimes &lt;freebsd-rwg@gndrsh.dnsmgr.net&gt; =
wrote:<br><br>-- Start of PGP signed section.<br><blockquote =
type=3D"cite">Am 2024-01-25 18:49, schrieb Rodney W. =
Grimes:<br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><blockquote type=3D"cite">On Thu, =
Jan 25, 2024, 9:11?AM Ed Maste &lt;emaste@freebsd.org&gt; =
wrote:<br><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On Thu, 25 Jan 2024 at 11:00, =
Rodney W. Grimes<br>&lt;freebsd-rwg@gndrsh.dnsmgr.net&gt; =
wrote:<br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">These =
will need to be addressed before actually removing any of =
these<br>binaries, of course.<br></blockquote><br>You seem to have =
missed /rescue. &nbsp;Now think about that long<br>and hard, these tools =
classified as so important that they<br>are part of /rescue. &nbsp;Again =
I can not stress enough how often<br>I turn to these tools in a repair =
mode situation.<br></blockquote><br>I haven't missed rescue, it is =
included in the work in progress I<br>mentioned. Note that rescue has =
included gpart since 2007.<br><br></blockquote><br>What can fdisk and/or =
disklabel repair that gpart can't?<br></blockquote><br>As far as I know =
there is no way in gpart to get to the<br>MBR cyl/hd/sec values, you can =
only get to the LBA start<br>and end values:<br>sysid 165 =
(0xa5),(FreeBSD/NetBSD/386BSD)<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;start 63, size 8388513 =
(4095 Meg), flag 80 (active)<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;beg: =
cyl 0/ head 1/ sector 1;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;end: cyl =
1023/ head 15/ sector 63<br><br>gpart show ada0<br>=3D&gt; =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;63 &nbsp;8388545 &nbsp;ada0 &nbsp;MBR =
&nbsp;(4.0G)<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;63 &nbsp;8388513 =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 &nbsp;freebsd &nbsp;[active] =
&nbsp;(4.0G)<br>8388576 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32 =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- free - =
&nbsp;(16K)<br></blockquote><br>What are you using cyl/hd/sec values for =
on a system which runs FreeBSD<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><br>current or on which you =
would have to use FreeBSD-current in case of a<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><br>repair need? What is =
the disk hardware on those systems that you still<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><br>need cyl/hd/sec and LBA =
doesn't work? Serious questions out of<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><br>curiosity.<br></blockquot=
e><br>Your making way to many assuptions, I deal with all sorts of =
operating<br>systems, not just FreeBSD, and I often many drives from =
many systems<br>connected to a FreeBSD box doing work to repair various =
anomolyies.<br>FreeBSD is my swiss army knife of choice for fixing =
things.<br><br>UEFI CMS and BIOS emplemntations can get very confused =
about a<br>disk if these values are not properly set. &nbsp;Also make a =
big<br>mental note that GPT is really just a BIOS type 0x238 =
MBR<br>entry and if that entry is messed up you are screwed. &nbsp;I =
am<br>not sure gpart has anyway to fix the protective MBR other<br>than =
to rewrite it, probably destroying access to the whole<br>contents of =
the disk.<br><br></blockquote><br>That does not make too much sense =
because PMBR is just fake partition covering whole disk (within the data =
type size limit), with the hope that MBR only tool will see all the =
space is allocated and will not attempt anything silly. Right after =
sector 0, in sector 1 there is GPT, followed by GPT table array ? that =
is, if anything will attempt to write anything other into sectors 1-33 =
(or depending on how large is your table array), you are in trouble as =
the primary GPT is destroyed.<br></blockquote><br style=3D"caret-color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: =
normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: =
normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; =
white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
text-decoration: none;"><span style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); =
font-family: Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
text-decoration: none; float: none; display: inline !important;">*SIGH* =
Seriously if you think it is so fake NUKE it and see how good your =
system works.</span><br style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: =
normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; =
text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: =
none;"><br style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: =
normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; =
text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: =
none;"><span style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: =
normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; =
text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: =
none; float: none; display: inline !important;">dd if=3D/dev/zero =
of=3D/dev/FOO count=3D1</span><br style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); =
font-family: Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
text-decoration: none;"><span style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); =
font-family: Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
text-decoration: none; float: none; display: inline !important;">GOOD =
LUCK!</span><br style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: =
normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; =
text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: =
none;"><br style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: =
normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; =
text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: =
none;"></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>It is fake in a sense that =
a) its role is to denote the marked space is in use and b) in case of =
large disks, the PMBR end is not the same as disk end (due to data type =
limit).</div><div><br></div><div>It is entirely other matter what =
happens when PMBR is wiped. However, even if you wipe it, it is trivial =
to =
restore.</div><div><br></div><div>rgds,</div><div>toomas</div><br><blockqu=
ote type=3D"cite"><div><blockquote type=3D"cite" style=3D"font-family: =
Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: =
normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; =
text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
text-decoration: none;">rgds,<br>toomas<br><blockquote type=3D"cite">I =
am getting rather tired of hearing from people who just simply<br>do not =
use these tools or can not phantom there are legitamate<br>uses for =
them. &nbsp;But it is evident the project has decided to<br>remote them =
to ports no matter what, so be it, yet another<br>reason for me to use =
less FreeBSD and more of someone elses<br>product.<br><br><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><br>Bye,<br>Alexander.<br><br>--<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><br>http://www.Leidinger.net =
Alexander@Leidinger.net: PGP =
0x8F31830F9F2772BF<br>http://www.FreeBSD.org =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;netchild@FreeBSD.org &nbsp;: PGP =
0x8F31830F9F2772BF<br></blockquote>-- End of PGP section, PGP =
failed!<br><br>--<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><br>Rod Grimes =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs=
p;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;rgrimes@=
freebsd.org<br></blockquote></blockquote><span style=3D"caret-color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: =
normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: =
normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; =
white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
text-decoration: none; float: none; display: inline !important;">--<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></span><br =
style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Hack-Regular; =
font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; =
font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; =
text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: =
none;"><span style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: =
normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; =
text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: =
none; float: none; display: inline !important;">Rod Grimes =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs=
p;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><=
a href=3D"mailto:rgrimes@freebsd.org" style=3D"font-family: =
Hack-Regular; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: =
normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; =
text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: =
0px;">rgrimes@freebsd.org</a></div></blockquote></div><br></body></html>=

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