[Test-Announce] F16 release issue: karma required for livecd-tools updates

[Adam Williamson]

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 :)
-- 
Adam Williamson
Fedora QA Community Monkey
IRC: adamw | Twitter: AdamW_Fedora | identi.ca: adamwfedora
http://www.happyassassin.net