bin/164399: 9.0 installer failures

[Devin Teske]

On Feb 3, 2012, at 9:30 PM, Jin Guojun wrote:

> The following reply was made to PR bin/164399; it has been noted by GNATS.
> 
> From: Jin Guojun <jguojun at sbcglobal.net>
> To: FreeBSD-gnats-submit at FreeBSD.org, freebsd-bugs at FreeBSD.org
> Cc:  
> Subject: Re: bin/164399: 9.0 installer failures
> Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 21:13:45 -0800 (PST)
> 
> For problem #3, here is more information (by repeating to create the same p=
> roblem for each case below)=0A=0A1) FreeBSD Release 6.4 has no problem to i=
> nstall, but both 8.2-R and 9.0-R failed install.=0A=0A2) Use 9.0 installati=
> on CD to install FreeBSD 9.0 by using entire disk, 9.0 will boot.

Selecting "use entire disk" caused the 9.0 installer to write a GPT scheme to your disk (versus legacy MBR scheme).


> Then inst=
> alling the original Windows by using recovery CD by using part of the disk =
> drive, then try to install 9.0 again, 9.0 installer still cannot see the pa=
> rtition table although FDISK sees partition table has no problem at all.

In FreeBSD 9, FDISK partition tables can be read and written using the "fdisk" utility, BUT...

If the disk has a GPT partition table, the device-nodes in /dev associated with the FDISK partition table ***will not be created*** until you destroy the GPT scheme (using "gpart destroy").

This correctly implies that you cannot simultaneously use GPT and FDISK within FreeBSD 9 on the same disk, it's one or the other.


> =0A=
> =0APS: The 9.0 seems preparing installation and partitioning the disk like =
> Linux. This is no longer a BSD style :-(

You're not alone. Many of us dislike the "everything on one big root" too. It's not safe (e.g., filling "/tmp" fills boot partition), and it's not BSD style.

If you'd like to install FreeBSD 9.0-RELEASE with the old style partitioning, please try my custom installer that uses the old sysinstall(8) (versus new bsdinstall(8)) installer:

http://druidbsd.sf.net/

Instructions here:

http://druidbsd.sf.net/freebsd_druid.shtml

NOTE: However, since you've written GPT layout to disk, you'll have to clear that before you can use sysinstall(8). No bother, just boot into the installer and then press Alt+F4 to go to the "holo shell" where you type first "rescue" (hit ENTER) and then "gpart destroy DISKNAME" (where DISKNAME is something like "ada0" -- use "sysctl kern.disks" to list disks available).
-- 
Devin

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