From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Jan 21 09:32:26 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id EF0B0106566B; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:32:26 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from oliver.pntr@gmail.com) Received: from mail-wy0-f182.google.com (mail-wy0-f182.google.com [74.125.82.182]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 316248FC16; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:32:25 +0000 (UTC) Received: by wyf19 with SMTP id 19so1596330wyf.13 for ; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 01:32:25 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date :message-id:subject:from:to:cc:content-type; bh=j3oS2mR6/LZaY1Whwgz0M/VdZ4x5VAjfy+68WtCiY+g=; b=rW+FXkcHpEMPuM6uZCGJCIMa9tm/X1BcRfAzcEVKEUSga1C7hc0Tl4+yeH84Jg3/SI 0HS4DVrQL8/z+4gsLTaBwqJ+TdaK9/cqWM+taae7wXBgKFgFMy+YkPTXC1hboEpAwqpE q+SP2KWi0Djny6sfyVVrOnNV1BTsdWelzpJn0= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :cc:content-type; b=qp05gfCsCYXLjmE7tljHBOCE47Gp5/wrIRNR6oMiBJCdO1ArpuanIygrzM26h+zn5i D1fsYt72b4lFbDLc1ZhkgjM+knipBjGUwp+PR1ApOMpHoKUT6U889cMSa+JTH/CoCQdU PBOVKKvlVjAqQeD7wWSYALAdyVE9xdRKHaiFY= MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.227.68.201 with SMTP id w9mr386416wbi.101.1295600586832; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 01:03:06 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.227.59.3 with HTTP; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 01:03:06 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: <4D38CC5E.1060807@freebsd.org> References: <4D309563.1000404@freebsd.org> <4D38AB1F.8090308@gmail.com> <3BC35D04-4E8C-47DC-8487-26D826222ACF@mac.com> <4D38BAE8.5020806@FreeBSD.org> <4D38BB87.9070608@freebsd.org> <4D38C360.5040108@FreeBSD.org> <4D38CC5E.1060807@freebsd.org> Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:03:06 +0100 Message-ID: From: Oliver Pinter To: Nathan Whitehorn Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Cc: David Demelier , Doug Barton , freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: BSDInstall: merging to HEAD X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:32:27 -0000 Hi all! Is there available any bootmgr(boot0)-like boot manager for GPT? On 1/21/11, Nathan Whitehorn wrote: > On 01/20/11 17:21, Doug Barton wrote: >> On 01/20/2011 14:47, Nathan Whitehorn wrote: >>> On 01/20/11 16:44, Doug Barton wrote: >>>> On 01/20/2011 14:15, Chuck Swiger wrote: >>>>> On Jan 20, 2011, at 1:37 PM, David Demelier wrote: >>>>> [ ... ] >>>>>> Why does the installer use GPT partition by default? Do you know >>>>>> that GPT is not supported on every (even modern) computer ? >>>>> >>>>> Sure. Legacy PC/BIOS platforms can work with a hybrid GPT which >>>>> includes the legacy or "protective" MBR used by pre-EFI systems; >>>>> FreeBSD 7 and later, recent Linux, MacOS X 10.4 and later should be >>>>> able to boot from disks with that hybrid format. >>>>> >>>>> If you need to dual-boot into Windows, however, and your hardware >>>>> doesn't provide EFI then you're likely stuck using MBR + PC/BIOS only. >>>> >>>> We should not do anything by default that damages the ability to >>>> dual-boot windows (and by windows I really mean "xp or later" since >>>> we'll have xp around through 2014). If there are significant >>>> advantages to gpt as a default when possible then it will be necessary >>>> to ask the user some intelligent questions such as "Will this system >>>> be multi-booted?" and if yes, "Will >>>> ${lowest_common_denominator:-windows} be installed?" >>> >>> It does do exactly what you suggest. It only uses GPT by default if you >>> have a totally unformatted disk or indicate you intend to run only >>> FreeBSD on the machine. Otherwise, you get MBR+bsdlabel just like now. >> >> That isn't exactly what I suggested. :) Imagine the following >> scenario (which is what I used to do, until our fdisk started using >> wacky geometries): >> 1. Get new computer and/or new hard drive >> 2. Boot freebsd from installation/live media (aka, disc1) >> 3. Unceremoniously (and in some cases gleefully) delete all existing >> partition/slices >> 4. Slice the disk, and write out the changes with "regular" MBR >> 5. Boot windows, install into the first unused slice/partition >> >> Now if by "indicate you intend to run only FreeBSD on the machine" >> above you mean that you already have questions built into the process >> that covers what I proposed above, then fine. My point is simply that >> running the installer on a blank (or newly blank'ed) disk is not by >> itself a sign that everything that will be installed understands gpt. > It does. It only does GPT by default if you say "I want to erase my hard > disk" (or it is already blank), then select "Automatic partitioning". If > you have an existing partition scheme, it is kept even if you select > "automatic" (assuming it is bootable on your platform). > > If you want something more complicated (i.e. any kind of dual-booting > scenario), then you will want to specify partition sizes with the editor > anyway. Once you exit automatic mode to invoke the editor, it allows you > to set up bsdlabel-only, MBR+bsdlabel, GPT, installations spanning > multiple disks, and whatever else you might want to do. If that isn't > enough flexibility, there is also a "I don't need no stinking partition > editor" option, where you can set up whatever you like with a shell. > -Nathan > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-current@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-current > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-current-unsubscribe@freebsd.org" >