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Date:      Mon, 28 Apr 2003 21:19:57 +0100
From:      Jeff Penn <jeff+dated+1051993198.23be77@jrpenn.demon.co.uk>
To:        Free BSD Questions list <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: Dual Boot FreeBSD and Linux
Message-ID:  <20030428201957.GB904@jrpenn.demon.co.uk>
In-Reply-To: <20030428000300.GA11646@teddy.fas.com>
References:  <20030428000300.GA11646@teddy.fas.com>

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On Sun, Apr 27, 2003 at 08:03:00PM -0400, stan wrote:
> I've got a new laptop that I want to dual boot FreeBSD, and Debian 
> Linux on.
> 
> I installed FreeBSD specifying the boot loader, and then rebooted the
> machine. I then installed Debian, specifying to leave the MBR alone, 
> and install LILO in /target on the linux filesystem partition.
> 
> However now when I reboot, I get a choice for Linux, but pressing that
> key (happens to be F3) just beeps. I looked in the handbook, and all I
> could find about this was how to make LILO do this. I've run multi 
> boot machines in the past using the FreeBSD bootloader, but it's been 
> a while, and I forget the details of making it work.

I'm currently running freebsd & debian.  I initially installed freebsd &
libranet with freebsd installed first on slice one without any problems.
  
However, I found that running other fdisks, such as debian & freedos, 
would corrupt freebsd's superblock.  Moving freebsd out to another slice
(four) overcame the problem.

I also found that unless the partitions within the freebsd slices are
configured on a cylinder boundary debian complains during a reboot; but
boots without problems.

> Would I be better off using LILO or the FreeBSD bootloader (or Grub)?

If you want to run Linux from an extended partition you will need to
use lilo or grub.  I boot using grub installed on freebsd, with debian
installed on hda5-10.  Grub has the advantage of understanding
filesystems, whereas lilo needs to record the physical position of the
kernel on the disk each time the kernel is updated.

Jeff



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