Re: BSD handbook - was Re: debiantutorials.org seeks input and new blood

["Michael M. Moore" <michael@writemoore.net>]

On Sat, 2009-05-16 at 01:41 +0800, Bret Busby wrote:

> However, on the web page at 
> http://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq4.html#Multibooting , under the heading 
> "4.8 - Multibooting OpenBSD/i386"
> is
> "Only one of the four primary MBR partitions can be used for booting 
> OpenBSD (i.e., extended partitions will not work)."
> 
> Whilst it would be a 64 bit version that would be intended to be 
> installed, to be able to use the full 4GB of RAM, I am concerned at the 
> reference to "the four primary MBR partitions".
> 
> Does this mean that only four OS's can be installed, for multiple 
> booting?

My understanding is that different OS's have different requirements.  So
I don't think it is true to say "only four OS's can be installed" on one
disc, but there are some OS's that must be installed on a primary
partition (or at least have their boot partitions on a primary
partition).  Linux OS's can be installed on logical partitions, and at
least some versions of MS Windows can also.  AFAIK, the BSD's need the
boot slice (at least) installed on a primary partition.  I'm pretty
sure, though, that not all BSD slices need to be on primary partitions.
(For one thing, you can spread your installation over two or more hard
drives, and I don't remember reading that those additional slices need
to be on primary partitions.)

Personally, I found it tricky to get my head around the BSD slice
concept, not because it's difficult, but just because I was so used to
the "usual" notions of primary, extended, and logical partitions.
Slices are a whole other layer you have to incorporate into your
thinking.  You really have to read the docs and get yourself comfortable
with how BSD does things.

-- 
Michael M.