From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Sep 26 16:42:22 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 939CB1065692 for ; Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:42:22 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from sonicy@otenet.gr) Received: from rosebud.otenet.gr (rosebud.otenet.gr [83.235.67.32]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id F300F8FC29 for ; Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:42:21 +0000 (UTC) Received: from pulstar.local (athedsl-4488775.home.otenet.gr [94.71.74.79]) by rosebud.otenet.gr (8.13.8/8.13.8/Debian-3) with ESMTP id n8QGgDOb002899; Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:42:13 +0300 Message-ID: <4ABE4464.6000604@otenet.gr> Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:42:12 +0300 From: Manolis Kiagias User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.23 (Macintosh/20090812) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Bret Busby References: In-Reply-To: X-Enigmail-Version: 0.96.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Question about FreeBSD installation procedure X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:42:22 -0000 Bret Busby wrote: > Hello. > > I have been interested in installing FreeBSD on my laptop (HP/Compaq > NX5000, 2MB RAM), in a free 20MB partition. I really hope you meant Gb here ;) > > I noticed that the Linux Format magazine to which I subscribe, in > Issue 124, comes with FreeBSD 7.2 on the DVD. > >> From what I understand, FreeBSD (and possibly all BSD) uses hard disc >> slices rather than partitions, and therefore cannot > easily be installed in a free partition, but needs for hard disc > slices to be used. 'Slice' is FreeBSD jargon for what Windows / DOS would call a 'primary partition'. In short, FreeBSD can only be installed in your machine only if you have free space *and* the possibility to create a primary partition in it . Due to BIOS limitations, PC hardware only supports 4 primary partitions on any disk. If you already have 4 primary partitions and you are not willing to delete one, you can't install FreeBSD as it won't install on what Windows calls an "Extended partition". But let's say you have a typical laptop with two partitions for OS and data, and some free space at the end. FreeBSD will happily install there. > > Is it yet possible to install FreeBSD into a hard disc partition, > rather than needing to install into hard disc slices? > I have attached a copy of the screenshot showing the partition table; > I wanted to install FreeBSD into sda8. > > Can this be done. > > Thank you in anticipation. > The screenshot won't come through in the mailing list, if at all possible upload it somewhere and send us a link.