Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 13:10:12 +1030 From: "Rob" <listone@deathbeforedecaf.net> To: <questions@freebsd.org>, <Lee_Shackelford@dot.ca.gov> Subject: Re: choice of boot manager Message-ID: <000801c3db10$e65cffc0$a4b826cb@goo> References: <OF7A30AE72.B3914AE7-ON88256E1B.005A6720@dot.ca.gov>
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Lee Shackelford wrote on Thursday January 15, 2004: > I am planning a multiple operating system installation on a Compaq Proliant > 5000. The purpose of the installation is hobbyist and instructional. The > computer does not provide network management services. The proposed > operating systems are Windows 95, FreeBSD, and Windows 2000 Server. A > fourth operating system may be added at a later date. Have you had any > experience with any of the following boot manager programs that may suggest > their relative applicability to this project? The boot manager programs I > am considering include the following: LILO, GRUB, MATT, NTLDR/BOOT.INI, > RANISH, and the boot loader that comes with FreeBSD, the name of which I do > not know. Any information about positive or negative experiences with any > of these programs in a multiple operating system configuration would be > appreciated. Your truly, Lee Shackelford The standard FreeBSD boot loader can boot Windows systems. Its main problem is cosmetic - Linux and FreeBSD slices are recognised, but Windows is displayed as '???' and these labels cannot be customised. I use grub-0.92 (/usr/ports/sysutils/grub/ or a package on the 3rd CD). It's thoroughly customisable and supports a wide range of operating systems - some Linux distributions use it instead of LILO. After installing the package, you have to copy a few files and run the grub(8) program to install it on the MBR. In an attempt to be OS-neutral, grub uses its own naming scheme for disks: (hd0,0,a) is the first BSD filesystem on the first slice of the first disk. Here's my boot menu: # defaults color light-gray/black white/blue default saved timeout 10 # Desktop title FreeBSD 4.9-RELEASE root (hd0,a) kernel /boot/loader savedefault # Win2k title Windows 2000 Professional root (hd0,1) chainloader +1 savedefault # shutdown title (power off) halt The 'savedefault' feature is handy - whichever OS you select will be the default next time. Without this, rebooting the non-default OS is a real pain. I've had a couple of tries at using the NT boot.ini method. The procedure has been well documented by many people, but it never went smoothly for me - I always had the feeling that Windows didn't really want to boot another OS.
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