Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 12:22:12 +1100 From: Bruce Evans <bde@zeta.org.au> To: jgreco@brasil.moneng.mei.com, mark@grondar.za Cc: freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG, jkh@time.cdrom.com, joerg_wunsch@uriah.heep.sax.de, phk@critter.tfs.com, rgrimes@gndrsh.aac.dev.com Subject: Re: 2.2-ALPHA install failure Message-ID: <199611260122.MAA19052@godzilla.zeta.org.au>
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>My standard procedure is to use a DOS boot disk to
>
>fdisk /mbr
>fdisk <= create DOS partition
>format <drive>:
>
>and then boot FreeBSD. I have never had a problem with sysinstall that
>I can recall, when doing this... it always "discovers" a usable geometry.
This won't work with geometry-detecting SCSI BIOSes if the partition
table has suitable non-garbage in it. Try it with a X/1/1 prepared by
a previous installation of FreeBSD. The kernel must be kept entirely
below 512KB for booting with such a geometry.
>I will probably switch to Rod's X/64/32 thing for SCSI disks, as I have
>used that occasionally in the past and never seemed to have any problems,
>but I wasn't too sure about it.
The kernel must be kept entirely below 1GB for booting with a X/64/32
geometry. This is usually arranged by keeping the boot partition entirely
below 1GB.
My standard procedure for new SCSI disks is to use a FreeBSD boot disk to:
boot with -v
note (vendor-supplied) geometry for future reference
back up MBR for future reference
write 0's to MBR
reboot
boot with -v
note default geometry for future reference
fdisk. Specify a geometry of X/255/63. Create a dummy partition with
start = 63 and size = ((some multiple of 255*63) - 63).
reboot
boot with -v
fdisk. Check that geometry is now X/255/63. If not, try another geometry...
fdisk, sysinstall: enter this geometry if the default is wrong. The default
is likely to be wrong only if you've cleared the dummy partition.
new IDE disks is easier:
run BIOS setup and choose the biggest available geometry
boot with -v and check that this geometry is used
fdisk, sysinstall: enter this geometry if the default is wrong. The default
is likely to be wrong if you haven't entered a dummy partition or if the
partition table has garbage in it.
For disks with existing partitions that must be preserved:
boot with -v and note the current geometry
run fdisk or sysinstall and check that the default geometry is the same. If
it is different, then you have a serious configuration error (perhaps for
a dedicated disk :-). Fix it before continuing.
Bruce
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