Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 15:49:58 +0200 From: Ladavac Marino <mladavac@metropolitan.at> To: "'alan17@his.com'" <alan17@his.com>, freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: RE: Detailed explanation of problem<g> Message-ID: <55586E7391ACD211B9730000C1100276179660@r-lmh-wi-100.corpnet.at>
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> -----Original Message----- > From: alan17@his.com [SMTP:alan17@his.com] > Sent: Friday, June 11, 1999 2:55 PM > To: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG > Subject: Detailed explanation of problem<g> > > > /dev/hdc1 944 meg b7 BSDI fs > /dev/hdc2 75 meg b8 BSDI swap > /dev/hdc3 1247 meg b7 BSDI fs > /dev/hdc4 3982 meg 5 Extended > /dev/hdc5 1039 meg 83 Linux native > /dev/hdc6 1228 meg 83 Linux native > /dev/hdc7 1714 meg 83 Linux native > [ML] FreeBSD will work best if there is only one DOS primary partition (called slice in further text) on the disk with the type a5. It will subpartition that slice into FreeBSD partitions (disklabel partitions). It will not touch other DOS partitions (slices) on the disk. So, in order to get the use of the maximum space, you can use the Partition Magic and simply delete first three slices (the ones you called hdc1, hdc2, and hdc3). This will neither touch nor move the rest of the slices on the disk. When you enter FreeBSD slice editor, it will see that you have about 2.2Gig unallocated disk which you should then allocate for the use of FreeBSD. This will make a new hdc1 in the Linux terminology. hdc2 and hdc3 will no longer exist, but the others will remain wherever they are; I think not even their names will change as far as Linux is concerned. You will then enter the FreeBSD partition editor which will allow you to partition the 2.2Gig FreeBSD slice. Again, it will not touch any other area of the disk. You can think of FreeBSD partitions as logical partitions within a FreeBSD slice. > 2. It can be seen that I have three primary partitions, /dev/hdc1, > /dev/hdc2, /dev/hdc3, which are intended for FreeBSD, plus a fourth > primary which is Extended(this is some sort of Kludge) and which is > subdivided into three Linux partitions. These three Linux partitions > are already in use, contain data, and I am extremely unwilling > to do, or allow to happen, anything which will compromise their > integrity. > > 3. As a consequence of 2., I am willing to change the partition types > of /dev/hdc1, /dev/hdc2, /dev/hdc3, but not to delete them or to > change their size(I note that my Linux fdisk program mentions a > partition type 'a5', named BSD/383; I could change the 'b7' or BSDI > partitions to that) [ML] Okay, then your best bet would be to use the biggest existing slice and change its type to a5 and proceed with FreeBSD partitioning from there. You can use the rest for Linux/FreeBSD; they both supports ext2 and FAT filesystems. > 4. I thought I was being clever in putting the prospective BSDI > partitions first, since Linux, at any rate, requires BIOS right at > the beginning, and BIOSes sometimes have difficulty finding locations > way out on a big hard drive. > > OK, I hope that any of you who have read so far have understood this. > > My question: can I install FreeBSD _without_ the above data being > changed? I am certainly willing to consider a "dd-type" installation, > where I get a minimal system from somewhere, put it on, say, a Zip > disk, > and 'dd' it to e.g. my /dev/hdc1. It is my intention to put all the > directories of the BSD _system_(e.g. /, /usr, /bin, /dev, etc etc) > onto /dev/hdc1, and reserve /dev/hdc3 for user accounts, and possibly > sym-linked overflow from /dev/hdc1. [ML] Then again, there is a way to do that as well, but it may get a bit tricky: at least the bootblocks I know (up to 3.0-R) want to boot from the first FreeBSD slice on the disk. This means retyping hdc1, 2, and 3 into a5, partitioning hdc1 and installing the system there, and then later mounting the other (partitioned) slices. > I am very much hoping that someone will a) have read as far as > this<g>, > and b) give me a definitive solution to this difficulty. [ML] The problem is, there is no definitive solution to your difficulty. There are some easier and some harder ways to do it, the most natural (and IMHO easiest) being merge of the 3 slices reserved for FreeBSD and going from there. > Again thanks to all responders! [ML] You're welcome :) /Marino > Best wishes, > > Alan > > -- > Alan McConnell The beauty of an object, a song, or a dance can > Pixel Analysis never be altogether intrinsic, independent of old > alan17@his.com associations and acquired understanding. > (L.J.Halle) > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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