Using 'incorrect' HD geometry.

[Lila]

Hi,
I'm using win2k an freebsd 6.0 on my laptop too, and I've been 
reinstalling freebsd pretty often (I'm still tring my way to have it 
working, so I started with 5.4 and than moved to 4.11 and 6.0) without 
ever changing my win partition.
As you say, I'm always prompted about incorrect geometry, I hit ok and 
go on, than fdisk show me something like the one you got, with ad0s1 as 
my win (NTFS) partition and ad0s2 as my freebsd partition. All I do at 
this rate is to set my ad0s1 to be my active partition (I boot both from 
the win 2000 booter) than I go ahead leaving the MBR as is and install 
freebsd in freebsd partition. Unfortunately I've never been able to keep 
the /usr label as is (I always delete them all and start from a auto 
layout), and I can't help you if you're willing to keep their data safe.
I got this article as model when I first did it:
http://taosecurity.blogspot.com/2004/10/dual-boot-freebsd-5.html
My windows partition was out of order only once, when I forgot to set it 
bootable, but this is because I actually boot both OS from it: I went 
back to fdisk, fixed it and got my windows working with no problem.
I can't tell you to go ahed with no backup... but I can say your win 
partition is pretty safe with freebsd fdisk.
Regards
Lila

John Murphy ha scritto:

> If I just immediately 'Q'uit the darned thing will it not make any
> changes to global drive geometry? It would probably take me several
> days to get my win2k installation back to how it is now, if I lost it.
> 
> All I really want is for the installer to use the freebsd slice as is.
> 
> I'm tempted to just try UPGRADING but mergemaster always confuses me.
>