# Partitioned FreeBSD for Windows partition boot worked then not



## dpmon (Sep 23, 2020)

Hello,

I originally had installed FreeBSD on a spare desktop I had, version 11.3. Then I decided to follow these steps: https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/disks-growing.html 
for *sysctl kern.geom.debugflags=16*
at the end I switched it back to *sysctl kern.geom.debugflags=0*
I also made sure to add swap back and to turn it back on.
But then I could not reboot so I decided to just shut the computer off.
I inserted a windows usb and installed windows on the partition I set, which was ada0p5. It all worked. I could boot into windows through uefi bios.
When I tried to boot into the regular P:SSD which is where Freebsd was, it would go to:
*gptboot: No /boot/loader on 0:ad(0p2)
gptboot: No /boot/boot/kernel on 0:ad(0p2)
FreeBSD/x86
boot:*

I left that alone and just used the windows partition and it worked well. I started to use this machine for work.
Today I decided to try to fix the FreeBSD partition. So I found this thread: https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/gptboot-no-boot-loader-on-0-ad-0p2.44330/

I booted into a FreeBSD usb version 11.4 I made with rufus and booted into single user mode.
After I executed: *gpart set -a active ada0*
my windows boot option disappeared. I tried recovering the partition with a windows recovery usb but it still does not work.

I am stuck, not sure what to do. I am attaching a picture of my gpart show command.

Can anyone help here? I really should not have done this when I stored work files here.

Thank you.


----------



## dpmon (Sep 23, 2020)

I also used a gpart bootme command for partition 5 to try to boot into windows and did not work. I think you can see the outcome of the command in the image I uploaded.


----------



## mickey (Sep 23, 2020)

The EFI system partition (ESP) is supposed to be the first partitioh on the disk. I am not sure how well the UEFI firmware and/or various UEFI boot loaders will cope with it being partition 5. You also have a freebsd-boot partition, so it should be possible to boot the disk in BIOS mode, did you try that?


----------

