Date: Tue, 26 Dec 1995 10:46:43 +0000 From: "Jeffry Komala" <jsk@tti.net> To: questions@freeBSD.org Subject: missing operating system Message-ID: <199512261851.KAA01696@darwin.tti.net>
next in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Hi there,
I'm trying to install freeBSD 2.0.5 from the CDROM on my system
and the install program could not find my Adaptec PCI 2940UW
controller.
I finally tried using the boot.flp from the 2.1 and using 2.0.5 CDROM
as my installation media. I was hoping, at least the install program
would be able to find my PCI 2940UW and recoqnize my hard drive.
It did find my SCSI hard drive + CDROM and beside reporting some
missing packages due to incorrect CDROM version, it ran nearly
flawlessly.
When it came to partition/label the disk, it ran into problem.
The install program reported that it could not create swap partition
and it also had problem with the root partition, I forget what
exactly.
Once the install procedure had finished and rebooted the system, the
system would not boot and said missing operating system.
As a long time DOS user, I knew that "missing operating system" is
usually caused by incorrect drive parameters. I have a 486DX4-100 PCI
motherboard w/ 16 MB of RAM, Trident PCI AGXi9440, Adaptec PCI
2940UW, Toshiba 2x 3401B, and Conner 4.3 GB Fast SCSI-2.
My questions are:
1. Is there any limitation on the way I should create the partitions
on my hard drive?
I created only a single slice for the entire drive. The fdisk
part of the install procedure reported that I have
4096 cylinders x 64 heads x 32 sectors.
What I should have done perhaps, is to create a smaller slice
for my root partition, below 1024 cylinders. Am I correct?
2. This is my hard drive partitioning:
/ 30mb
/usr 800mb
/tmp 128mb
/var 192mb
/home 2800mb
swap 146mb
Is there any limitation on where I should put my swap partition?
It is one of two main errors reported during installation.
Why the install procedure failed to prepare the swap partition?
Is it due to the fact that I put it at the very end of the
free space?
3. Some friends also said that freeBSD could have a hard time
figuring out the correct drive parameters for a large hard drive.
He suggested that I create a small primary DOS partition at the
very beginning of the free space to "help" freeBSD using a correct
hard drive parameter and be able to boot.
I was wondering if this is true?
4. Is there any special precautions for using a large SCSI drive?
I am using a 4.3 GB Conner 4207S Fast SCSI-2.
I appreciate your help to my questions. Thank you very much.
I will make another try tonight as I was able to borrow someone
else's 2.1 CDROM. This time, I will be using the right version
of the CD.
-Jeffry Komala-
keshik@ix.netcom.com
jsk@tti.net
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?199512261851.KAA01696>