Re: install/56384: Exiting and restarting sysinst during installation leaves /targetroot unmounted

[Harold Gutch <logix%foobar.franken.de@localhost>]

On Wed, Sep 01, 2021 at 10:40:01AM +0000, Martin Husemann wrote:
> The following reply was made to PR install/56384; it has been noted by GNATS.
> 
> From: Martin Husemann <martin%duskware.de@localhost>
> To: gnats-bugs%netbsd.org@localhost
> Cc: 
> Subject: Re: install/56384: Exiting and restarting sysinst during
>  installation leaves /targetroot unmounted
> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2021 12:36:02 +0200
> 
>  On Wed, Sep 01, 2021 at 10:30:01AM +0000, logix%foobar.franken.de@localhost wrote:
>  > 3) at the shell prompt, run "sysinst" again
>  > 4) go to "f: Config menu" and select (for example) "o: Add a user"
>  > 5) Observe "Command failed" as it tries to mkdir /home/$USERNAME
>  
>  That is kindof intended behaviour. You can add users later (in the
>  installed system) by running sysinst as you describe above.

Well, intended if you run it later on the running installed system,
yes.


>  The problem is that in your invocation it does not know if you mean
>  the currently running system or the new installed one.
>  
>  It could write a hints file to /tmp with settings from the previous
>  installation run and ask whether to reuse those on next invocation.

Yes, that was the other idea (in addition to not umounting) that
crossed my mind.

I guess at the least there could be some kind of warning ("/ is
readonly and you don't have anything mounted at /targetroot,
$OPERATIONS will fail"), perhaps also suggesting to mount the
installed system at /targetroot if that's what the user wants to do.

Basically right now sysinst will leave you in a (somewhat) broken
state if you happen to *accidentally* select "x: Exit" (instead of,
e.g., "f" which is directly above).


  Harold