Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2000 13:42:22 -0600 (CST) From: Ryan Thompson <freebsd@sasknow.com> To: Bellardd@aol.com Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Windows 98 Compatibility Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.10.10002061304490.81818-100000@sasknow.com> In-Reply-To: <e4.133529d.25ce5e01@aol.com>
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On Sun, 6 Feb 2000 Bellardd@aol.com wrote: > I have one 10GB hard drive in my computer. Can I load FreeBSD and Window 98 > on the same drive. If so, please explain how this can be done. I am new to > FreeBSD, and am willing to learn. How do I reformat the drive and Install > Windows on 7GB and install FreeBSD on 3GB. Thank you very much for your > help. > Hi there. Thanks for clarifying your original problem... I fear I almost started a flame war on the -questions list by answering you the first time :-) Yes you can certainly load both operating systems on the same drive. Most importantly, please check out the following URL: http://www.freebsd.org/handbook/install.html ... Which will provide you with a very concise method of installing. The file INSTALL.TXT on the Walnut Creek CD-ROM, (or from a downloaded distribution of FreeBSD, available at ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/) contains much of the same information. The topic of multi-booting is also covered, I believe. In essence, what you need to do is somehow "shrink" the amount of space that Windows occupies. This can be done with some sort of partition manager, like the commercial -DOS product, Partition Magic. In your current message, though, I see you made reference to reformatting your drive and loading both operating systems on. If you want to go this route, it will definitely be easier. Here is the method that I recommend (yes, there are other ways to do it, but, for a newbie installation, I believe this provides for the fewest number of errors). o Load Windows on FIRST. FreeBSD will not interfere with a Windows installation. Windows may interfere with a FreeBSD installation (especially if you have an OEM Windows 98 CD that came with your computer). To do this, and this IS from memory, so please ad-lib anything that I may have missed, use the following steps. o Boot from the Windows 98 CD if you can (if not, you'll need a Windows 98 floppy). When presented with the ugly black and white menu, you will want to boot from the CD, but NOT install the operating system. (What you want is a command prompt, and NOT the automatic Windows installer). o When you reach an A:\> prompt, find and run the program fdisk.exe. fdisk is the DOS-world "partition manager" (in quotes, as it doesn't really do much of a job :-) Create ONE primary partition of 7 gigabytes (7168M), and leave the rest of the space unallocated. Save your changes in fdisk, reboot your system (Ctl-Alt-Delete). Drop to a prompt again and format your new C: drive. (Run format C: /s). Then run setup.exe and let the Windows 98 installer proceed normally with your 7GB partition. o Assuming Windows is now successfully booting (if it's not, please don't blame FreeBSD at this point :-), you can safely boot from your FreeBSD boot floppies and proceed with the FreeBSD install. Remember to use the visual kernel config to disable unused and conflicting devices in the kernel before proceeding... Do so by using boot -c, then typing 'visual' at the prompt that follows. Instructions are given. o I typically select a custom install, and I'll admit I'm not too familiar with the novice install... But I would still recommend using the novice install, as it ensures you visit ALL the configuration menus. Also, please read ALL the help files associated with the installer! o When you get to the fdisk menu, it will show you how much of your hard disk drive is being used. You should have a 7GB chunk that is used (though it may be shown in 512 byte sectors, so it may look a little strange), and, a 3GB chunk that is unused. You will probably also have a small 63 sector chunk at the beginning that is reserved for the DOS partition table). At this point, READ THE HELP FILE for some very important information on using FreeBSD's fdisk. o Press 'c' to create a new partition, and use all of the remaining free space. (Just press enter on the dialog that comes up, with a large number in it). o Exit out of that menu. At some point (probably here), it will ask you if you want to install a boot manager on any of your drives. Say yes, and use the FreeBSD boot manager on your hard drive (wd0). THIS will allow you to select between Windows and FreeBSD whenever you reboot. o When you come to the disk labeller, select the second partition on your drive (Most likely wd0s1), which is the 3GB partition we just created. Follow the help instructions carefully. They may be a bit out of date in regards to reasonable space allocation, though. Try the following slices: Mount Space Why point ----- ----- -------------------------------------------------------- / 64M Relatively static. You'll probably only use 40M or so /var 128M Increase if you plan to receive and store a lot of mail, maintain large log files, or have a large database. My /var is 11.5GB :-) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ /root 64M (Optional..) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ /usr 2488M All installed applications and user files reside here. If other partitions need to be larger, do so at the expense of /usr. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SWAP 256M Should be about 2*MEM (system ram) or so. Discussions have been raised about this. I have a server with 512M of memory, with a 512M swap partition that I've never used, but some swear by more swap. In most cases, it doesn't really matter :-) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ o Make extensive use out of the instructions provided for installing (INSTALL.TXT, the handbook article that I quoted above, the help files in the installer, etc)... to carry out the rest of the install. It sounds like you successfully installed FreeBSD 2.2.5 previously... 3.4 installs without many differences from 2.2.5, that I recall). Once FreeBSD and Windows are both installed, you should have no problem selecting either one at boot. The simplistic little menu will show you something like this: F1: DOS F2: FreeBSD Default F2 At that point, you have about 5 seconds or so to make your choice before the default shown will be selected. - - - - - - - I hope my instructions have been helpful... If you have any further questions, feel free to ask myself and the list. I haven't covered literally EVERYTHING you need to do to install FreeBSD, but I have highlighted the important issues with installing two operating systems. From this point, if you feel informed enough to give it a go, please do, and let us know if you have further problems. Virtually yours, - Ryan -- Ryan Thompson <ryan@sasknow.com> 50% Owner, Sysadmin SaskNow Technologies http://www.sasknow.com #106-380 3120 8th St E Saskatoon, SK S7H 0W2 To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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