Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:11:42 -0400 From: "illoai@gmail.com" <illoai@gmail.com> To: Michael David Crawford <mdc@prgmr.com> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Partitioning for multiple systems Message-ID: <d7195cff0904261311y735002e3y1f6cc133049f4196@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <49F4ABB3.6000808@prgmr.com> References: <49F4ABB3.6000808@prgmr.com>
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2009/4/26 Michael David Crawford <mdc@prgmr.com>: > I have a machine I plan to use solely for testing. =A0I have FreeBSD > 8.0-CURRENT on it right now, and would like to add FreeBSD 7.2-RC2 as wel= l > as CentOS 5.3 Linux. > > Presently I have three Master Boot Record primary partitions - "slices" i= n > the FreeBSD parlance, if I understand correctly: > > - A Linux slice to be used for CentOS' /boot > - A BSD slice subdivided into partitions that hold 8.0-CURRENT > - A big FAT slice (so to speak) meant to be split up for 7.2 and CentOS > > A PC-style Master Boot Record can hold a maximum of four primary partitio= ns, > or it can hold three primaries and a single extended partition that is > subdivided into logical partitions. > > The geometries of the logical partitions aren't given in the MBR, but exi= st > as a linked list. > > I *should* be able to split that FAT slice up into a primary for 7.2 and = an > extended partition that will hold CentOS' other partitions; however: > > In Googling about this, I have read some dire warnings about FreeBSD bein= g > unable to understand logical partitions; apparently installing FreeBSD > *before* an extended partition will result in all your logicals getting > trashed. =A0One is advised to put all the FreeBSD MBR partitions *after* = the > extended partition. > > Is that the case? =A0Have you any advice for me? I haven't found that to be the case at all. I don't have as many variable as you, but on my dual boot I have ad4s1[a-g] FreeBSD ad4s2 Linux /boot ad4s3 extended ad4s5 Linux swap ad4s6 Linux / and I have tested using nothing but logical slices for Linux (including /boot) and it works fine. I would advise (roughly, you can do it as you please) adNs1 FreeBSD 7.x / /var /usr /tmp* adNs2 FreeBSD 8 / /var /usr /ports* adNs3 Fat32 /home adNs4 extended adNs5 . . . Linux /boot / & swap I would install Linux first and just use grub as the boot loader for everyone. (*whichever, but they can be mounted on both FreeBSDs, don't forget to symlink /usr/ports) > > One more thing: if it's possible, I'd like for the /home directory to be > shared between both of my FreeBSD installations. =A0In a normal installat= ion, > there is a real /usr/home directory, with /home being a symbolic link. I would mount a Fat32 partition for /home and use it for all 3 OSes. And symlink /usr/home to /home. > > If I'm running FreeBSD out of one MBR partition (or slice), can I mount a > directory that's in a different one? Yes. --=20 --
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