Questions using PartitionMagic for dual-boot with WinXP-Pro

[Jerry McAllister]

> 
> 
> Hi -
> 
> I need help partitioning a laptop (using PartitionMagic) which already 
> has WinXP-Pro on it, so it can dual-boot FreeBSD. 

I kind of wonder why you are asking on this (FreeBSD questions) list.
I don't see any FreeBSD installation in the plan you outline.

> 
> SUMMARY
> =======
> I'm thinking of doing the following layout (things I'm unsure about are 
> in brackets [...]):
> 
> - "boot" (Z:) - FAT [or FAT32?]- 2MB [less/more?] - primary - install Easy Boot [or LILO?] here
> - "winxp" (C:) - NTFS - 20GB - primary (I will move/resize this existing partition, using PMagic)
> - "winxp2" (X:) - FAT [or FAT32, NTFS?] - 15GB - logical [or primary?]
> - "linux" - ext2 - 24GB - primary
> - "swap" - ext2 [or FAT, FAT32?] - 1MB - logical [or primary?]
> 
> but I'm unsure about a lot of these parameters and I'm afraid of making the computer unbootable! The above layout sums up my questions - same questions in more detail below:
> 
> DETAILS
> =======
> Specs: Compaq v3125us, Windows XP Professional (with Service Pack 2), 60GB hard disk, 512MB RAM, and NO floppy drive. (Also: Pioneer DVR-K14 Slimline (DVD+/-RW, CD-RW), Intel Extreme Graphics 2 video chipset, ACPI power management.) I have PartitionMagic 8.0. 
> 
> (Note: In the questions below, I use the word "partition" because that's 
> what PartitionMagic uses. I understand that in FreeBSD this is called 
> a "slice.")

Yes, FreeBSD recognizes the four primary divisions and calls them slices.
Withing each slice, it can be divides in to up to 8 partitions.

> 
> (1) PartitionMagic says that if an OS partition starts after 
> the "boot boundary," that OS won't be bootable. It says I have boot 
> boundaries at 2GB, and at 1024 cylinders. 

Most modern BIOS and boot loaders no longer have that problem.   An older
BIOS still might, but it is basically an obsolete thing.

> Does this mean I should create a small partition BEFORE my WinXP partition, 
 to put Boot Easy or LILO there? (Apparently PartitionMagic has a command 
> to MOVE an existing partition - so it looks like I can just move the 
> existing WinXP partition slightly to open up some space in front of it.)

I have never tried moving anything to a higher address and squeezing
anything in before it.   Shrinking and putting in a major division above
has worked well.    I don't think you have to put in a slice for those
MBR utilities.   They use sector 0 and extra unused space.

> 
> If I do need to create a boot partition:
> 
> ...(a) How big should it be?
> 
> ...(b) What file system should it be - FAT, FAT32, ext2 or ext3?
> 
> ...(c) Should it be a primary partition, or logical (extended)?
> 
> Anybody have a preference on using LILO versus Boot Easy?
> 
> Will there be a screen during the regular FreeBSD install that lets me 
> install Boot Easy or LILO?

Where do you intend to put FreeBSD?    It doesn't supply Lilo or
Boot Easy.   Those are either Linux or third party things, not related
to FreeBSD.    
> 
> (2) Should the file system for my Linux partition be ext2 or ext3?
> 
> (3) Do I need a Linux swap partition? If so:
> 
> ...(a) How big should the Linux swap partition be? (I heard it should be 
> twice the size of my RAM. I have 512MB, so should my Linux swap partition 
> be 1024MB?)

Again, why would you ask about Linux swap on a FreeBSD list?
I know some people feel that FreeBSD people are more generally informed
than Lusers and MS slavies, but really, you should direct your 
questions to those involved with those things.
etc, etc, etc.

Now, if you really mean you are interested in installing FreeBSD and just 
said Linux by mistake, first ignore lilo, boot easy and other stuff.  Just 
leave the MS xp installed as it is.   Squeeze the MS slice down to whatever 
size you want it.  Make the slice you create in the open space some FAT thing 
just to keep Partition Magic happy.  Don't make it an EXT partition though. 
Which FAT doesn't matter because FreeBSD install will overwrite it with its 
own thing during installation.  During FreeBSD installation, choose the 
standard FreeBSD MBR.  If you later really must have Grub, Gag or something, 
then you can change it anytime.

You don't want to make a separate slice for FreeBSD swap.   That goes in 
to one of the FreeBSD partitions (the b partition).  The rule of thumb is
to make it 2 1/2 times the amount of memory, but nowdays with very large
memories, some people choke on making it 2 1/2 GB or whatever.  Anyway 
you want it at least some bigger than your memory like 1 1/4.   But, I 
still shoot for 2 1/2 times.

You can mount and read your MS slices from FreeBSD, but you cannot
write to an NTFS slice from FreeBSD (the last I knew anyway, maybe
you can now).

> 
> ...(b) Should the Linux swap partition be FAT, FAT32, ext2 or ext3?
> 
> ...(c) Should the Linux swap partition be a primary partition - or logical (extended)?
> 
> (4) It would be nice (but not required) to create a second logical partition at this time for WinXP (a second logical drive, say X:), so I could keep my WinXP user or data file separate there. If I have a boot partition, a main WinXP partition, a Linux partition, and a Linux swap partition, then that makes 4 partitions. Is that the maximum (meaning I couldn't add a second WinXP partition)? 
> 

Again, why are you talking about Linux.   FreeBSD is not Linux.  Probably
first you had better go and read some of the documentation so you have
a better understanding of what you are trying to do.   The FreeBSD handbook
is a good place to start.   It is freely available on the FreeBSD web site
See:   http://www.freebsd.org/

> If I make a second logical partition for WinXP, does it have to be NTFS? I heard that it could also be FAT or FAT32, and that way any OS could access it?

Study first and then you will see that you can forget about this stuff.

> (5) I would like to be able to see DOS files from FreeBSD. Is there 
> anything I have to do at partition time to make this possible?

No.

> 
> (6) I'm confused about the whole "MaxCapacity = (sector size) x (sectors per track) x (cylinders) x (heads)" thing. Do I need to set sector size, sectors per track, cylinders and heads when I make a new partition? (I don't even seen much mention of cylinders, heads and sectors in PartitionMagic.)

Ignore this stuff unless you have a very unusual disk.    Just
look at the total sizes of the slices.  

////jerry

> 
> (7) (Off-topic:) I heard that FreeBSD is not compatible with ACPI power 
> management. When and how do I disable this?
> 
> Thanks for any help!
> 
> Stefan Scott
> 
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