From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Oct 26 17:29:30 2007 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DF4B316A418 for ; Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:29:30 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from tching@arraynetworks.net) Received: from Exchange.arraynetworks.net (mail.arraynetworks.net [12.22.49.71]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B08C913C465 for ; Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:29:30 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from tching@arraynetworks.net) X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.5 Content-class: urn:content-classes:message MIME-Version: 1.0 Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:17:28 -0700 Message-ID: X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: Thread-Topic: boot loader Thread-Index: AcgX9BYOwwIeZguiSZG6kId9lVRURw== From: "Thomas Ching" To: X-Mailman-Approved-At: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:33:29 +0000 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Subject: boot loader X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:29:31 -0000 Hi, I am trying to do the following with existing systems running 4.5. I'd really appreciate if anyone has any hints, pointers, opinions, or even just "you should talk to this other group" for me. =20 1. Existing system: FreeBSD 4.5 based with FreeBSD boot loader (boot0) in MBR 2. I am trying to install a new software based on either FreeBSD 6.2 or later, or LINUX with the following restrictions: a. No console access b. No media access other than serial port, Ethernet, existing HD with 4.5 installed (i.e. NO CD/DVD, floppy, USB....etc) 3. The hard drive (1) has enough empty space (currently not partitioned/used) so I can create a new slice to put the new OS/software in and boot from the new OS, but I am not sure how I can achieve that. =20 So I guess my questions are: =20 1. Is it possible for me to boot of FreeBSD 4.5 and "run an installation over Ethernet/ftp"? 2. Is it possible for me to "tar up a FreeBSD 6.2" partition, put onto the 4.5 disk (new partition) then "sysinstall" (or something like that) to make the system boot from the new partition? 3. How would I even start thinking about doing the same with LINUX as the new OS? :-) =20 Any information you can provide is highly appreciated. Thanks !!=20 =20 Thomas =20