Dual boot problems (RESOLVED)

[Garrett Cooper]

RW wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 21:51:52 -0500 (EST)
> "Questions" <questions at totaldiver.net> wrote:
> 
>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 20:44:03 -0500 (EST)
>>> "Questions" <questions at totaldiver.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> However,  when I try FreeBSD/amd64, grub won't compile (it's
>>>> architecture is forced to i386 only in the Makefile.  I haven't dug
>>>> into why, but I'm confident there is a reason. Obviously, grub
>>>> becomes a non-option.  Gag has the same limitation of being i386
>>>> only.
>>>>
>>> I'm not sure why gag is i386 only, all it does is install a binary
>>> floppy disk ISO. You can also install it from many Linux live CDs.
>>> Once it's installed it's independent of the original installation
>>> medium.

Probably because architecture stuff and bit length in 32-bit is half :)? 
Instruction set's a bit different too. There are some new features in 
the new Intel processors like overflow protection, etc, so I wouldn't 
doubt there are differences in ISA at the assembler level.

>>> !DSPAM:4,45d274028483574158760!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> To help anyone out who is also attempting to dualboot FreeBSD/amd64
>> and Vista:  here is what I did.
>>
>> Install Vista first.   Use the disk manager to create a partition (or
>> resize the partition) to make room for FreeBSD.
>>
>> reboot,  and install FreeBSD, installing a standard MBR (the machine
>> will reboot directly into FreeBSD)
>>
>> After back into a fresh FreeBSD,  do:
>> sysinstall > Configure > Distributions > lib32   (this installs 32bit
>> compatibility libraries.
>>
>> Now fetch
>> ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-6.2-release/Latest/grub.tbz
>> (yes,  the i386 package)
>>
>> pkg_add grub.tgz
>>
>> It will now work in compatibility mode,  and you can use it same as
>> you can with a native FreeBSD/i386.
> 
> FWIW gag will work without any of that, and will carry on working if
> you replace the FreeBSD partition. 

Yeah, but grub provides more power in choosing your load options though. 
Besides, gag has an ugly bootloader screen >_>.. I only use gag when I'm 
not afforded a choice with FreeBSD's bootloader and then grub.
-Garrett