FreeBSD 11.1 installer overwriting windows boot partition

[michael_hackson]

If you currently don't have a proper setup you will run into problems and the thing is when using MBR partitioning the boot loader occupies a "free" sector, without interfering with any of the system files, and there is where FreeBSD boot loader will reside. The thing you are raising questions for to shepper is the GPT-scheme, which is different.

I got my own solution to this through Phishfry's suggestion of using boot0cfg on an MBR but somehow you and I have come to different conclusions.

You seem eager but bare with me and give me the time to do this myself and I'll give you a hands-down guide in private conversation.

My process will most likely look as the YouTube link I have in my post before and I can imagine that the menu that you are looking for will look like the end of the video. Honestly, without trying yet, I can't see any different outcome.

Posting anymore here seems unecessary since other people reading this thread should be able to find the answers already. I could give you the recommendation of searching for more information regarding different boot loaders and partitioning schemes to come to an understanding of how it works.

 

[ucomp]

........
Is there anyone here with knowledge who can answer my question from Post #21:
when BSD first starts right after the Computer's BIOS concludes, when you press the <DOWN ARROW> Key the following comes on the Screen:
-
FreeBSD/x86 boot
Default: 0:ad(0,a)/boot/loader
boot:_

This 'boot' prompt responds with "No" when entering anything other than "/boot/loader" -- which begins loading FreeBSD. What is this prompt? Is this the FreeBSD Boot Menu?

( sorry. didn't read the thread, only the last sentence ( maybe I try in 1/2 an hour) : )

this is stage 2 :
If the boot process is interrupted at stage two, the following interactive screen is displayed:

Example 12.2. boot2 Screenshot
>> FreeBSD/i386 BOOT
Default: 0:ad(0,a)/boot/loader
boot:

Stage two, boot2, is slightly more sophisticated, and understands the FreeBSD file system enough to find files. It can provide a simple interface to choose the kernel or loader to run. It runs loader, which is much more sophisticated and provides a boot configuration file.
---
( https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/boot-introduction.html )

 

[shepper]

Are you certain this is accurate?

Most LInux distributions allocate 1MB for grub: reference=https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GRUB

Create a mebibyte partition (+1M with fdisk or gdisk) on the disk with no file system and with partition type GUID 21686148-6449-6E6F-744E-656564454649.

• Select partition type BIOS boot for fdisk, ef02 for gdisk.
• For parted set/activate the flag bios_grub on the partition.

This partition can be in any position order but has to be on the first 2 TiB of the disk.

A traditional sector, circa windows xp/7, is 512 bytes: reference= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_sector.

 

[Terry Mester]

...
A traditional sector, circa windows xp/7, is 512 bytes: reference= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_sector.

It would appear that the first part of FreeBSD's Boot Manager (boot0) fits entirely within Sector 0, and so this wouldn't run over into the Windows Partition which would begin on Sector 1. This wouldn't be the cause of the problem I'm experiencing.

( sorry. didn't read the thread, only the last sentence ( maybe I try in 1/2 an hour) : )...
---
( https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/boot-introduction.html )

Okay, I'm not getting the Boot Menu message shown in Example 12.1 when my Computer boots up:
Example 12.1. boot0 Screenshot
F1 Win
F2 FreeBSD
Default: F2

I don't know if this problem is unique to BSD V11.1, or existed on older Versions, since no BSD programmer has responded to this Thread, but V11.1 is definitely defective. I hope that a BSD programmer will show up here soon to explain.

 

[Terry Mester]

HALELUIAH!!!!! SUCCESS AT LAST!!!!! SUCCESS AT LAST!!!!! SUCCESS AT LAST!!!!!
I've achieved SUCCESS AT LAST!!!!!
The following Command Line successfully installed the FreeBSD Boot Menu:
boot0cfg -Bv -b boot0 -f /boot/mbrbackup -o update -s 1 -t 100 ada0

After this Command the FreeBSD Boot Menu comes up after the BIOS as follows:
F1 Win
F2 FreeBSD

F6 PXE
Boot: F1

[N. B. This Menu waits about six seconds for you to press F1/F2/F6 before loading the default F1 (Windows OS). You can change "-s 1" to "-s 2" in the boot0cfg Command Line if you want BSD to be the default.] I don't know what PXE is, but pressing F6 causes the Computer's BIOS to be unable to boot up.

My success in fixing the Boot Menu does not mean that BSD V11.1 is not defective. This Menu should have been successfully created by the FreeBSD Installer. / My old Master Boot Record file stated at the end: "Invalid partition table ^@Error". Hopefully one of you can explain what this means.

 

[Terry Mester]

I have had to reinstall FreeBSD on a new Hard Drive after my old Drive fried. The aforementioned solution in Post #30 to fix the Boot Menu is not working from the Live CD. Can I fix the Boot Menu from the Live CD, or will I have to reformat again?

 

[covacat]

it should work just specify the correct path for the backup file and boot0
ex -f /tmp/backupmbr.test -b /somepath/with/boot0

 

[SirDice]

Note that boot0cfg(8) only works for MBR partitioned disks and UFS. It does not work for GPT or ZFS.

 

[Alain De Vos]

I always installed a small linux partition & grub to boot freebsd & windows and this always worked.
Linux gparted allows to shrink any ntfs partition

 

[Terry Mester]

it should work just specify the correct path for the backup file and boot0
ex -f /tmp/backupmbr.test -b /somepath/with/boot0

I tried the following two Commands, and got the ensuing Error Messages:
boot0cfg -Bv -b /boot/boot0 -f /boot/mbrbackup -o update -s 1 -t 100 ada0
boot0cfg: can't open file /boot/mbrbackup to write backup: Read-only file system

boot0cfg -Bv -b /ada0/boot/boot0 -f /ada0/boot/mbrbackup -o update -s 1 -t 100 ada0
boot0cfg: can't open file /ada0/boot/mbrbackup to write backup: Read-only file system

Note that boot0cfg(8) only works for MBR partitioned disks and UFS. It does not work for GPT or ZFS.

My FreeBSD setup is UFS. Thanks for the caution.

I always installed a small linux partition & grub to boot freebsd & windows and this always worked.
Linux gparted allows to shrink any ntfs partition

I don't have Linux installed. I like the FreeBSD Boot Menu which is simple and compact -- no muss no fuss. My Post #30 command line boot0cfg works from the Hard Drive FreeBSD installation.