instant cake- does it fix MFStools bugs?

[MichaelK]

does instant cake suffer from the mfstools bug that creates the wrong size alternate partition?

[classicsat]

InstantCake does use MFStools, so likely.

[MichaelK]

I'm wondering though if they patched the version of mfstools they use?
(or perhaps have a script that uses pdisk to correct it or somethign like that?)

[JamieP]

I would be somewhat surprised if instant cake is using a non-standard patched mfstools 2.0.

I think you are worried way to much about this issue. Tivo switched to using 256MB root partitions and 4MB kernel partitions years ago, starting with the hdtivo and the 5.x software version. mfstools2.0 has had the bug where it creates the alternate partition pair at 2MB/128MB for years too. It has yet to bite anyone. In practice every tivo released kernel has been < 2MB and the used space in every tivo root partition has been < 128MB.

If you are really worried about it, get the source and fix it. The source is publicly available via CVS (mfstools.cvs.sourceforge.net). The patch is here (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4394209#post4394209). If you are not capable of applying the patch and compiling from source, either live with it the way it is (as I said, no one has been biten by this bug yet), fix it manually with pdisk, or wait for an updated mfstools. This third option may be a long wait, because Tiger doesn't seem to be active in the scene anymore.

[MichaelK]

I plan to fix it manually with pdisk actually but I'm a linux neophyte so am looking for the easisest way out.

Since you popped in maybe you can answer my pdisk question-

I plan to use the method posted for in the swap bug thread to correct the partition.

namely:

copy the drive with mfstools

then with pdisk:
rename the faulty partition
create new partition with correct info at the end
reorder the new partion and the faulty one so they are in the correct locations
then delete the faulty partition

Then use MFSadd to increase the size.

Do I need to do anythign like mkswap or tpip does with the swap will the tivo automatically see it since it's the right name, partition nuimber, and file system?

[JamieP]

Do I need to do anythign like mkswap or tpip does with the swap will the tivo automatically see it since it's the right name, partition nuimber, and file system?I think I already answered this over at DDB. If you are changing the size of the swap partion, or moving it, you need to initalize it.

You can't just delete a partition in the middle of the disk. You'll want to merge it with a partition that is physically continguous with it on disk. I suggested you merge 6,7 and 8 together into a new swap partition.

Be sure you are working on a copy, not the original. It's easy to mess up with pdisk.

[MichaelK]

I plan to work on the copy-

thanks I cross posted with your answer at DDB- didn't see that before i posted here.