Re: Dual boot - Windows 10 and FreeBSD encrypted ZFS

From: David Christensen <dpchrist_at_holgerdanske.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2025 20:13:52 UTC
On 7/30/25 04:40, Johan Helsingius wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have an older Lenovo laptop with Windows 10 on it. I would like
> to have FreeBSD on it as well, with an encrypted file system. I have
> managed to shrink the Windows partition so that there is a free
> partition - but has anyone managed to install encrypted FreeBSD
> into a partition instead of the whole disk?
> 
>      Julf


Lucas FMSE chapter 11 [1] provides guidance for installing FreeBSD manually.


If you want ZFS root, Lucas fmzfs chapter 8 [2] provides guidance.


I once attempted a manual install with encrypted ZFS root, but got lost 
trying to combine all of the above.


If the laptop disk is readily accessible, I would remove the Windows 10 
disk, insert a blank disk, and install using the FreeBSD installer.


If the laptop disk is not readily accessible, I would leave Windows 10 
on the disk, install a hypervisor, create a virtual machine, and install 
into the VM using the FreeBSD installer.


David


[1] https://mwl.io/nonfiction/os#fmse

[2] https://mwl.io/nonfiction/os#fmzfs