Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 02:18:31 -0700 From: openbsd.org@fluet.com To: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Installation of Freebsd on external (USB) hard drive (using GRUB) Message-ID: <200511280218.31226.openbsd.org@fluet.com> In-Reply-To: <20051117120042.139AE16A43D@hub.freebsd.org> References: <20051117120042.139AE16A43D@hub.freebsd.org>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
> Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 22:40:51 +0100 > From: Marco Calviani <marco.calviani@gmail.com> > Subject: Re: Installation of Freebsd on external hard drive > > Hi Eric and list, > unfortunately my BIOS (of a Travelmate 8005) does not support boot from USB > devices. > I'll search for some other information that comes from multi-os users. > > Thanks again, > MC > > > I've installed it on USB keys and external USB drives with no problem. > > > > Since I was only using those for experimentation, I never modified my > > boot loader. My BIOS provides a boot menu for selecting the boot > > device, of which "external USB device" is an option. I found this > > cleaner, since when not using those devices I do not have to go through > > the FreeBSD boot menu. > > > > Hints? > > For my situation... I booted from the CD. When asked to slice and > > partition my disk... I chose the external USB device. I selected the > > 'standard boot loader'. Then the rest of the magic is handled by my BIOS. > > > > Don't know if that helps you much. I'm a little late replying, but I thought I would reply if only for archival searches on this subject. I have an Acer C300 TabletPC and the BIOS does not support booting from USB. This doesn't matter, however, since you can install a boot loader onto the LAPTOP'S hard drive that will boot the USB partitions for you. I don't recall if the FreeBSD boot loader does this, but GRUB (/usr/ports/sysutils/grub) definitely does. Here is my grub /boot/grub/menu.lst: -------------------------------------------------- title WindowsXP rootnoverify (hd0,0) chainloader +1 makeactive savedefault title FreeBSD RELENG-5 root (hd0,1,a) kernel /boot/loader savedefault title FreeBSD RELENG-6 root (hd0,2,a) kernel /boot/loader savedefault title FreeBSD Portable Disk root (hd1,1,a) kernel /boot/loader savedefault title OpenBSD Portable Disk root (hd1,2) chainloader +1 makeactive savedefault -------------------------------------------------- As you can see, on the laptop's hard drive (hd0), I have WindowsXP and two FreeBSD installations. On the USB drive (hd1), I have a non-bootable DOS partition (no entry but would be entered hd1,0), a FreeBSD partition, and an OpenBSD partition. I hope this helps some. -- Kevin
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?200511280218.31226.openbsd.org>