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Date:      Thu, 24 May 2001 00:16:02 -0700
From:      "Ted Mittelstaedt" <tedm@toybox.placo.com>
To:        "David S. Geirsson" <andmann@andmann.eu.org>, <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   RE: Boot problems
Message-ID:  <000501c0e421$637f1360$1401a8c0@tedm.placo.com>
In-Reply-To: <20010523103842.C1083@bong.andmann.eu.org>

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I've installed on a few of those HP Vectra's.  What you want to
do is clear the disk, then create a 10MB DOS partition.  Then,
when installing, in fdisk select the compatible mode and put
FreeBSD in the remaining space, and make that second partition
active.  Finally, don't install the
Boot Selector (the program that puts up "press F1 for Dos,
F2 for FreeBSD) just leave the MBR alone.

When the system boots, the BIOS sniffs the hard disk for what
it thinks is a "correct" boot sector, and the BIOS only
seems to understand DOS boot sectors.  It will happily boot
off the second partition if that partition is active, as
long as it sees a DOS boot sector telling it to boot from the
second partition.

Ted Mittelstaedt                      tedm@toybox.placo.com
Author of:          The FreeBSD Corporate Networker's Guide
Book website:         http://www.freebsd-corp-net-guide.com


>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
>[mailto:owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG]On Behalf Of David S.
>Geirsson
>Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2001 3:39 AM
>To: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
>Subject: Boot problems
>
>
>I have an old HP Vectra p75 machine here. For some reason, it refuses to
>boot after I install FreeBSD on it. The win95 installation that was on it
>when I got it booted fine. The FreeBSD install booted fine from the
>bootdisk, and it installed without a hitch. After the BIOS,
>nothing happens.
>Just the blinking cursor on the screen.
>
>
>Any ideas? I'm completely stomped.
>
>--
>Davíð Steinn Geirsson
>andmann@andmann.eu.org
>(354)-8696608
>
>"Support staff hung over, Send aspirin and come back LATER."
>
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>


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