fix(partitioning): resolve vmware disks by scsi target instead of the sdX letter

README.md

@@ -538,6 +538,8 @@ When `hypervisor.type: vmware` uses the `vmware_tools` connection:
 
 `system.disks[0]` is the OS disk (no `mount.path`). Additional entries define data disks.
 
+On VMware, `device` is resolved on the target from the SCSI address instead: entry N is the disk at target N on the first SCSI controller (N+1 from index 7 on, since unit 7 is reserved). The kernel's `sdX` order is not stable between the install environment and the installed system, so a letter-derived path can point at another disk.
+
 | Key           | Type   | Description                                            |
 | ------------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------ |
 | `size`        | number | Disk size in GB (required for virtual)                 |

roles/partitioning/tasks/_resolve_vmware_disks.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+---
+# The virtualization role attaches system.disks to SCSI controller 0 in list order, and
+# vSphere never gives a disk unit 7 (the controller's own address). The kernel's sdX order
+# is not that order and differs between the install environment and the installed OS, so
+# a disk derived as /dev/sd<letter of its index> can be the wrong one. Resolve by target.
+- name: List disks with their SCSI address
+  ansible.builtin.command: lsblk -dnpo NAME,TYPE,HCTL
+  register: partitioning_vmware_lsblk
+  changed_when: false
+
+- name: Map SCSI targets to devices
+  vars:
+    _scsi: >-
+      {%- set out = [] -%}
+      {%- for line in partitioning_vmware_lsblk.stdout_lines -%}
+      {%-   set p = line.split() -%}
+      {%-   if (p | length) == 3 and p[1] == 'disk' and p[2] is match('^\d+:0:\d+:0$') -%}
+      {%-     set _ = out.append({'name': p[0], 'host': p[2].split(':')[0], 'target': p[2].split(':')[2]}) -%}
+      {%-   endif -%}
+      {%- endfor -%}
+      {{ out }}
+  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+    partitioning_vmware_hosts: "{{ _scsi | map(attribute='host') | unique | list }}"
+    partitioning_vmware_targets: "{{ _scsi | items2dict(key_name='target', value_name='name') }}"
+    partitioning_vmware_target_count: "{{ _scsi | length }}"
+
+- name: Assert the system disks sit on one SCSI controller with unique targets
+  ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - partitioning_vmware_hosts | length == 1
+      - partitioning_vmware_targets | length == partitioning_vmware_target_count | int
+    fail_msg: >-
+      Expected every disk on one SCSI controller with unique targets, got
+      {{ partitioning_vmware_lsblk.stdout_lines | select('search', ' disk ') | list }}.
+    quiet: true
+
+- name: Assert each system disk has a device at its SCSI target
+  vars:
+    _target: "{{ (idx if idx < 7 else idx + 1) | string }}"
+  ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - _target in partitioning_vmware_targets
+    fail_msg: "system.disks[{{ idx }}] ({{ item.size }} GB) expects a disk at SCSI target {{ _target }}, none found."
+    quiet: true
+  loop: "{{ system_cfg.disks }}"
+  loop_control:
+    index_var: idx
+    label: "{{ idx }}"
+
+- name: Point system disks and install_drive at the resolved devices
+  vars:
+    _disks: >-
+      {%- set out = [] -%}
+      {%- for d in system_cfg.disks -%}
+      {%-   set dev = partitioning_vmware_targets[(loop.index0 if loop.index0 < 7 else loop.index0 + 1) | string] -%}
+      {%-   set _ = out.append(d | combine({'device': dev, 'partition': dev ~ '1'})) -%}
+      {%- endfor -%}
+      {{ out }}
+  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+    system_cfg: "{{ system_cfg | combine({'disks': _disks}) }}"
+    install_drive: "{{ _disks[0].device }}"

roles/partitioning/tasks/main.yml

@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
 ---
+- name: Resolve VMware disks by SCSI target
+  when:
+    - hypervisor_type == "vmware"
+    - system_cfg.type == "virtual"
+  ansible.builtin.include_tasks: _resolve_vmware_disks.yml
+
 - name: Detect system sizing
   ansible.builtin.include_tasks: _detect_sizing.yml