On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 6:35 AM, Jim Cornette <fc-cornette@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Robert Nichols wrote: > > > Jim Cornette wrote: > > > > > My guess would be that the motherboard has a chip inside that has a > compressed image of what was originally installed on the computer, like what > a install CD would have. hitting that button probably launches the flash > image which expands it from the end of the disk on forward. That would > explain why it took over the tail end of the LVM partitioned off space. > There are probably no safeguards for the routine to check first what is > setup before going to town and doing its thing. > > > > > > > That's almost certainly what happened. There was undoubtedly a hidden > > partition at the end of the disk, and that partition got wiped out when > > the Linux installer was told to use the whole disk. Pressing the magic > > button restored that hidden partition, overwriting the end of the LVM > > in the process. > > > > Simplest preventive measure is to leave that partition in place when > > creating the LVM. > > > > > > I can see a value for the button if one has a disk failure so the disk > information can be restored to original condition. Since the button will > overwrite whatever is contained on your hard disk, leaving it intact does > make sense. If I ever purchase a computer with the "easy button" I would > leave the partition intact since now reading how other's lost working > systems because of that feature. > > I guess his best option would be to wipe out the partition table and then > press the "easy button". Afterward he could setup his alternative > installation. (Or cover up the button.) > > Jim > Installing any OS, especially Windows is so easy a monkey could do it. If you need a button to do it, then you are not qualified to use a computer. All you have to do is hit next about 8 times in a row to install fedora. Max
