Linux Community Shows Its True Colors (Was Suse 9.1 kills Windows partitions. Use Linux-->Lose Data)

From: Peggy Wanka (peggy_wanka_at_linuxmail.org)
Date: 05/17/04 

Date: 17 May 2004 13:58:23 -0700

Once again the psychotic, rabid, obsessed Linux community at large
shows its true colors.

With regard to the thread:

" Suse 9.1 kills Windows partitions. Use Linux-->Lose Data......."

A link was given to a reputable publication, eWeek, and several other
links were also given demonstrating that in fact there is indeed a
problem with re-sizing an NTFS partition.

*****************EXAMPLE*******************************

"The article said the NTFS data was intact. But they couldn't boot.
Fedora doesn't have NTFS resizer and dozens of people reported this
problem up to this day since February:
http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=115980

Some googling might give the answer:
http://mlf.linux.rulez.org/mlf/ezaz/ntfsresize.html#troubleshoot

=====================================================================
Q: Something went wrong, I can't boot! Did I lose everything?

A: It's not as easy to destroy all data as usually thought. In theory,
three things might go wrong during resizing an NTFS partition and
setting it up for dual boot,

   1. NTFS resizing by ntfsresize.
   2. Repartitioning by fdisk, cfdisk, Parted, QTParted, DiskDrake,
YaST, etc.
   3. Boot manager setup using LILO, GRUB, etc.

In all cases, we have met, the problem was introduced in either step
2. or step 3. and not by the use of ntfsresize. In most cases this
means, your data is still intact, you just can not access it.
....
========================================================================

People have this problem using SUSE, Mandrake, Fedora (no NTFS support
at all!). What's common? GRUB(?), parted and the different geometry
detection in the 2.6 kernel. If the geometry isn't set properly in the
partition table Windows can't boot. Some people also reported (see red
hat bugzilla entry above) Partion Magic reported bad partition table.

In short, it's not NTFS problem but something else. People also
reported setting CHS or Auto to LBA in the BIOS fixed the boot problem
in many cases."

******************END EXAMPLE***************************************

Also, do you think that eWeek did not check with SuSE before printing
this article?

Of course they did and the problem will most likely be at the top of
the very long linux bug list.

The bug is minor and resizing live partitions is always a very
dangerous thing to do no matter what the operating system or program
used to do it.
I have lost data when Partition Magic crapped out on me so this is not
exclusive to Linux.

However, that is not the point.

What *is* the point is the manner in which the Linux community reacted
to what appears to be something akin to their mother being slammed for
a problem that does exist.

The responses from the Linux advocates are pitiful.

Denial seems to be the first line of defense.

You nutcases think that if you all get together and deny the problem
that people will believe there really is no problem.

A quick Google search, like the above Example, shows how foolish you
all are.

Making up half truths seems to be a close second.

IOW, YES the data is still there and IS accessible via Linux. But what
good does that do the user when he needs to run Dreamweaver?
What good is it if he can get to his data via Linux but can't run any
of his Windows applications?

Also how is a DOS boot disk going to understand an NTFS partition?
Another lie propagated by the Linux community (IOW boot dos and fix
it).

Then of course we have the filthy, disgusting name calling which seems
to be a mantra of the Linux community at large.

With one or two exceptions, IOW people who acknowledged a problem,
offered solutions, the responses are a huge embarrassment to the Linux
community.

So this is the type of people that a Linux user will go to for
support?

Great job guys.

No wonder Linux and it's users have a reputation for being
supercilious, pontificating, rabid ass holes.

You jokers do far more to damage the reputation of Linux and scare
away new users than any Windows troll could ever do.

Keep up the good work.

Peggy Wanka
"Don't Bother To Thanka"

Relevant Pages