FW: bin/161931: bsdinstall(8): (add sysinstall partition config as option)

[Fbsd8]

> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nathan Whitehorn [mailto:nwhitehorn at freebsd.org]
> Sent: Monday, October 24, 2011 9:32 PM
> To: joeb1
> Cc: freebsd-sysinstall at FreeBSD.org
> Subject: Re: bin/161931: bsdinstall(8): (add sysinstall partition config as
> option)
> 
> On 10/23/11 20:30, joeb1 wrote:
>> The following reply was made to PR bin/161931; it has been noted by GNATS.
>>
>> From: "fbsd8"<fbsd8 at a1poweruser.com>
>> To:<bug-followup at FreeBSD.org>,
>>       <fbsd8 at a1poweruser.com>
>> Cc:
>> Subject: Re: bin/161931: bsdinstall(8): (add sysinstall partition config
> as option)
>> Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:28:42 +0800
>>
>>   Yes I mean the mbr+bsdlabel  method as there is no other method
> available in
>>   sysinstall. And along with this, help info needs to be added explaining
>>   under what conditions one method or the other is used. Help saying
> something
>>   along the lines of older PC bios./hard drives use the mbr+bsdlabel
>>   sysinstall method and newer PC bios./hard drives (manufactured 2010+)
> need
>>   to use the bsdinstall method because pc manufactures and Microsoft have
>>   changed the boot process. Or what ever is the true reason for this
>>   difference. Installers need to have the correct info so they can make
> the
>>   correct decision about what method to select.
> 
> That's fully supported, if you want to do it, and is even the default if
> the drive is already MBR partitioned. The difference between the two is
> that GPT is a lot more flexible than MBR (no 4-partition limit, for
> instance), and allows nice things like labels. There's no old/new
> machine difference -- 386s can boot GPT just as well as Core i7s. But
> it's really a matter of personal preference. The only real difference is
> that you can't dual-boot Windows with a GPT disk (this is why only the
> "Entire Disk for FreeBSD" option in the installer sets up GPT). We can
> extend the online help to this effect.
> -Nathan
> 
> 
> 

Nathan

I do not understand how you can say
"That's fully supported, if you want to do it, and is even the default 
if the drive is already MBR partitioned."

I installed rc1 on a ata hard drive containing ms/xp and a second time 
on same HD containing FBSD 8.2 and I was not shown any dialog boxes 
offering mbr/bsdlabel config method. A detailed review of bsdinstall 
resulted in NO options every being shown to point to a dialog driven 
mbr/bsdlabel HD config method. So if its there you really need massive 
corrections to allow the user to fall into it. From the installers view 
point, if there are no dialog boxes leading the user through the process 
then that function does not exist.

Your description of the differences between the two HD config methods is 
  a great example of the type of help info that should be displayed in a 
help dialog box.

If I use bsdinstall and then want to return to 8.x I get error msg 
because the secondary GPT table from the end of the HD still exists.

I got a small script that erases the primary GPT table from the front of 
the HD and the secondary GPT table from the end of the HD from here.

   http://wiki.freenas.org/faq:0129

If you want to development a closer developer / tester relationship I am 
willing to work directly with you outside of the PR system.

Joe