# 8.1R + dangerously dedicated on USB?



## gardner (Jul 12, 2011)

I have a need to pull a disk that is "dangerously dedicated" from a 7.3R box and attach it via a USB adapter to an 8.1R box.  The 7.3 box has some hardware issues and this feels like the easiest way to extract a backup from the drive prior to dinking with it.

Does anyone have a feel for whether this will work?  I know the 8.1R sysinstall doesn't understand bdslabeled disks, but I am unsure of the 8.1 kernel will puke on it.  Also, is there any interaction with the USB subsystem that will make bdslabeled disks fail?

Thanks.


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## SirDice (Jul 12, 2011)

I don't think it will be an issue.


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## jem (Jul 13, 2011)

The kernel will have no problem with bsdlabelled disks.  The "Dangerous" part only referred to the possibility of Windows trashing an unrecognized MBR if it saw it.

I'm still booting machines from bsdlabelled USB sticks.


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## gardner (Jul 13, 2011)

Thanks guys.  I still haven't made time to pull the drive and actually try it for myself yet.


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## _martin (Jul 13, 2011)

gardner said:
			
		

> I know the 8.1R sysinstall doesn't understand bdslabeled disks



Mhm? So which kind does it understand then? So far it doesn't understand GPT layout, but there is some _fuzz_ to include this in the future.

I do boot off FreeBSD from  USB disk from time to time without problem. Well, once I forgot I did boot off it and unplugged it on fly .. but that's a problem between chair and keyboard, not FreeBSD.


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