partition type is missing in DriveSetup

[starsseed]

DriveSetup should show the partition type (or the partition type label)
eb - BeFS
07 - Windows NTFS
42 - Linux swap
...

see : ​http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/partitions/partition_types-1.html

[stippi]

I don't know. The partition type from the partition table is not very reliable at all. What DriveSetup already shows should be more reliable and informative. It wouldn't hurt to have the additional information of course... but I take the liberty lower the priority anyway. :-)

[starsseed]

if you partition your disk with an other OS (Linus fdisk for instance), every partitions look the same since the file system type is unknow, so you could install Haiku on the wrong partition.

[stippi]

But showing "Unkown" for every partition is no worse than showing "Linux native" for every partition. In these situations, I believe users will rely more on partition size and layout, and that should be the same. I am not sure, but from what I remember, GParted sets the table entry to the equivalent of "Linux native" or "Linux swap" when creating the partition. It may still be that type even if you later initialize such a partition to FAT32 for example. In any case, the actual content type and the table type may be out of sync. That's why I don't think this feature would add a whole lot of value. It's quite easy to change, though, if you want to have a look. The table type is available via BPartition::Type(), while DriveSetup currently uses BPartition::ContentType(). See PartitionListView.cpp for more details. You could just add another column and provide a patch. But like I said, I think it will be more confusing than helpful (than you would have to make it obvious in the guy, which type is which and which is the true content type and which only the partition type marker from the MBR...).

[starsseed]

With Linux, you can initialize a partition with any file system, it's true that Linux let you do evrything but it's your responsibility!
For my part, my system is consistent.
nb : Fdisk can even create BeFS partitions ;-)

[axeld]

You could use ContentType() if available, and Type() if not (the latter could even enclosed in parenthesis to show that it hasn't been detected natively).

[stippi]

That certainly sounds doable! :-) Thanks, Axel.

[stippi]

This was implemented a few revisions ago. Too lazy to dig it up.

[Morgul]

This was fixed in hrev35051. But then, removed in hrev39115, as it caused confusion in the case of "Be File System" being both a partition type name and file system name, as the author of that commit commented on ​this e-mail from haiku-commits.

In the patch I just attached, I've implemented it as axeld suggested in comment:5, by enclosing the partition type in parenthesis. This way it's clear whether there's an initialized file system or not.

[scottmc]

Screenshot before patch applied

[scottmc]

screenshot after patch applied, note that (Linux Swap) is listed in this one

[starsseed]

For me, this does not fix the issue, since we don't see if the file system is consistent with the partition type. An other problem is that : if you have a "BFS" formated volume over a "NTFS" typed partition (for instance), Windows may erase the volume (without prompting).

Adding a "partition type" column would be more appropriate.

[axeld]

Thanks for the reminder, Scott! I'll apply it now.

To starsseed: an optional column for the partition type sounds like a useful addition (I would just hide it by default). I'll keep this ticket open then.

[axeld]

Patch applied in hrev44923 -- thanks a lot Morgul, and sorry for the long delay.

[Morgul]

You're welcome, axeld. No problem, it's great to see it applied in the repository :)

[axeld]

Added partition type column in hrev45218.