Partitioner throws "Unable to satisfy all constraints" when trying to use previously created partitions

I get this when I try to use the option "Use the largest continuous free space" doing a fresh install of Lucid on a hard disk with three other partitions (1 primary and 2 logical). Installation method worked without problems with 9.10.

1st error message

followup error message

last error message

right screenshot of follow up error message

edisso, screenshots are no use to me, but log files (/var/log/syslog and
/var/log/partman) may be of use, for comparison with Steve's. I haven't
managed to reproduce this myself yet, although I'm working on it ...

Here it is:
partman

and syslog

This is directed just at Steve Beattie for now, because these directions are suited for modifying the image he's using but not for modifying ubiquity, which edisso is using. If this becomes a problem I'll revise later, but it should do for now.

Steve, please do the following:

  * 'apt-get source parted', apply http://paste.ubuntu.com/418715/ to it, and 'debuild -b'.
  * 'apt-get source partman-base', apply http://paste.ubuntu.com/418716/ to it, and 'debuild -b'.
  * Start your VM, in such a state that the next installation will reproduce this bug. Make sure that it has network access to the machine on which you built these packages; if you just built on the VM host and are using kvm, then I believe 10.0.2.2 should work by default.
  * Run through the installation until the point where it asks you for your hostname, switch to tty2, and start a shell.
  * Run 'anna-install openssh-client-udeb', scp over the libparted0-udeb and partman-base udebs you just built, and unpack them both using 'udpkg --unpack'.
  * Switch back to tty1, reproduce the bug, and exit to the installer main menu.
  * Attach the resulting /var/log/syslog, /var/log/partman, and /var/log/parted_server.err to this bug.

Thanks in advance! I haven't tested these directions, so please get in touch with me on IRC if you have problems.

Colin, my initial attempts at using your patches resulted in a SEGV in _try_constraint(); the first couple of times that function is invoked, ped_constraint_intersect() returns NULL. I added a NULL check to debug.patch like so: http://paste.ubuntu.com/418950/ and was able to successfully get logs.

I had difficulty reproducing the failure condition. Ultimately, what I resorted to doing was a default full disk karmic install, and then resizing the partitions slightly to match as best I could the partition table I listed in my initial report. It's not exactly the same setup, as fdisk in sector mode would not let me create /dev/sda5 starting at sector 19984384, but I was able to reproduce the constaint error.

Attached are my logs.

The problem does appear to be intersection coming out as NULL. I've now reproduced this locally by setting up the initial state to match your partman log, so I should be able to make progress on this.

This bug was fixed in the package partman-base - 139ubuntu6

---------------
partman-base (139ubuntu6) lucid; urgency=low

  * Don't apply optimal alignment to extended partitions (LP: #558382).
 -- Colin Watson <email address hidden> Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:46:47 +0100

Resolution confirmed. I installed WinXP SP3 first, then Lucid behind XP.

The daily CD image 20100426.1 allowed me to do so.

Thank you SO MUCH for getting that fixed!

No it is not fixed. I downloaded what I hope is the latest from the official site. The problem is the same. The only thing that works is first install 9.10 then upgrade, totally impossible to install lucid on the free space after Vista installation.

axelsvag: it's fixed for the people who reported it initially, so therefore you have a new bug that just happens to have similar symptoms. Instead of following up to an existing bug, please file a new bug with full installation logs attached.

Sorry, I was on holiday.

For me it's fixed too. Clean installation of 10.04 on my Windows 7 drive with 30 GB free space worked without problems by using the "use largest free space" option. Thanks Colin...