From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Fri Jul  6 19:04:11 2012
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 175A11065673
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Fri,  6 Jul 2012 19:04:11 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de)
Received: from mx01.qsc.de (mx01.qsc.de [213.148.129.14])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C2E7E8FC0A
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Fri,  6 Jul 2012 19:04:10 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from r56.edvax.de (port-92-195-60-31.dynamic.qsc.de [92.195.60.31])
	by mx01.qsc.de (Postfix) with ESMTP id B4E963CF0E;
	Fri,  6 Jul 2012 21:04:09 +0200 (CEST)
Received: from r56.edvax.de (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by r56.edvax.de (8.14.5/8.14.5) with SMTP id q66J49GW002054;
	Fri, 6 Jul 2012 21:04:09 +0200 (CEST)
	(envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de)
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2012 21:04:09 +0200
From: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de>
To: Eitan Adler <lists@eitanadler.com>
Message-Id: <20120706210409.4cca6eb5.freebsd@edvax.de>
In-Reply-To: <CAF6rxgm+2rb0o5QUmA7_3rd9yp88f+U7yVvOfznC0ecSBg9O9Q@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAHzLAVE0CahZhkKzU5=bLy5AvKsq_qgmqwAiO9BhWD3k1_uFvQ@mail.gmail.com>
	<alpine.BSF.2.00.1207061842370.5024@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>
	<4FF71637.9030206@d3photography.com>
	<20471.8240.321332.987229@jerusalem.litteratus.org>
	<4FF724AF.9090602@ose.nl>
	<20120706202558.2a6d7e42.freebsd@edvax.de>
	<CAHzLAVH8hZ+=EXgUgihrAJ1EwtXvVZ1fgQcV6moDDitPYz2bRg@mail.gmail.com>
	<CAF6rxgm+2rb0o5QUmA7_3rd9yp88f+U7yVvOfznC0ecSBg9O9Q@mail.gmail.com>
Organization: EDVAX
X-Mailer: Sylpheed 3.1.1 (GTK+ 2.24.5; i386-portbld-freebsd8.2)
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Cc: Bas Smeelen <b.smeelen@ose.nl>, Rick Miller <vmiller@hostileadmin.com>,
	Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de>, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Does FreeBSD start slices at head boundaries?
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
Reply-To: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de>
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2012 19:04:11 -0000

On Fri, 6 Jul 2012 11:58:03 -0700, Eitan Adler wrote:
> On 6 July 2012 11:44, Rick Miller <vmiller@hostileadmin.com> wrote:
> > Thanks for this explanation.
> >
> > Is there any performance advantage to using a "dedicated disk" layout
> > over the old way of creating a slice and having your partitions within
> > it?
> 
> Slices isn't the "old" way.

Compared to the new and modern GPT, it is. :-)

However, if you keep using the "old" way, it will still be
supported and will not confuse either BIOSes or other systems
that are maybe installed on your machine.



> There is no perf advantage for dedicated
> disks. Maybe you get a
> few kb of extra space.

I'm also not aware of any performance issues.



> Don't do it.
> 
> http://www.unixguide.net/freebsd/faq/09.03.shtml

According to the article, there are some BIOSes that don't
seem to like disks not containing a "DOS primary partition"
to start their boot chain. While this may be true, I have
never experienced it.

For maximum security, you can use the "old" approach of
using fdisk + disklabel (creating slice, creating partitions
within slice). This also delivers most compatibility for
other systems, if it should be needed, e. g. in a multiboot
environment.





-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...