cannot boot freebsd

Thu Nov 12 14:55:09 UTC 2009

On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 06:57:02PM -0600, Jesús Abidan wrote:

> i did it like you say, but something is happening with my installation, it
> boots always the first OS, i don't have any ideas for having a dual
> system... argh!!

Perchance, is your other system MS-Vista?
As I mentioned in a previous response, I have heard of people
having problems with dual booting with Vista and having to 
follow some other procedure for that.   But, I haven't used Vista
(and do not intend to) so you will have to do some archive searching
to find those pieces of information.

////jerry

> 
> 2009/11/11 Jerry McAllister <jerrymc at msu.edu>
> 
> > On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 02:12:22PM -0600, Jesús Abidan wrote:
> >
> > > so, then i need to create 2 slices with gparted, install windows on the
> > > first one, and install freebsd on the second one and label this partition
> > > automatically by the installer (ad0s1, ad0s2, etc) and install the
> > bootmgr?
> >
> > Yes, essentially except for those partition names.
> >
> > Create the two slices/primary partitions.
> > Install the MS-Win in the first one.  I think then MS will call it 'c:'
> > Anyway, FreeBSD will think it is ad0s1.
> >
> > Then install FreeBSD in the second slice/primary partition.  MS will not
> > even know it is there.   FreeBSD will call it ad0s2.
> >
> > During the install, that ad0s2 slice will be subdivided according to how
> > you tell it into FreeBSD partitions with names like ad0s2a (for root)
> > and ad0s2b (for swap), ad0s2d for whatever - maybe /tmp, ad0s2e for
> > something else, such as /usr, etc.
> >
> > For my general purpose machines I usually subdivide in to
> > the following partitions:
> >  a    mounts as  /              eg:   mount /dev/ad0s2a /
> >  b               swap
> >  c    describes the slice and is not a real partition
> >  d    mounts as  /tmp           eg:   mount /dev/ad0s2d /tmp
> >  e    mounts as  /usr                  etc
> >  f    mounts as  /var
> >  g    mounts as  /home  or something similar
> >
> >
> > For my systems that are single purpose central servers I tend to do this:
> >  a    mounts as  /     everything but swap and afscache goes in root.
> >  b               swap
> >  c    slice description
> >  d    /afscache
> >
> >
> > If I have a second drive for scratch or work space I tend to do:
> >  a    mounts as /work  and uses up all the space except extra swap
> >  b    used for additional swap
> >  c    describes the slice
> >
> > The sizes of the various partition-subdivisions depends on the size
> > of the disk and the use being made of the machine and what I want
> > to install on it and how I want to handle backups.
> >
> > ////jerry
> >
> >
> > >
> > > 2009/11/11 Jerry McAllister <jerrymc at msu.edu>
> > >
> > > > On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 01:22:58PM -0600, Jesús Abidan wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > ok. the slices in freebsd are little tricky, i will check my
> > installation
> > > > > and send some feedback later.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ??  FreeBSD slices are pretty straight forward.   They are just the
> > > > name of the 4 primary divisions of a disk - limited to 4 by BIOS.
> > > > MS just calls them primary partitions instead of slices.
> > > >
> > > > The major difference is how they might be subdivided.  MS does what it
> > > > calls logical partitions.  FreeBSD subdivisions are just called
> > partitions.
> > > >
> > > > The fdisk(8) utility creates slices (or primary partitions in MS,
> > though
> > > > the
> > > > FreeBSD fdisk is not very conversant with some of the new MS types so
> > you
> > > > may be better off using something else to create primary
> > partitions/slices
> > > > if other OSen are being accomodated).   Slices (or primary partitions)
> > are
> > > > identified by numbers 1..4.
> > > >
> > > > The bsdlabel(8) utility in FreeBSD is what subdivides a slice in to
> > > > partitions.  It used to be that it was limited to 7 real partitions
> > > > identified with letters a..h with the letter 'c' reserved to describe
> > > > the whole slice and not usable as a real partition.  Partition 'a' is
> > > > normally root mounted as '/' and partition 'b' is used as swap.  These
> > > > two (a & b) are conventions and not enforced, except that some software
> > > > may make these assumptions.    My understanding is that the newest
> > > > versions of FreeBSD (8.0) modify or remove the limit and you can have
> > > > letters above 'h' and thus more subdivisions in a slice, but I haven't
> > > > tried that yet.
> > > >
> > > > In FreeBSD, to create a filesystem from a partition, you run newfs(8)
> > on
> > > > it.
> > > >
> > > > ////jerry
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks a lot.
> > > > >
> > > > > 2009/11/11 Jerry McAllister <jerrymc at msu.edu>
> > > > >
> > > > > > On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 12:27:13PM -0600, Jesús Abidan wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > i pressed f2 for freebsd and nothing happens... i pressed f1 for
> > > > windows.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I install freebsd on the first partition and now it occurs the
> > > > viceversa,
> > > > > > i
> > > > > > > cannot boot windows, does it have to be something with the order
> > of
> > > > the
> > > > > > > partitions? i mean primary, logical o something like this?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > MS-Win should optimally be installed on the first primary
> > partition.
> > > > > > This is called 'slice 1' by FreeBSD.   Then FreeBSD should be
> > installed
> > > > > > on slice 2.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > If the slices are not to your liking, then you may need to use some
> > > > > > utility such as Parition Magic 7 (I had trouble with PM-8) or
> > gparted
> > > > > > to define the primary partitions/slices before you do any of the
> > > > installs.
> > > > > > But, still, MS-Win should be installed first and  go in the first
> > slice
> > > > > > and FreeBSD later in another slice.  That is because MS-Win doesn't
> > > > play
> > > > > > very well if installed later and/or in a different slice.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > When you install FreeBSD (after the MS-Win install) select
> > installing
> > > > > > the FreeBSD MBR (not none or default minimum).    It should be
> > smart
> > > > > > enough to find both.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I have heard some complaints about MS-Vista and having to do some
> > > > > > other monkeying around to get an MBR to handle it correctly, but I
> > > > > > don't know details and I do not (lucky me) have any Vista machines
> > > > > > to joust with.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ////jerry
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > 2009/11/11 Jerry McAllister <jerrymc at msu.edu>
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 11:02:35AM -0600, Jesús Abidan wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Hi there, i have a problem here, i installed windows in mi
> > box
> > > > and i
> > > > > > left
> > > > > > > > a
> > > > > > > > > partition for freebsd, i finished install of freebsd and
> > > > installed
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > boot
> > > > > > > > > mgr of freebsd but when i reboot only windows boots with f1
> > > > pressed?
> > > > > > how
> > > > > > > > can
> > > > > > > > > I make the system boots both?
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Not sure all of what you see, but if you literally mean that
> > when
> > > > > > > > you press F1 it always boots MS-Win, that is probably correct.
> > > > > > > > You will have to press F2 or maybe F3 (depending in which slice
> > you
> > > > > > > > installed FreeBSD) to boot FreeBSD.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I suspect you mean something a little different, but if so,
> > > > > > > > please elaborate.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > ////jerry
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
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