Bugzilla – Bug 1161
Solaris partition is not created on the largest usable chunks of unallocated space
Last modified: 2009-06-01 07:47:24 UTC
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we have the following partition entries on the hard disk: ---> Partition 1 (Not Solaris2 type) ---> Unused (there is a big chunk of unallocated space, larger that 8GB) ---> Partition 2 (Not Solaris2 type) ---> Unused (Small chunk of unallocated space, less than 3.5 GB) When creating a new Solaris2 partition, using '=' to allocate all the unused space, then a warning window prompts user the size is adjusted due to the existing partitions. But the size is only adjusted to smaller chunk, but not to the larger one. If the smaller chunk is less than 3.5GB, install can't proceed.
Hi Jeffrey, could you please also attach/provide following additional information ? [1] Exact partition configuration reported on installer "Disk screen" [2] output of Solaris fdisk command # fdisk -W - <your_disk>p0 [3] if possible, output of Linux fdisk command Thank you.
I have talked to Niall Power, since I was not sure about UI design spec as far as gaps between partitions are concerned and he clarified that gaps between existing partitions can't be utilized when creating new partition - only free space after last defined partition can be picked up. Since this case is something we probably would like to think about when considering UI design changes as far as partitioning is concerned, I am marking this as enhancement. Workaround: Please use Solaris fdisk(1M) tool to create Solaris2 partition. It will allow to utilize the contiguous chunk of unallocated space between already defined partitions.
Jan, From jogging my memory a bit more: The GUI code doesn't attempt to specify partition offsets. Newly created partitions have their offset set to 0 and the offset point is to be determined by liborchestrator or the target instantiation module. The warning dialog that Jeffrey sees after clicking next on the partitioning screen is a response to liborchestrator indicating to the GUI that it can't honour the size request for the new partition.
*** Bug 4977 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Needs release note for 2008.11.
*** Bug 5896 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
I am changing this from an RFE to a bug. It's a bug that if I have a free partition on my disk, the OpenSolaris installer can't install into it. As I documented in bug 5896, this situation also induces confusing brokenness in the UI. The net result of this bug is going to be lower adoption, until it is fixed. It appears that more and more laptops are shipping this way from vendors. David Clack (http://blogs.sun.com/oslab/entry/msi_u100_422ca_and_opensolaris) has also hit the same problem.
Orchestrator create_slice() and create_partition() both have logic that finds the largest available space. disk_parts.c:find_unused_region_of_size(OM_MAX_SIZE) will build a free space table based on the Orchestrator partition table array and return the largest available unused region on a disk. It will not work right if all starting offsets are zero, but useful code is there.
Per common policy transferring out of Opensolaris/installer category. This bug will affect several modules across the installer - at least GUI, TI, orchestrator. Not a stopper for 2009.06.