From owner-freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Feb 21 16:38:00 2005 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-doc@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7933F16A4CE for ; Mon, 21 Feb 2005 16:38:00 +0000 (GMT) Received: from lakermmtao10.cox.net (lakermmtao10.cox.net [68.230.240.29]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0539443D2D for ; Mon, 21 Feb 2005 16:38:00 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from thirkieldh@cox.net) Received: from thirkieldcb2ce ([68.106.214.57]) by lakermmtao10.cox.net (InterMail vM.6.01.04.00 201-2131-117-20041022) with SMTP id <20050221163759.MGED17761.lakermmtao10.cox.net@thirkieldcb2ce> for ; Mon, 21 Feb 2005 11:37:59 -0500 From: "Thirkield Holland" To: Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 10:39:52 -0600 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 Importance: Normal Subject: Handbook treatment of the boot manager X-BeenThere: freebsd-doc@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Documentation project List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 16:38:00 -0000 I want to use FreeBSD's boot manager, but there is not enough specific information in the Handbook to make me comfortable in trying to set up a dual boot system on my computer. I have been checking the "frequently asked questions" as well as the "FreeBSD Questions" mailing list; it appears that there are many others with variations on the same general question, over a long period of time. Yet, the Handbook still does not address this issue very well. Some individuals have attempted to help others with this problem via the mailing list; however, there remains the need for a definitive source. I would like to contribute to the documentation effort by supplying this definitive source. Unfortunately, I am a newbie. Perhaps I can help by detailing my uncertainty about how to set up a dual boot system. Then, the ensuing dialog might result in a complete essay on the topic. I have an Intel based computer that is currently running the Windows 2000 Professional operating system. I have a single 20 gigabyte hard drive. My plan is to add a second hard drive, using the secondary IDE master, for the FreeBSD operating system. So, Windows will reside on the first drive and FreeBSD will reside on the second hard drive. I want to use the FreeBSD boot manager to select the operating system. In section 2.5.3 of the Handbook, "Install a Boot Manager," it seems clear that all I would need to do to install the boot manager to the disk on which I am installing FreeBSD is to select BootMgr, make sure [OK] is highlighted, and press Enter. This step appears to be straight forward. The next section in the Handbook, section 2.5.4, is where the installation instructions become thin. In section 2.5.4, "Creating Slices on Another Drive," the following statement is made: "Important: If you are installing FreeBSD on a drive other than your first, then the FreeBSD boot manager needs to be installed on both drives." So far, I have not been able to find the instructions, in the Handbook or elsewhere on the FreeBSD site, to install the boot manager on a drive that already contains another operating system; and this leaves me with some anxiety about attempting the process. Following the important statement made in section 2.5.4, were instructions and an illustration that suggested that in order to install the FreeBSD boot manager on a drive that already contained an operating system, simply return to the boot manager menu, select the first drive(the one containing your existing non FreeBSD operating system, highlight [OK], and press Enter. Is that all there is to it? Would not I need to prepare the disk containing my Windows operating system by creating a slice for FreeBSD(and a partition within that slice) before attempting to install the FreeBSD boot manager to that disk? Another question that arises for me concerns the Master Boot Record. Sections 12.2 and 12.3 of the Handbook talk about the Master Boot Record. How is the process of installing the boot manager related to the Master Boot Record? Does the installation of the boot manager create or update the Master Boot Record? Do I need to be concerned about the boot manager installation clobbering an existing operating system? If I have the Windows operating system already installed on drive one and I am installing FreeBSD to drive two, according to the important note of section 2.5.4 in the Handbook, I need to install the FreeBSD boot manager to both drives one and two. In this case, will I also need to use the following command # fdisk -B -b /boot/boot0 device or do you only need to use the above command if you install Windows after you install the boot manager? Again, there have been small bits of information in various exchanges via the mailing lists; however, I have yet to see a complete treatment of the FreeBSD boot manager in any one document. Thirkield Holland