[Bug 1265192] Re: Reinstallation wipes out all/other partitions

[Chris Bainbridge]

> @Erick: WT#? it gobbled your XP partition when you said upgrade ubuntu
12.04? Eeeeeek!

Data loss on partitioning is sadly common, just browsing AskUbuntu today
I counted 35 reports of people inadvertently deleting or formatting
their Windows partitions since the start of April --
http://askubuntu.com/questions/tagged/partitioning+data-
recovery?sort=newest&pagesize=50 -- that's one user's data being
deleted, due to bug or error, every 1.5 days. And that is obviously just
a lower bound, consisting of the minority of users who knew about
AskUbuntu, and bothered to report it there, and had their questions
properly tagged.

I just now saw a report of "Install Ubuntu alongside Windows" deleting
all the partitions on a 2nd drive: http://askubuntu.com/questions/471996
/data-lost-after-installing-ubuntu-alongside-windows   -- The user
managed to recover his deleted partitions using a data recover tool but
concludes, "I am still angry over B**tard Ubuntu i hate it VERY much, I
WONT USE UBUNTU AGAIN IT IS S**T. "

Ubuntu attracts a lot of novice users. The installer needs to make it
really, really clear when it is going to wipe a partition that contains
an existing file system. I would say it is necessary to make the
confirmation crystal clear - maybe go so far as making them type
WIPEMYDATA! or similar in capitals, to confirm that they read the text
and really understand what is about to happen.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1265192

Title:
  Reinstallation wipes out all/other partitions

Status in “ubiquity” package in Ubuntu:
  Triaged
Status in “ubiquity” source package in Trusty:
  Triaged

Bug description:
  Brand new Samsung laptop with UEFI. I had installed 13.04 Ubuntu but on reboot I never saw the 'grub' style menu. It just kept going into Windows 8.1.  So I got the 13.10 version (64 bit) and choose "Reinstall Ubuntu" (That may not be the exact text)
  It removed all the partiions including the recovery partitions. I do have a backup for the windows install, but I was very surprised that this happened.
  On a positive note I now have Ububtu up and running on my machine. 
  This is not my first time with Ubuntu. I have installed Ubuntu alongside WinXp, Vista and Windows 7. I've used Ubuntu desktop for over 6 years.
  If you would like me to try something to replicate this. .. I could shrink my existing partion make another one - reinstall and see if it whacks that one. I can do this now .. I'm still moving into this laptop so starting over is not so bad.

  Steve Devine

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