Re: install/56384: Exiting and restarting sysinst during installation leaves /targetroot unmounted

[Harold Gutch <logix%foobar.franken.de@localhost>]

The following reply was made to PR install/56384; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Harold Gutch <logix%foobar.franken.de@localhost>
To: gnats-bugs%netbsd.org@localhost
Cc: install-manager%netbsd.org@localhost, gnats-admin%netbsd.org@localhost, netbsd-bugs%netbsd.org@localhost
Subject: Re: install/56384: Exiting and restarting sysinst during installation leaves /targetroot unmounted
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2021 12:50:03 +0200

 On Wed, Sep 01, 2021 at 10:40:01AM +0000, Martin Husemann wrote:
 > The following reply was made to PR install/56384; it has been noted by GNATS.
 > 
 > From: Martin Husemann <martin%duskware.de@localhost>
 > To: gnats-bugs%netbsd.org@localhost
 > Cc: 
 > Subject: Re: install/56384: Exiting and restarting sysinst during
 >  installation leaves /targetroot unmounted
 > Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2021 12:36:02 +0200
 > 
 >  On Wed, Sep 01, 2021 at 10:30:01AM +0000, logix%foobar.franken.de@localhost wrote:
 >  > 3) at the shell prompt, run "sysinst" again
 >  > 4) go to "f: Config menu" and select (for example) "o: Add a user"
 >  > 5) Observe "Command failed" as it tries to mkdir /home/$USERNAME
 >  
 >  That is kindof intended behaviour. You can add users later (in the
 >  installed system) by running sysinst as you describe above.
 
 Well, intended if you run it later on the running installed system,
 yes.
 
 
 >  The problem is that in your invocation it does not know if you mean
 >  the currently running system or the new installed one.
 >  
 >  It could write a hints file to /tmp with settings from the previous
 >  installation run and ask whether to reuse those on next invocation.
 
 Yes, that was the other idea (in addition to not umounting) that
 crossed my mind.
 
 I guess at the least there could be some kind of warning ("/ is
 readonly and you don't have anything mounted at /targetroot,
 $OPERATIONS will fail"), perhaps also suggesting to mount the
 installed system at /targetroot if that's what the user wants to do.
 
 Basically right now sysinst will leave you in a (somewhat) broken
 state if you happen to *accidentally* select "x: Exit" (instead of,
 e.g., "f" which is directly above).
 
 
   Harold