The following reply was made to PR port-shark/35576; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: "Julio M. Merino Vidal" <jmmv84@gmail.com>
To: gnats-bugs@NetBSD.org
Cc: port-arm@NetBSD.org
Subject: Re: port-shark/35576 - Make sysinst clear MBR
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:02:49 +0100

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 Hi,
 
 The attached patch for sysinst asks the user if he wants to clear the  
 MBR and does so.  It also tells him how to configure the firmware to  
 boot from the on-disk kernel.
 
 But... I feel the question is useless.  Is it there any reason not to  
 clear the MBR?  If there is not, I'll change the code to  
 unconditionally clear it and only add a message at the end of the  
 installation to tell the user what to do on the firmware.
 
 Thanks.
 
 
 --Apple-Mail-2--84842333
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 Content-Disposition: attachment;
 	filename=sysinst.diff
 
 Index:=20arch/shark/md.c=0A=
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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 revision=201.19=0Adiff=20-u=20-p=20-u=20-r1.19=20md.c=0A---=20=
 arch/shark/md.c=095=20Apr=202006=2016:55:07=20-0000=091.19=0A+++=20=
 arch/shark/md.c=0911=20Mar=202007=2020:00:06=20-0000=0A@@=20-53,6=20=
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 =20=0A+/*=0A+=20*=20Clears=20the=20disk's=20first=20sector=20by=20=
 writing=20all=20zeros=20over=20it.=0A+=20*=20Returns=200=20on=20success,=20=
 -1=20on=20failure.=20=20Leaves=20the=20disk's=20path=20in=0A+=20*=20the=20=
 output=20diskpath=20buffer=20for=20further=20usage=20in=20error=20=
 messages.=0A+=20*/=0A+static=20int=0A+clear_mbr(const=20char=20*disk,=20=
 char=20*diskpath,=20size_t=20diskpathlen)=0A+{=0A+=09int=20fd;=0A+=09=
 char=20sector[512];=0A+=0A+=09fd=20=3D=20opendisk(disk,=20O_WRONLY,=20=
 diskpath,=20diskpathlen,=200);=0A+=09if=20(fd=20<=200)=0A+=09=09return=20=
 -1;=0A+=0A+=09memset(sector,=200,=20sizeof(sector));=0A+=09if=20=
 (pwrite(fd,=20&sector,=20sizeof(sector),=200)=20<=200)=20{=0A+=09=09=
 close(fd);=0A+=09=09return=20-1;=0A+=09}=0A+=0A+=09close(fd);=0A+=09=
 return=200;=0A+}=0A+=0A=20int=0A=20md_get_info(void)=0A=20{=0A@@=20=
 -109,6=20+134,18=20@@=20md_pre_disklabel(void)=0A=20int=0A=20=
 md_post_disklabel(void)=0A=20{=0A+=0A+=09msg_display(MSG_clearmbr);=0A+=09=
 process_menu(MENU_yesno,=20NULL);=0A+=09if=20(yesno)=20{=0A+=09=09char=20=
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 msg_display(MSG_badclearmbr,=20diskpath);=0A+=09=09=09=
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 arch/shark/msg.md.de=0921=20Oct=202004=2012:14:22=20-0000=091.4=0A+++=20=
 arch/shark/msg.md.de=0911=20Mar=202007=2020:00:06=20-0000=0A@@=20-81,3=20=
 +81,28=20@@=20message=20arm32fspart=0A=20=0A=20message=20set_kernel_1=0A=20=
 {Kernel=20(GENERIC)}=0A+=0A+message=20clearmbr=0A+{The=20DNARD's=20=
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 partition=0A+on=20the=20local=20hard=20disk.=20=20However,=20it=20will=20=
 not=20recognize=20the=20disk=20as=20bootable=0A+if=20it=20has=20an=20=
 i386-like=20MBR=20on=20the=20first=20sector.=0A+=0A+Furthermore,=20to=20=
 automatically=20boot=20the=20system=20from=20the=20disk=20you=20will=20=
 need=20to=0A+manually=20run=20the=20following=20command=20from=20=
 OpenFirmare's=20shell,=20unless=20it=20is=0A+already=20configured=20=
 appropriately:=0A+=0A+setenv=20boot-device=20disk:\\netbsd.aout=0A+=0A=
