Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2006 07:39:56 -0500 From: Greg Barniskis <nalists@scls.lib.wi.us> To: Perry Hutchison <perryh@pluto.rain.com> Cc: gregb@scls.lib.wi.us, questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: new 6.1 install will not boot Message-ID: <44E5B51C.4030407@scls.lib.wi.us> In-Reply-To: <10608180254.AA02558@pluto.rain.com> References: <10608180254.AA02558@pluto.rain.com>
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Perry Hutchison wrote: >>> The BIOS clears the screen and loads the boot sector, then nothing. >> I'm not sure exactly what the problem is, but I can say I've >> installed FreeBSD x.y on just about every flavor of Dell hardware >> without much trouble, so it should work for you. Disclaimer: the >> Dimension line is highly variable re: component types, chip versions >> and overall quality, so all bets are off there, even though all the >> pieces are generally "mainstream hardware". > > It's an Optiplex GX1, with 192MB/10GB. > >> Did you install using the default/suggested disk geometry and slice >> arrangement, or did you try to tune things as the installer went along? > > I didn't try to mess with the geometry, but I didn't give FreeBSD the > whole disk -- I intend for it to coexist with Linux and a FAT32 OS. > I also adjusted the subpartitioning (and this seems to be necessary > -- see below). > >> Try this: Reinstall, and if prompted about disk geometry problems >> just let the installer do what it wants to. When prompted to choose >> a disk location to install to, choose "A" for "Use Entire Disk", and >> when prompted to slice up that disk area, choose "A" again for "Auto >> Defaults". When prompted for a boot manager, choose to install the >> FreeBSD MBR. > > It worked better this time. I suspect the important difference was > that I let it install the FreeBSD MBR (with considerable misgivings, > given the onscreen caution about PC-DOS -- but the FreeBSD boot > manager does seem to boot Windoze without problems). > > Unfortunately, it looks as if I'll have to do it *again* because > the default /usr size was quite a bit too small -- even though > sysinstall had over 3GB to start with. > > Using the default allocation of that 3GB, and selecting a Developer > configuration (including ports), the install stopped with > > Couldn't create directory /usr/compat: No space left on device. > > "df" confirms that /usr is full (and the considerably larger /var > is nearly empty): > > Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Avail Capacity Mounted on > /dev/ad0s3a 507630 35212 431808 8% / > devfs 1 1 0 100% /dev > /dev/ad0s3e 507630 12 467008 0% /tmp > /dev/ad0s3f 832504 811572 -45668 106% /usr > /dev/ad0s3d 1190350 248 1094874 0% /var > > In case it matters, uname -a reports: > > FreeBSD gx1 6.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 6.1-RELEASE #0: Sun May 7 04:32:43 UTC 2006 root@opus.cse.buffalo.edu:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC i386 > > Evidently I need to make /, /tmp, and /var quite a bit smaller, > so as to enlarge /usr. > >> ... if you still have problems describe to the list >> the end result you're trying to achieve by your tuning. > > The first goal is to finish the install without running out of > space :) I'd prefer to also arrange for FreeBSD to share the > Linux swap space -- thus freeing up more space for /usr or /home > by eliminating ad0s3b -- rather than leaving the Linux swap > unused when FreeBSD is running. I've found some mentions of > Linux swap partitions in the FreeBSD source code, so I suspect > that this might be possible, but I didn't find any mention in > the docs of how to do it. > > The drive currently has three primary partitions (Linux /boot, > FAT32, FreeBSD) and an extended partition containing Linux swap > and Linux root. Partition Commander (commercial) shows the disk > layout as > > Ptn size ----- type ----- 1st sector # of sectors > P1 7M Linux ext2 0x83 63 16002 > P0 2.44G FAT32 0x08 16128 5124672 > P2 3.34G Unix 0xA5 5140800 7020405 > P3 3.73G Extended 0x0F 12161205 7823655 > L0 392M Linux swap 0x82 12161268 803187 > L1 3.34G Linux ext2 0x83 12964518 7020342 > > To answer one forseeable question before it is asked :) I have > quite a bit of Un*x experience, but have not done much system > setup or administration since SunOS 4.1. Well, it sounds like you're getting closer. You'll need a rubber mallet, a chisel, a shoehorn and plenty of WD-40 to get all you want out of 10GB total disk space, but it /could/ be made to work. It also sounds like you've got enough sense to work it out. Optiplex should be no problem at all. re: applying the FreeBSD MBR, I really suggested it only because that would make one less unknown. Now that you know FreeBSD can boot, you can use any loader you like. For your kind of setup I might go with GAG. Automated log rotation usually keeps /var bloat in check, so it doesn't really need to be very large, whereas /usr will tend to grow fast if you do a lot of /usr/local & /usr/ports work. I don't know anything about sharing a Linux swap space. Personally, if this was just a learning/POC box and there was no other way but to cram all you want into 10 GB, I might be tempted to just give FreeBSD a swap partition (shared or otherwise) and / the rest of whatever space you have for it. That would be truly unholy for a production system and would mean you couldn't do certain file system maintenance tasks "in the proper manner", but given your constraints it could free you from a good bit of elbow room jostling now and in the future. However you work the space, if you try to do anything very significant with the /usr/ports tree in 2-3 GB, you're in for no fun. I usually surpass that within hours after sysinstall finishes, but then I like to keep both packages and sources on hand after installing a port. It is possible to keep /usr bloat in check (somewhat) if you don't do that, and the portsclean utility can help you keep the raw materials tidy. Recommend you get a [bigger|second] disk if you can though, or housecleaning will be a constant chore. -- Greg Barniskis, Computer Systems Integrator South Central Library System (SCLS) Library Interchange Network (LINK) <gregb at scls.lib.wi.us>, (608) 266-6348
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