On Fri, 20 Dec 2002, David Laight wrote:

> > mbr disks would grab four partitions (modulo disklabel ones that were
> > found). And so on.
>
> The mbr extended partitions require more care.
> Correctly formatted, they are a linked list in increasing sector numbers.
> So if you allocate some free space (or free an extended partition)
> then the numbers of any partitions further down the extended one
> change.  This isn't really acceptable...
>
> The information required to tie this down need only be in a file
> in the root filesystem though - it doesn't need to be on the same
> disk as the extended partition.

You've just described (in brief) the wedges config file. While I don't
like the fact that if you radically adjust an mbr extended partition (set)
things will move around, I don't see what else you can do since the
alternative, the history file, is worse.

At least this way you only have things move around if you make a, "big,"
change to the partitions. And, you have things happen immediately after
you make the change, so you can adjust things as part of the change. It's
not something that lies around waiting to bite you later.

Take care,

Bill