Hey, everyone. There are pending updates for livecd-tools in F14, F15 and F16:
https://admin.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2011-15442 https://admin.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2011-15374 https://admin.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2011-15386
It's quite important that we get these approved, as they prevent a potential problem with Fedora 16. The final F16 blocker was the bug where the bootloader would be installed to the USB key if you tried to update from F15 using the DVD / net install ISO written to a USB key: this bug can actually still happen if you write the USB key without the --format parameter. The update makes livecd-iso-to-disk relabel the USB stick even if --format is not used, to avoid the problem (we hope). Please test it and provide karma!
If you want to check whether it truly fixes the bug, here's the procedure:
1. *Before* updating livecd-tools, write the F16 DVD or net install ISO to USB using livecd-iso-to-disk *without* the --format parameter . Don't use a USB stick you've already written a Fedora image onto before, or if you must use such a stick, reformat it first, so it doesn't have LIVE as its partition label.
2. Install Fedora 15 onto your test system
3. Use the USB stick to try and upgrade the Fedora 15 installation
4. At the 'what to do with the bootloader' screen, pick the default 'install new bootloader configuration option'
5. At the 'where to write the bootloader' screen, note which device anaconda will allow you to write to the MBR of: if it's the USB key, you've successfully reproduced the bug. If it's not the USB key, your key is probably failing the 'is this device a valid bootloader target?' test for some other reason
6. Assuming you managed to reproduce the bug, update livecd-tools, and repeat the entire test, writing the USB stick with the updated livecd-tools this time: it should prevent the bug from occurring
This is the full test to see whether it actually fixes the problem. You can also check the partition label on the stick after livecd-iso-to-disk before and after the update. The non-updated livecd-iso-to-disk should leave whatever partition label was on the USB stick before, when you write an image without --format; the updated one should change the label to LIVE.
Well, I know it's a slightly complex issue, but hope you followed that, and please karma up the updates! Thanks :)
test-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org