Member Avatar for mikeandike22
mikeandike22 18 Nearly a Posting Virtuoso

Intro

I just moved from Linux(ubuntu) to BSD (DesktopBSD/FreeBSD) as you might have read in my blog. So here are some things you might want to know about my install situation that could help you out later.

First Scenario: Remove Linux Completely

I installed my DesktopBSD right over my Linux install partition which lead to problems like for example Grub still being installed and not loading. So after you install and reboot you will get a Grub error 17. Im no Grub guru so cant tell you wat that actually means, but here is how you fix it:

Option 1: Have a windows XP cd handy? snatch that up and put it in. Launch into the recovery mode or rescue w.e cmd prompt and after you login type fixmbr this will rewrite your Master Boot Record and get rid of the problem.

Option 2: If you dont have a windows installation or dont have the cd there are livecds or linux distros that will do this. I believe Suse 9 has something similar. Also if you have a copy of Dos you can do it on that.
Now that you got that done you will be able to boot into your windows partition and now you will have to modify your Boot.ini file to add *BSD to the NT bootloader. Get a program called bootpart and follow the instructions. It will tell you all the OS's on your system and allow you to select which ones you want in the list, then modifies your Boot.ini and MBR to that configuration.

Second Scenario: Keep Linux

Ok so this is pretty obvious. Dont install over your linux partition and then edit your grub list to include FreeBSD. However make sure that your linux partitions are ext2 if you plan on mounting them inside BSD because it can not read ext3 atm.

  • 1 Contributor
  • 0 Replies
  • 124 Views

Dani AI

Generated

Good practical notes from — the boot surprises described are exactly why a few extra precautions are worth the trouble. Before touching partitions, make a full copy of critical data and save a small image of the disk header so you can restore a broken boot area. From a Linux live environment you can snapshot the first 512 bytes (replace the device name with the correct disk for your machine):

dd if=/dev/sda of=~/mbr-backup.bin bs=512 count=1

Always double-check device names and keep that backup off the target disk.

If possible, use a separate physical disk for the BSD install or run it first in a virtual machine. On single-disk systems, create distinct slices for the BSD root and a separate data/home area so user files survive reinstalls. For modern FreeBSD installs consider ZFS if the hardware has enough RAM; UFS is still a stable, simple choice for smaller setups. The FreeBSD Handbook has clear, maintained guidance on partitioning and filesystems: FreeBSD Handbook.

For sharing data between Linux and BSD, prefer network file services (Samba or NFS) or a small dedicated cross-platform data partition accessed through well-supported drivers. Copying user data with rsync is safe and preserves ownership and timestamps; an example:

rsync -avh --progress /home/you/ /mnt/shared/you/

When testing boot changes, keep a rescue USB at hand and avoid rushed edits to boot records. If unsure, repeat the layout and boot steps inside a VM first, then apply them to real hardware. For most problems the installer and recovery chapters of the FreeBSD Handbook will point to safe repairs and recovery workflows.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.