Isn't it about time the x86 platform supported more then 4 'real' partitions?
I'm getting really sick of this limitation and was thinking of sitting down with some peers, drafting a new extended MBR standard, then submitting it OS vendors.
For instance, the first partition is (generally) started on the 65th sector. That leaves 63 512byte sectors that are always free. Why not extend the normal partition entires say 16 sectors (== about 512 16byte partition entires), and reserve the remaining sectors for extended MBR code? (IE the code in sector 0, hops to sector 18)
This would be very easy to implement and remain compatible with legacy OS's. A boot manager (partition entry swapper) program could be used to move 'extended' entries in and out of the original sector 0 partition table for the sake of further legacy OS compatibility.
Has any one ever attempted to have something like this implemented by OS vendors? Any comments you'd like to make? (Please via private mail)
I'd like to get some initial response back on this idea, and if it is positive I'll set up a mailing list/and or have some IRC meetings to discuss details.