[Bug 1296071] Re: install over existing does not delete old - result in corrupt install

[codeslinger]

okay, that is indeed very sophisticated, but I'm still trying to figure
out why I ended up with an unbootable system.   In that scenario I was
doing a downgrade from a newer/updated version of the beta.

I note that /boot  was not deleted.   one possibility that comes to mind
is that the newer kernel was not removed, while the rest of the system
was downgraded.  Then grub came along and set the newest kernel it found
to be the default boot kernel.  But in the case of a downgrade the
newest kernel might not be compatible with the older system.

as a further thought, it sounds like what you are describing is an in-
place dist-upgrade, which is not at all what the dialogs state that the
installer will do.  Release notes often caution against doing a dist-
upgrade and instead tell you to do a clean install, due to various
compatibility/upgrade issues.

So, if I am doing what I think is a clean install, and instead what I
get is a dist-upgrade then either the dialogs are wrong or the installer
behavior is wrong.   Perhaps add an additional option to the installer
where you can explicitly request an upgrade?

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1296071

Title:
  install over existing does not delete old - result in corrupt install

Status in “ubiquity” package in Ubuntu:
  Incomplete

Bug description:
  when you do a manual install and choose a partition which already has an os on it.
  then you get warned that the os will be erased...  good that is what I want...
  but then it does not actually erase the old os instead it adds files to it and the result is unbootable.

  steps to reproduce:
  1) on an empty partition install an os such as 14.04
  2) do all the ususal stuff... such as installing updates, fini

  now decide to start over with a clean version of the os
  3) manually install a new os, select the partition that was used before
  4) see the nice warning about how the old files will be erased.... ok
  5) watch as it ~appears~ to make an inventory of all the files already present on the partition huh?
  6) watch as it ~appears~ to selectivly add files and or overwrite existing files
  7) fini, attempt to boot the newly installed os

  result: fails to boot, os is corrupt

  expected: it should have erased the relevant directories, basically
  everything except home...  before adding new files.

  now, confirm problem by manually erasing everything from the partition
  and reinstalling and then everything works.

  Note: your actualy milage will vary depending on what os you are
  installing on top of what os.  for instance if you instal the same
  bits on top of the same bits, then your os will work and you won't
  notice the problem.  you have to have oses that are similar but not
  quite compatibile in order for this failure to become apparent.

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