# Install across 2 disks



## FestusHagen (Jan 7, 2009)

Hi all,

I am trying to install 7.0-R accross two disks from CD.
This will be a server.

The purpose is to mount root,swp,var,tmp on the first disk and /usr on the second disk.
 (or possiably other arangements, suggestions welcome)

According to the handbook, it states:


> 2.6.4 Creating Slices on Another Drive
> If there is more than one drive, it will return to the Select Drives screen after the boot manager selection. If you wish to install FreeBSD on to more than one disk, then you can select another disk here and repeat the slice process using FDisk.



I intend to use dedicated disk's and therefore do not get the Boot Manager Selection screen. (though I have tried both ways)

How does one get back to the "Select Drives screen" to be able to fdisk / label disk ad1???

Thanks
-Enjoy
fh  : )_~


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## sasha (Jan 7, 2009)

I think, you can perform a minimal installation on first disk without creation /usr partition, then use newfs for second disk, manually mount it as /usr1, copy /usr to /usr1, remove contents of /usr and remount second drive to /usr.

But why you want to place /usr on different disk? May be create there filesystem and mount it as /data?

PS: sorry for my English..


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## Djn (Jan 7, 2009)

If you do a custom install, you get back to the menu where you can select "fdisk" after each step.


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## FestusHagen (Jan 8, 2009)

sasha said:
			
		

> I think, you can perform a minimal installation on first disk without creation /usr partition, then use newfs for second disk, manually mount it as /usr1, copy /usr to /usr1, remove contents of /usr and remount second drive to /usr.
> 
> But why you want to place /usr on different disk? May be create there filesystem and mount it as /data?
> 
> PS: sorry for my English..



Your english is fine, I understood, and that is what matters!

I have piles and piles of 1.2G and smaller drives! 1.2G wasn't enough for 7.x & Source... So I added another drive.

This box also has a Promise TX4-300 Sata controller with 4 ST31500341AS-SD17 drives as well for user data. The CD install will not run with this card in the box. (Q's for another topic)

I have gotten through the issue, I couldn't believe the handbook was that wrong so I persisted trying. The results were in fact as the handbook simply states.

Why I was unable to get to it on the first cd boot attempt I have not yet traced but will. There were two things I did different on the second cd boot attempt.
1. Used 'dd' to wipe the second disks head and tail.
2. fdisk'd each disc BEFORE label'ing the first disk! I'm suspecting (though have not tested YET!) that if you fdisk the first disk then label it before fdisk'ing the second disk the 'Select Disk' menu is no longer presented.

I am just about to do the install again here in a few minutes and I'll test for that in the process.

Thank you all for your responses.

-Enjoy
fh  : )_~


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