[Bug 1580565] [NEW] KUbuntu 16.4 writes into foreign MBR without permission during installation

[Gisin Bernard]

Public bug reported:

Summary: 
KUbuntu 16.4, 64 bits installation writes into foreign MBR without permission, damaging other operating systems on the disk.

I installed over 50 times XUbuntu version 14.4, 12.4 on USB key, using different computers.
I began doing this in 2009.
Everything worked fine.

I installed KUbuntu version 16.4, 64 bits on another USB key 5 days ago, well specifying that grub should be installed on /dev/sdc, which is the MBR of the USB key, and this destroyed the MSB of the disk /dev/sda.  I could only boot the computer if the USB key was inserted.
I repaired the MBR on /dev/sda and try a second time to install KUbuntu 16.4 on /dev/sdc, the USB key, reproducing the same problem. This second time I'm 100% sure that I specified to install grub on /dev/sdc !
Thus I throw to the trash the installation DVD, which is useless for me since this bug is sever.

To do more tests, I installed today KUbuntu 14.4 on a USB key, and It
worked fine, the /dev/sda was not modified.

Conclusion : this is a bug added in version 16.4, 64 bits of KUbuntu !

A similar bug existed in 2010-11-28  and in  2012-04-28,  c.f. 
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/partman-base/+bug/669459
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/990093

Installing Ubuntu damages foreign partitions, effectively killing other operating systems!
Such a (mis)behaviour cannot be tolerated and requires a timely bugfix!

bernard4 at juggling.ch

** Affects: partman-base (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: severe

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1580565

Title:
  KUbuntu 16.4 writes into foreign MBR without permission during
  installation

Status in partman-base package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Summary: 
  KUbuntu 16.4, 64 bits installation writes into foreign MBR without permission, damaging other operating systems on the disk.

  I installed over 50 times XUbuntu version 14.4, 12.4 on USB key, using different computers.
  I began doing this in 2009.
  Everything worked fine.

  I installed KUbuntu version 16.4, 64 bits on another USB key 5 days ago, well specifying that grub should be installed on /dev/sdc, which is the MBR of the USB key, and this destroyed the MSB of the disk /dev/sda.  I could only boot the computer if the USB key was inserted.
  I repaired the MBR on /dev/sda and try a second time to install KUbuntu 16.4 on /dev/sdc, the USB key, reproducing the same problem. This second time I'm 100% sure that I specified to install grub on /dev/sdc !
  Thus I throw to the trash the installation DVD, which is useless for me since this bug is sever.

  To do more tests, I installed today KUbuntu 14.4 on a USB key, and It
  worked fine, the /dev/sda was not modified.

  Conclusion : this is a bug added in version 16.4, 64 bits of KUbuntu !

  A similar bug existed in 2010-11-28  and in  2012-04-28,  c.f. 
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/partman-base/+bug/669459
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/990093

  Installing Ubuntu damages foreign partitions, effectively killing other operating systems!
  Such a (mis)behaviour cannot be tolerated and requires a timely bugfix!

  bernard4 at juggling.ch

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