From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Sat Dec  4 07:49:07 2010
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 A43F4106566C
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Sat,  4 Dec 2010 07:49:07 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from perryh@pluto.rain.com)
Received: from agora.rdrop.com (agora.rdrop.com [IPv6:2607:f678:1010::34])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 822D28FC1D
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Sat,  4 Dec 2010 07:49:07 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from agora.rdrop.com (66@localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by agora.rdrop.com (8.13.1/8.12.7) with ESMTP id oB47mx8L019564
	(version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NOT);
	Fri, 3 Dec 2010 23:49:00 -0800 (PST)
	(envelope-from perryh@pluto.rain.com)
Received: (from uucp@localhost)
	by agora.rdrop.com (8.13.1/8.12.9/Submit) with UUCP id oB47mx2r019563; 
	Fri, 3 Dec 2010 23:48:59 -0800 (PST)
Received: from fbsd61 by pluto.rain.com (4.1/SMI-4.1-pluto-M2060407)
	id AA26222; Fri, 3 Dec 10 23:44:50 PST
Date: Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:44:22 -0800
From: perryh@pluto.rain.com
To: bruce@cran.org.uk
Message-Id: <4cf9f156.iRyLYEzYqdNg1mf7%perryh@pluto.rain.com>
References: <4cf8dbdd.7sbsexcxBlJtEO11%mueller6724@bellsouth.net>
	<201012031813.11266.josh@tcbug.org>
	<20101204011741.79353836@core.draftnet>
In-Reply-To: <20101204011741.79353836@core.draftnet>
User-Agent: nail 11.25 7/29/05
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Cc: mueller6724@bellsouth.net, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org, josh@tcbug.org
Subject: Re: Support for hard drives > 2 TB?
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
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: Sat, 04 Dec 2010 07:49:07 -0000

Bruce Cran <bruce@cran.org.uk> wrote:
> On Fri, 3 Dec 2010 18:12:58 -0600
> Josh Paetzel <josh@tcbug.org> wrote:
> > ...  The caveat is that very few systems have a BIOS that can
> > boot from a GPT labeled drive.  So regardless of your OS, you
> > may still have issues.
> That's why we have the Protective MBR that allows a 'legacy' BIOS
> to boot from GPT. I'm not sure if you can boot past the 2TB point
> with it though.

although why anyone would need a root partition > 2TB escapes me :)

If they did, they could always make a small /boot partition near the
beginning of the disk; BIOS will surely not need to read anything
that's not on /boot.

Another possible downside:  if you want to multi-boot, the other OS
may also need to understand both GPT and PMBR.