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Date: Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:23:48 -0700
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To: m.seaman@infracaninophile.co.uk
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Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Query about FreeBSD and primary partitions requirements
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Matthew Seaman <m.seaman@infracaninophile.co.uk> wrote:

> On 11/06/2011 08:18, Bret Busby wrote:
> > the current FreeBSD Handbook ... states
> > "FreeBSD must be installed into a primary partition."
> > 
> > However, in the last couple of days, I have been advised that
> > FreeBSD can be installed in, and, quite happily runs in, a
> > logical partition within an extended partition.
> > 
> > Has anyone other than the person who advised me of that, tested
> > the installation and operation of FreeBSD, within a logical
> > patition of an extended partition ...?
>
> FreeBSD can mount and use filesystems created on partitions inside
> 'extended partition' type slices (cue standard exposition of the
> difference between partitions and slices in FreeBSD-speak.)  True.
>
> However, I believe that you may well have difficulty *booting*
> FreeBSD unless the kernel (ie. /boot) can be read from a primary
> partition.

I presume the purpose of boot0ext.S is to build a boot0 (FreeBSD MBR)
variant capable of booting from what MS call an "extended partition"
-- boot0.S being used when booting from a "primary partition" -- but
I've never tried to use it.  I'm having enough "fun" trying to boot
from a _different_ "unusual" configuration.

> Also, I don't think sysinstall(8) groks extended partitions very
> well,

if at all ...

> so you will probably have some fun doing the actual installation.

Indeed.