From owner-freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Jan 8 07:01:03 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-doc@hub.freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DC11816A4CE for ; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 07:01:02 -0800 (PST) Received: from freefall.freebsd.org (freefall.freebsd.org [216.136.204.21]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E11BE43D54 for ; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 07:00:35 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from gnats@FreeBSD.org) Received: from freefall.freebsd.org (gnats@localhost [127.0.0.1]) i08F0ZFR089339 for ; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 07:00:35 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from gnats@freefall.freebsd.org) Received: (from gnats@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.12.10/8.12.10/Submit) id i08F0ZY2089337; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 07:00:35 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from gnats) Resent-Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 07:00:35 -0800 (PST) Resent-Message-Id: <200401081500.i08F0ZY2089337@freefall.freebsd.org> Resent-From: FreeBSD-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org (GNATS Filer) Resent-To: freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org Resent-Reply-To: FreeBSD-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org, Andrew Predoehl Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 81C2A16A4CE for ; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 06:51:34 -0800 (PST) Received: from www.freebsd.org (www.freebsd.org [216.136.204.117]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1ACD543D2F for ; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 06:51:33 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from nobody@FreeBSD.org) Received: from www.freebsd.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by www.freebsd.org (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id i08EpUdL059431 for ; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 06:51:30 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from nobody@www.freebsd.org) Received: (from nobody@localhost) by www.freebsd.org (8.12.10/8.12.10/Submit) id i08EpUdw059427; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 06:51:30 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from nobody) Message-Id: <200401081451.i08EpUdw059427@www.freebsd.org> Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 06:51:30 -0800 (PST) From: Andrew Predoehl To: freebsd-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org X-Send-Pr-Version: www-2.0 Subject: docs/61070: Installation docs misleading: PResizer isn't appropriate X-BeenThere: freebsd-doc@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Documentation project List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 08 Jan 2004 15:01:03 -0000 >Number: 61070 >Category: docs >Synopsis: Installation docs misleading: PResizer isn't appropriate >Confidential: no >Severity: non-critical >Priority: medium >Responsible: freebsd-doc >State: open >Quarter: >Keywords: >Date-Required: >Class: doc-bug >Submitter-Id: current-users >Arrival-Date: Thu Jan 08 07:00:35 PST 2004 >Closed-Date: >Last-Modified: >Originator: Andrew Predoehl >Release: 4.9-STABLE >Organization: >Environment: Not applicable >Description: I'm new to FreeBSD, installing for the first time, and using the Handbook to do so. I think section 2.2.3.1 would benefit if the reference to PResizer is changed, because PResizer (by itself) isn't adequate. Here's a quote to consider changing: Section 2.2.3.1, paragraph 8: "You can use a commercial tool .. to make space for FreeBSD. The tools directory on the CDROM contains two free software tools which can carry out this task, namely FIPS and PResizer. FIPS, PResizer, and PartitionMagic can resize FAT16 and FAT32 partitions . . . ." Strictly speaking, yes, that's correct, because PResizer resizes a partition and makes space. But it (by design) doesn't create new partitions -- the docs recommend you use FDISK to do so. But FDISK won't make a primary partition if one already exists. In fact an installer (such as myself) needs two things: (0) to make space -- i.e., shrink my FAT32 partition; and also (1) to create a new primary partition. PResizer does step (0) but not (1). >How-To-Repeat: N/A >Fix: The solution is to put aside PResizer and use FIPS, because FIPS will resize the partition AND create a new primary partition. I rather stupidly didn't grasp all this till I already used PResizer to shrink my FAT32 partition, duh, and then realized FDISK wouldn't do what I wanted. Then I hoped FIPS would. If so, I couldn't figure out how -- FIPS wanted to do the shrinking too. So I used PResizer to expand FAT32 back to where it was, then had FIPS do the whole thing. In defense of PResizer, it apparently does something FIPS can't -- enlarge a partition. It's a good tool, just not the right tool for the job I needed to do. I bet the same is true for many (most?) readers of this section. I propose replacing paragraph 8 of sec. 2.2.3.1 with the following: "You can use a commercial tool such as PartitionMagic® to resize your partitions to make space for FreeBSD. The tools directory on the CDROM contains a free software tool which can carry out this task, namely FIPS. FIPS and PartitionMagic can resize FAT16 and FAT32 partitions - used in MS-DOS through Windows ME. PartitionMagic is the only known application that can resize NTFS. Documentation for both of these is available in the same directory. The tools directory contains another tool, PResizer, which is useful for manipulating FAT16 and FAT32 partitions, but it cannot create a new primary partition." cheers! AMP >Release-Note: >Audit-Trail: >Unformatted: