FreeBSD 9 doesn't install on i50

Hi,

Until yesterday my i50 was operating linux debian with no problem. Today I tried to install FreeBSD 9 using mfsbsd (9.0 rc1). Install went ok until reboot. Reboot never worked. So I set HD from AHCI to IDE and retried and it was same problem. It looks like if there is no operating system on the HD.

The i50 is a full Intel mini PC with H55 chipset and Intel IGP. Do you have any idea what is wrong? I will try then to install with bsdinstall (downloading system now).
 
Epic fail! So, I got 9.0 RELEASE and I tried another full zfs install: fail. Ok, so I tried new bsdinstall with full default and so ufs: fail. I guess the problem is on the GPT side. So I will now try full zfs mbr 8.2 install and then upgrade. What a pity the new installer dont have zfs/ufs and mbr/gpt choice :(
 
Unfortunately even on new installer Zfs option don't exist and this is something that should be already included as an option on FreeBSD. But the good news is that FreeBSD can be built on Zfs just not via the installer. You must do it by hand. I made a lot of tries in the past but never made it. Now my dream came true. See this and this
 
Yeah, already saw this howto and used it also. But the problem is [cmd=]gpart create -s gpt ada0[/cmd] so you get a gpt install and my server will fail to boot. I guess all I need is managing to use MBR instead of GPT and it should be ok.
 
sk8harddiefast said:
PS: The how to is not telling it but before gpart create you must first gpart destroy!
Code:
gpart destroy -F ada0
Yeah and before gpart destroy you must :
Code:
gpart delete -i 3 ada0
gpart delete -i 2 ada0
gpart delete -i 1 ada0
I mean I didnt used -F (force ?) ;)
 
That was it :)

I used a mix of 8.0 install in MBR howto and 9.0 install in GPT howto using the 9.0 memstick and managed to get my i50 booting. I should publish an howto as soon as I have some time for the unfortunates that the FreeBSD team left alone with their computers not able to boot 9.0 with GPT. My i50 is NOT an old computer but built in 2011 and not some weird hardware but Intel CPU with Intel chipset so I guess I'm not alone with this problem.

In the meantime the start is:
Code:
gpart create -s mbr ada0
gpart add -t freebsd ada0
gpart set -a active -i 1 ada0
gpart create -s BSD ada0s1
gpart add -s 451G -t freebsd-zfs ada0s1
gpart add -t freebsd-swap ada0s1

Hope that will help.
 
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