Subject: install/34181: Upgrading a bootable FFSv2 partition/system breaks boot process (?)
To: None <install-manager@netbsd.org, gnats-admin@netbsd.org,>
From: None <an@anonymous.netbsder>
List: netbsd-bugs
Date: 08/10/2006 17:25:00
>Number:         34181
>Category:       install
>Synopsis:       Upgrading a bootable FFSv2 partition/system breaks boot process (?)
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       serious
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    install-manager
>State:          open
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Thu Aug 10 17:25:00 +0000 2006
>Originator:     An Anonymous NetBSDer
>Release:        3.0.1
>Organization:
>Environment:
Can't get this far.

>Description:
After upgrading a FFSv2 NetBSD 3.0 system to NetBSD 3.0.1 the system doesn't boot. Before upgrading:
--

NetBSD MBR boot                                           

NetBSD/i386 ffsv2 Primary Bootstrap                       


>> NetBSD/i386 BIOS Boot, Revision 3.2                    
>> (builds@works.netbsd.org, Mon Dec 19 00:29:09 UTC 2005)
>> Memory: 639/129984 k                                   
Press return to boot now, any other key for boot menu     
booting hd0a:netbsd - starting in 3                       

--
After upgrading:
--

NetBSD MBR boot                             

NetBSD/i386 ffsv1 Primary Bootstrap         
Boot failed (errno  2): Can't open /boot.   

-
I suspect the new "ffsv1" primary bootstrap instead of "ffsv2" is causing the problem. I don't think the NetBSD install program checked the partition type and just assumed it was a FFSv1 partition.

>How-To-Repeat:
Install a NetBSD 3.0 i386 system.

Upgrade it to NetBSD 3.0.1 and reboot the system.

Note this was all attempted on Virtual PC 2004, not on real hardware.

>Fix:
Don't upgrade a bootable FFSv2 partition?