From owner-freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Nov 27 11:53:08 2007 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id EB97616A418 for ; Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:53:08 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jhs@berklix.org) Received: from tower.berklix.org (tower.berklix.org [83.236.223.114]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E52A113C4FB for ; Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:53:07 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jhs@berklix.org) Received: from js.berklix.net (p549A6342.dip.t-dialin.net [84.154.99.66]) (authenticated bits=0) by tower.berklix.org (8.13.6/8.13.6) with ESMTP id lARBr1A4005798; Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:53:02 GMT (envelope-from jhs@berklix.org) Received: from fire.js.berklix.net (fire.js.berklix.net [192.168.91.41]) by js.berklix.net (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id lARBrwvj096604; Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:53:58 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from jhs@berklix.org) Received: from fire.js.berklix.net (localhost.js.berklix.net [127.0.0.1]) by fire.js.berklix.net (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id lARBrwLG088221; Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:53:58 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from jhs@fire.js.berklix.net) Message-Id: <200711271153.lARBrwLG088221@fire.js.berklix.net> To: "Stefano Spinucci" In-reply-to: <906f26060711261558j42749f58mf5cd3cf4619a701b@mail.gmail.com> References: <906f26060711261558j42749f58mf5cd3cf4619a701b@mail.gmail.com> Comments: In-reply-to "Stefano Spinucci" message dated "Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:58:29 +0100." Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:53:58 +0100 From: "Julian H. Stacey" Cc: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Subject: Re: installation problems of FreeBSD 7 beta 2 on Dell D610 (multiboot con solaris, linux, winxp) X-BeenThere: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Production branch of FreeBSD source code List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:53:09 -0000 "Stefano Spinucci" wrote: > I encountered some problems installing FreeBSD 7 beta 2 on my Dell > D610 laptop, on the original 60 gb hd; the hd is formatted as follows: > - primary 1, 15 gb, ntfs for Windows XP > - primary 2, 15 gb, solaris for Open Solaris > - primary 3, 10 gb, fat32 for FreeBSD > - extended, 20 gb, 3 partitions for linux > > I tried to install FreeBSD many times, but after the geometry error > (the geometry is however correctly recognized), FDISK doesn't find any > partition and the space is shown as free, unpartitioned. > > I tried to set the partition type for FreeBSD to FAT16, FAT32, FreeBSD > and I also reformatted the partition many times, but with no success. > > have you any idea??? Stefano & stable@ Your symptoms seem likely laptop specific, so if you remain stuck, later try mobile@ I saw similar installing 7.0-BETA3 on my Digital HiHote Ultra 2000 laptop: it recognised the 5G laptop disc, but did Not recognise the 3 x FreeBSD-5.1-RELEASE boot partitions that work OK there. So I thought, OK, abandon installing on an fdisk partition, install on whole disk. It went through partitioning, then failed to find its file system. 5.1 was still intact & booted. I assume it's my laptop ATA interface, seen that problem before. FreeBSD for old hardware often needs extra instructions manually to loader to tell WD/ATA (&/or ep0) to run in a more conservative mode. I'll look for right syntax. eg maybe hw.ata.ata_dma=0 etc starting in my http://www.berklix.com/~jhs/hardware/laptops/#loader.conf /Soapbox: This frequent `FreeBSD defaults to need high end modern hardware' is bad for publicity, newbies who dont know where to look will tell friends: I gave up & went Linux. ( For those who might say "buy high end", No! spare old laptop sufficient for Xterm + mp3 + LAN for stereo in living room, leaving main laptop free for more demanding things. Plus not all can afford latest, + conservation, green etc, ... just needs more generous install defaults. ) FreeBSD has improved elsewhere though on old hardware: The same laptop that failed to go beyond 5.1 without losing ep0, now sees ep0 in 7.0-BETA3 install. End Soapbox/ -- Julian Stacey. Munich Computer Consultant, BSD Unix C Linux. http://berklix.com Ihr Rauch = mein allergischer Kopfschmerz. Dump cigs 4 snuff.