docs/84849: [patch] fdisk(8) manpage doesn't warn fdisk doesn't read disk

[Gary W. Swearingen]

>Number:         84849
>Category:       docs
>Synopsis:       [patch] fdisk(8) manpage doesn't warn fdisk doesn't read disk
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       low
>Responsible:    freebsd-doc
>State:          open
>Quarter:        
>Keywords:       
>Date-Required:
>Class:          doc-bug
>Submitter-Id:   current-users
>Arrival-Date:   Fri Aug 12 19:00:29 GMT 2005
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     Gary W. Swearingen
>Release:        FreeBSD 5.4-RELEASE i386
>Organization:
none
>Environment:
n/a
>Description:

The fdisk(8) manpage doesn't warn that fdisk doesn't read the disk,
but instead uses "in-core disklabel".

>How-To-Repeat:
n/a

>Fix:
Put a warning in the BUGS section.

--- fdisk..orig.8	Sat Aug  6 15:12:37 2005
+++ fdisk.8	Sat Aug  6 15:35:38 2005
@@ -455,3 +455,11 @@
 The
 .Xr bsdlabel 8
 command must be used for this.
+.Pp
+The program uses the kernel's knowledge of important disk information
+(AKA
+.Qq in-core disklabel ) ,
+so the program can behave unexpectedly if this information is changed
+on the disk without the kernel's knowledge, as is commonly done using,
+for example,
+.Ic "dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/fd0 count=1" .
>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted: