Re: [PATCH] fix an infinite loop with a corrupted pc partition table

[Pavel Roskin <proski@gnu.org>]

On Fri, 2009-07-24 at 22:35 +0200, Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko wrote:
> Hello
> >> This patch fixes it, but probable there's a better fix.
> >
> > We could require that all references to extended partitions are only
> > considered if they lead to a sector after the one currently being
> > processed.
> I already thought about this and spoke about it on IRC. Unfortunately
> backward pointers do exist. I had it few years ago when I used
> diskdrake. It put the logical partition at the end of the chain even
> if partition itself was in the middle of the disk. I don't know if it
> still has this behaviour but partition schemes have sometimes tendency
> to stay a long time. I don't like they idea of user not being able to
> boot his mandriva or some partitions not being accessible.

This would still work.

This is still allowed:

MBR  ---------------->  Ext
        Logical  <-----/

This is what I want to forbid:

MBR  ---------------->  Ext
             Ext  <----/
                \-------------->  Logical

I don't think any tool would create that insanity.

> A big problem with pc partitions is that AFAIK there is no normative 
> standard for it, only descriptive documents

Yes, it's a typical "industry standard" :-(

-- 
Regards,
Pavel Roskin