From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Jan 14 18:40:18 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7848616A4CE for ; Wed, 14 Jan 2004 18:40:18 -0800 (PST) Received: from zim.0x7e.net (zim.0x7e.net [203.38.184.132]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7EDFB43D39 for ; Wed, 14 Jan 2004 18:40:14 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from listone@deathbeforedecaf.net) Received: from goo.0x7e.net ([203.38.184.164] helo=goo) by zim.0x7e.net with smtp (Exim 3.36 #1) id 1AgxQa-000M4d-00; Thu, 15 Jan 2004 13:10:12 +1030 Message-ID: <000801c3db10$e65cffc0$a4b826cb@goo> From: "Rob" To: , References: Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 13:10:12 +1030 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1158 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 Subject: Re: choice of boot manager X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 02:40:18 -0000 Lee Shackelford wrote on Thursday January 15, 2004: > I am planning a multiple operating system installation on a Compaq Proliant > 5000. The purpose of the installation is hobbyist and instructional. The > computer does not provide network management services. The proposed > operating systems are Windows 95, FreeBSD, and Windows 2000 Server. A > fourth operating system may be added at a later date. Have you had any > experience with any of the following boot manager programs that may suggest > their relative applicability to this project? The boot manager programs I > am considering include the following: LILO, GRUB, MATT, NTLDR/BOOT.INI, > RANISH, and the boot loader that comes with FreeBSD, the name of which I do > not know. Any information about positive or negative experiences with any > of these programs in a multiple operating system configuration would be > appreciated. Your truly, Lee Shackelford The standard FreeBSD boot loader can boot Windows systems. Its main problem is cosmetic - Linux and FreeBSD slices are recognised, but Windows is displayed as '???' and these labels cannot be customised. I use grub-0.92 (/usr/ports/sysutils/grub/ or a package on the 3rd CD). It's thoroughly customisable and supports a wide range of operating systems - some Linux distributions use it instead of LILO. After installing the package, you have to copy a few files and run the grub(8) program to install it on the MBR. In an attempt to be OS-neutral, grub uses its own naming scheme for disks: (hd0,0,a) is the first BSD filesystem on the first slice of the first disk. Here's my boot menu: # defaults color light-gray/black white/blue default saved timeout 10 # Desktop title FreeBSD 4.9-RELEASE root (hd0,a) kernel /boot/loader savedefault # Win2k title Windows 2000 Professional root (hd0,1) chainloader +1 savedefault # shutdown title (power off) halt The 'savedefault' feature is handy - whichever OS you select will be the default next time. Without this, rebooting the non-default OS is a real pain. I've had a couple of tries at using the NT boot.ini method. The procedure has been well documented by many people, but it never went smoothly for me - I always had the feeling that Windows didn't really want to boot another OS.