Fw: Can I install Free BSD latest version on my laptop with dual boot?

[Manolis Kiagias]

manikandan.x.balachandran at jpmchase.com wrote:
> In addition to the bellow mail, I giving processor details
>
> AMD Turion? 64 Mobile Technology
>
> <SNIP>
>
> Hi,
>
> Can I install Free BSD latest version on my laptop with dual boot (Windows 
> Vista + Free BSD), my system configuration details are as follows
>
> HP Compaq Presario V3000z
> RAM - 1.5 GB DDR II 533MHz
> NVIDIA Graphics Card 6150
> NVIDIA Chipset motherboard
> 80GB Fujitsu HDD
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Cheers
> B.Manikandan
> UK
>
>
>   
Processor should pose no problem. Additionally, I find nvidia chipsets
to be widely compatible with FreeBSD. You don't mention devices like
wireless and ethernet, if you do know the models, you may be able to
find if they are supported in the release notes / hardware compatibility
of FreeBSD. The graphics card will be no problem with either the nv open
source driver or the proprietary Nvidia from ports (or from nvidia
directly).

About your questions on dual boot, since I have a notebook dual booting
(actually triple booting) Vista, FreeBSD and Linux I can give you some
hand on information:

- The info you have been given about Partition Magic, GParted and
PartedMagic should work fine. You could use any of these tools to shrink
your Windows Vista partition. Make sure Vista boots after this
operation. The new MS loader seems to break rather easily. In the event
it does not boot you will need a Vista DVD to boot and select to repair.
This sounds more frightening than it really is, it does not happen often
and the repair works (automatically).

- When installing FreeBSD, when asked about the boot manager select NOT
to install it. Do NOT let it touch the MBR. Vista uses a different
loader from XP and it will probably fail to boot afterwards.

- When installation is finished, you will not be able to boot into
FreeBSD, but fear not. Boot into Vista and install the free EasyBCD program:

http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

With this, you can add the choice for FreeBSD to your Vista bootloader
(a new system called BCD) . It is trivially easy to setup  and works
extremely well.

Hope this helps.

Manolis