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Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:44:28 -0700 (MST)
From: Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com>
To: Carmel <carmel_ny@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Starting with ZFS on fresh install
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On Mon, 28 Jan 2013, Carmel wrote:

> I have a spare amd64 PC that I want to install FreeBSD 9.x on. I want
> it to utilize ZFS right from the start. There are two HD's in the PC.
> One will handle the "/var" partition and the other everything else. The
> last FBSD installer I used was on the 7.x branch. Does the new
> installer in the 9.x branch handle that automatically?

As Polytropon mentioned, the PC-BSD installer can do this.

> Would it be advantageous to run something like FreeDOS to remove the
> existing partition information, etcetera and then reformat the dives?
> They are currently formatted in Microsoft's NTFS format.

No, that should not be necessary.

> Also, for the 9.1 branch, I read that I have to run:
>
> # /usr/sbin/pkg
> To bootstrap the system. I also need to place:
> WITH_PKGNG=	yes
> in the /etc/rc.conf file.

No, this is not required.  The only reason to do it is if you *want* to 
switch to pkgng.  The old package tools still work, and you can switch 
at a later time.