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 the=20disk=20is=20bootable?=0A+Note=20that=20the=20firmware's=20=
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 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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 arch/shark/msg.md.en=0912=20Jun=202003=2011:20:13=20-0000=091.6=0A+++=20=
 arch/shark/msg.md.en=0911=20Mar=202007=2020:00:06=20-0000=0A@@=20-77,3=20=
 +77,28=20@@=20message=20arm32fspart=0A=20=0A=20message=20set_kernel_1=0A=20=
 {Kernel=20(GENERIC)}=0A+=0A+message=20clearmbr=0A+{The=20DNARD's=20=
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 partition=0A+on=20the=20local=20hard=20disk.=20=20However,=20it=20will=20=
 not=20recognize=20the=20disk=20as=20bootable=0A+if=20it=20has=20an=20=
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 appropriately:=0A+=0A+setenv=20boot-device=20disk:\\netbsd.aout=0A+=0A=
 +Do=20you=20want=20me=20to=20clear=20the=20first=20sector=20to=20ensure=20=
 the=20disk=20is=20bootable?=0A+Note=20that=20the=20firmware's=20=
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 following=20command=20manually=20from=20the=20installer's=20shell=0A=
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 +=0A+}=0AIndex:=20arch/shark/msg.md.es=0A=
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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 /cvsroot/src/distrib/utils/sysinst/arch/shark/msg.md.es,v=0Aretrieving=20=
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 arch/shark/msg.md.es=0911=20Mar=202007=2020:00:06=20-0000=0A@@=20-80,3=20=
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 set_kernel_1=0A=20{N=FAcleo=20(GENERIC)}=0A+=0A+message=20clearmbr=0A=
 +{El=20firmware=20del=20DNARD=20puede=20cargar=20el=20n=FAcleo=20de=20=
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 desde=20la=20interfaz=20de=20OpenFirmware,=20a=20no=20ser=0A+que=20ya=20=
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 primer=20sector=20del=20disco=20para=20asegurarse=20de=20que=20ser=E1=0A=
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 +{Ha=20ocurrido=20un=20error=20al=20intentar=20borrar=20el=20primer=20=
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 arch/shark/msg.md.fr=0912=20Jun=202003=2011:20:13=20-0000=091.6=0A+++=20=
 arch/shark/msg.md.fr=0911=20Mar=202007=2020:00:06=20-0000=0A@@=20-82,3=20=
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 {Kernel=20(GENERIC)}=0A=20=0A+message=20clearmbr=0A+{The=20DNARD's=20=
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 partition=0A+on=20the=20local=20hard=20disk.=20=20However,=20it=20will=20=
 not=20recognize=20the=20disk=20as=20bootable=0A+if=20it=20has=20an=20=
 i386-like=20MBR=20on=20the=20first=20sector.=0A+=0A+Furthermore,=20to=20=
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 appropriately:=0A+=0A+setenv=20boot-device=20disk:\\netbsd.aout=0A+=0A=
 +Do=20you=20want=20me=20to=20clear=20the=20first=20sector=20to=20ensure=20=
 the=20disk=20is=20bootable?=0A+Note=20that=20the=20firmware's=20=
 configuration=20will=20be=20left=20untouched.=0A+=0A+}=0A+=0A+message=20=
 badclearmbr=0A+{Failed=20to=20clear=20the=20disk's=20first=20sector.=20=20=
 If=20the=20firmware=20cannot=20see=20the=0A+disk,=20try=20to=20run=20the=20=
 following=20command=20manually=20from=20the=20installer's=20shell=0A=
 +utility:=0A+=0A+dd=20if=3D/dev/zero=20of=3D%s=20bs=3D512=20count=3D1=0A=
 +=0A+}=0A=
 
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 -- 
 Julio M. Merino Vidal <jmmv84@gmail.com>
 
 
 
 --Apple-Mail-2--84842333--