# Free BSD killed my hd...?



## JPS (Aug 9, 2011)

Ok a lil background first.

Model:  Lenovo Z560 / 310M Nvidia Graphics Chipset / i5 Intel Pentium / 4 Gig Ram

Bought from New Egg on June 6th 2011.  Open Box purchase.

Ive installed and reinstalled ubuntu, backtrack5 (debian core) without a problem however this would always upset grub and windows in general when I would remove Ubuntu to try BackTrack5.  Window's wouldnt boot but I would use Window's Recovery Disk and which never failed to allow me to reboot back into Windows and begin again.

After doing this a few times I decided to download and use Easy BSD.  I used it in conjunction with Ubuntu, BackTrack, and Windows without a problem.

I then took the leap to install FreeBSD.  I began to install FreeBSD ONLY after removing all linux OS's.  The only thing I had was Windows 7 which was fine.  I think I had a primary partition created right behind Windows 7 also which FreeBSD requires. --- I was extreamly careful with which partion NOT to erase and could see clearly the windows partition by the shear size of the OS and installed FBSD just after that. --- There was another partition after that which was the Lenovo back up or somefink  but that "backup" never interfeared with the linux installs.
So the partition went MBR, Windows7, FreeBSD, and Lenovo "Backup".  The "Backup" as Im refering it to is preinstalled on the hd of new Lenovo's.  At least it was with mine.  So after going through all my options etc for the FreeBSD install I press the button to install and it asks me to "remove the disk" and the install would then reboot...

When the Laptop attempted to reboot it stayed on the boot splash screen.  I could do NOTHING.  I couldn't key F2  I couldn't key F12 which were my only options at the boot screen.  I even tried to press the Lenovo Recovery Button eventually.  This would wipe out the entire Hard Drive and give me a clean slate at least but nothing...  I scoured the web for 2 days and came up with the conclusion my circuit board died.  I even tired to take my hd out and put it back in yada yada...  Anyway, the newer laptop CMOS's are soldered on the board and cant be removed like a Desk Top CMOS which would allow me to reboot my system.  The laptop was less than 2 months old so I sent it back to Lenovo.

FINAL:  *Lenovo says they replace the HD as they feel it was Hitachi's fault and not the circuit board...  What are the chances of that happening as I dont feel FreeBSD was at fault and replacing a hard drive is cheaper for them than replacing the circuit board obviously?  *I bought the Lenovo/IBM becuase of its fledgling reputation.  It tested overall just under the MacBook and was only 1/3 the price when compared to the higher end Mac.  *Could having the 3rd party Easy BSD (which I used without hassel with both BackTrack and Unbuntu) have gotten in the way with FreeBSD install somehow?*  Yes, I know about GAG but havent tried yet.  The Easy BSD show's Linux (flavors) and FreeBSD compatible with the boot Mgr and states it clearly on their website.  Any insight would be helpful. 

I apologize for the length of explanation.


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## wblock@ (Aug 9, 2011)

Easy *BCD*, not BSD...

What happened?  Several possibilities.  The hard drive might have actually died.  A standard FreeBSD MBR install would wipe out the Windows 7 GPT, and the BIOS might not like that.  If the system could boot from other media, that would have narrowed it down.


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## JPS (Aug 9, 2011)

BCD.  I obviously had BSD on my mind...!  

Intersting, I didn't know Windows 7 was using GPT's.  On that note, people who've installed FreeBSD and dual boot with Windows 7 would've had the same isssue as all windows 7 partion the same.  So it couldn't have been the GPT being erased...  

See diagram...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463525.aspx

The "system" should have booted from the install as EasyBCD states that after installing the Linux (they combine both into one "direction" set up under "linux")  Maybe EasyBSD doesn't work with FreeBSD.  A search on the forums should confirm.

If I don't have anymore takers I suppose Ill buy a second hard drive and hand swap em...  It'll be a pain but at least I wont have to deal with the above issue happening agan.


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## wblock@ (Aug 9, 2011)

JPS said:
			
		

> BCD.  I obviously had BSD on my mind...!
> 
> Intersting, I didn't know Windows 7 was using GPT's.  On that note, people who've installed FreeBSD and dual boot with Windows 7 would've had the same isssue as all windows 7 partion the same.  So it couldn't have been the GPT being erased...



It would depend on whether that particular BIOS is expecting a known layout on disk, since that's what is doing the booting.  That problem has been found on some systems.  Back in the IBM days, they used strange MBR setups for the Thinkpad recovery partition.  It still booted from a standard MBR, though.



> The "system" should have booted from the install as EasyBCD states that after installing the Linux (they combine both into one "direction" set up under "linux")  Maybe EasyBSD doesn't work with FreeBSD.  A search on the forums should confirm.



EasyBCD does work with FreeBSD.  AFAIR it even has a category for BSD or FreeBSD booting.



> If I don't have anymore takers I suppose Ill buy a second hard drive and hand swap em...  It'll be a pain but at least I wont have to deal with the above issue happening agan.



For testing, I'd dd(1) the factory setup onto a second drive and experiment on that.


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## JPS (Aug 11, 2011)

> Back in the IBM days, they used strange MBR setups for the Thinkpad recovery partition. It still booted from a standard MBR, though.



I think they (IBM) still do OR what we're most likely seeing is the 'new' Windows 7 partition layout...  I've had mac for the past 5 years so it's been awhile since I've taken a look at the MBR on a PC.  Either way...



> EasyBCD does work with FreeBSD. AFAIR it even has a category for BSD or FreeBSD booting.



Indeed, that's why I was a bit shocked when the system couldn't boot past the Lenovo Boot Splash/Screen.  




> For testing, I'd dd(1) the factory setup onto a second drive and experiment on that.



On a final note, if I do try to install windows on a second hd and then go through the process again...  It would be the same set up.  The only varible would be EasyBCD and I don't want to lose another HD.  Remember I couldn't even wipe the hd if I wanted to at the hang-up point from the inital "crash"...  So I think Ill play it safe and install FreeBSD on a totally seperate hd and hand swap em.  

...Or I could buy a second laptop used laptop for that matter and put a fresh install of FreeBSD and keep my main laptop for school work.  *Would anyone have an idea about what used laptop I could get that would be driver friendly on an older laptop?*  Ive seen $200 dollar laptops by Compaq IIRC from Tiger Direct.  They have specials everyonce in awhile.  I Suppose thats an option too.  It all hinges on the wirless aspect of the laptop and if it will configure with FreeBSD.  The wirell aspect would be essential.


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