[Bug 724383] Re: AMD64 "Netboot" Documentation: typo in instructions (suggested replacement text attached)

[Launchpad Bug Tracker]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

** Changed in: installation-guide (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Confirmed

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Title:
  AMD64 "Netboot" Documentation: typo in instructions (suggested
  replacement text attached)

Status in “installation-guide” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  I was attempting to prepare a USB boot stick for Ubuntu Maverick (x86_64) Server.  I followed this guide (official documentation):
  https://help.ubuntu.com/10.10/installation-guide/amd64/boot-usb-files.html

  Under the heading "Copying the files -- the easy way," the instructions read:
  (quote)
  To use this image simply extract it directly to a partition on your USB stick:
  # zcat boot.img.gz > /dev/sdX1
  (/quote)
  ** Note, for me this was: #zcat boot.img.gz > /dev/sdc1

  I tried this twice (once using sudo and once using an actual root shell prompt) and the problem persisted.
  SYMPTOMS:
  - the USB stick was not recognized by Nautilus,
  - it could not be mounted via the commandline,
  - fdisk/cfdisk both refused to acknowledge the disk/partition (various errors, unable to find partition, incorrect partition table, etc),
  - and the /dev directory stopped displaying the /dev/sdc1 partition altogether (only /dev/sdc was shown)

  HUMBLY-SUBMITTED SOLUTION (SUGGESTED CHANGE TO DOCUMENTATION):
  The following alternative command(s) worked great for me; no doubt there is a more compact/elegant way to do this, but I digress:

  replace:
    # zcat boot.img.gz > /dev/sdX1
  with:
    $ sudo mkdosfs /dev/sdX1
    $ gunzip boot.img.gz
    $ sudo dd if=boot.img of=/dev/sdX1
  </end suggested text/commands>

  Please note that the purpose of this bug is to point out that the
  method listed in the documentation did not work (for me, on an x86_64
  Core2Duo system running Maverick 10.10).   This bug is NOT intended to
  suggest in any way that my meager 3-line bash command line replacement
  text is in any way, shape, or form "ideal."   So keep your jokes to
  yourselves, Mr. and Ms. Chuckles.  :)

  QUESTION:
  Other than filing a bug against installation-guide, is there a (more) preferred way of pointing out problems/typos in the official documentation?  For future reference, a friendly point-in-the-right-direction is kindly requested.

  #####
  (Abbreviated) Version/System info, probably unnecessary but provided for bug-report completeness:

  $ lsb_release -rc
  Release:	10.10Codename:	maverick

  $ uname -mosrv
  Linux 2.6.35-27-generic #47-Ubuntu SMP Fri Feb 11 22:52:49 UTC 2011 x86_64 GNU/Linux

  $ zcat -V
  gzip 1.3.12

  #####

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