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Date: 08 Jan 1997 09:55 EST
To: dwhite@resnet.uoregon.edu
Cc: lneudorf@common.net, freebsd-doc@freebsd.org
From: "Matthew Kiser" <mkiser@nortel.ca>
Subject: Re: Free BSD
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In message "Free BSD", dwhite@resnet.uoregon.edu writes:

> On Tue, 7 Jan 1997, Lorne Neudorf wrote:
>
> > I have MSDOS.  It is all partitioned off my 1 gig hard drive.  500 megs
> > is used up right now.  I was wondering..if I download your "boot" disk
> > and boot up FREE BSD, and if I dont like it, can I just remove the disk
> > and re-boot my computer and everything will be back to normal? I run a
> > current server under win95 and I need something better...but It also has
> > to be easy to use.  PLease answer this.  Also...after installing
> > FREEBSD...can I use Windows95 after installing whenever I want (by
> > rebooting my computer).  If no...how do I get my Old stuff back if I
> > dont want FREEBSD.
>
> It's not quite that easy.  FreeBSD requires it's own partition space, so
> you would have to split your DOS partition.  Unfortunately, it's easy to
> split them and not so easy to put them back together again.  If you're not
> sure whether you'll like it or not, make a backup first or use some spare
> hard disk.

But, to be fair, there is a way to do this with Linux.  They have a system
which you can put all the system files on a DOS filesystem, then you
boot DOS and then you can run Linux from there.  If you decide you don't
like it, you simply erase it.  Disclaimer:  I have never tried it, I can't
even remember what they call this system (something like UMSDOS).  I don't
know how well it works or if it can give you full UNIX functionality.

> > This would be a MASSIVE change for me...I just want to know if there is
> > something I could do incase I dont like FREEBSD! I'd appreciate a
> > response to my concern.  From what I have heard...you are really good!!
>
> Once you get over the win -> unix change, I think you'll enjoy just how
> powerful FreeBSD is over Windows.

This is very true.  Fear not! there is life beyond Microsoft.

> Doug White                              | University of Oregon
> Internet:  dwhite@resnet.uoregon.edu    | Residence Networking Assistant
> http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~dwhite    | Computer Science Major


+-------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| Matthew S. Kiser              | All opinions are my own and not the    |
| Nortel                        | opinions of my employer.               |
| Richardson, Texas             |                                        |
| mkiser@nortel.com             |                                        |
+-------------------------------+----------------------------------------+