# multi boot partition schema



## Diablotin (Oct 27, 2009)

Hi all,

I want to install vista, freebsd and arch linux on my 500 gb hard drive and really want to do a good job. My first experience was a disaster. I installed vista first, Arch linux and Freebsd. I failed on my job

Can you post your multi boot schema or suggest me the best way to do that ?


Thank you


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## Diablotin (Oct 27, 2009)

me again,

i think this will be fine ! !

```
Vista   primary 120gb
/swap   primary 3gb
FreeBSD primary 100gb
Arch linux / home logical 80gb
Arch linux / root logical 25gb
Arch linux / boot logical 200mb
shared fat32 logical 100mb
```
And i will use the swap for both arch and freebsd.

what do you think about that ?

thank you


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## fronclynne (Oct 27, 2009)

Looks fine *except*, Linux swap does not play nice with FreeBSD swap.

Linux wants the swap prepared with mkswapfs & FreeBSD just uses the slice/partition as is, so if FreeBSD uses the swap at all, Linux will get crabby when it goes to configure swap.

The only workaround I can suggest is to put a script that calls mkswapfs before configuring swap in linux (it should only take 5-10 seconds with 3G of swap (though test it first to see if I am correct)).


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## Beastie (Oct 27, 2009)

What for? Just give FreeBSD its own swap (as it should normally be) from within its 100GB slice. With 500GB, you're not wasting too much space for the swap "redundancy". Why make things complicated?

It should work.


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## GPF (Oct 27, 2009)

I agree with Beastie, just give FreeBSD its own swap space partition from within the 100GB slice of the FreeBSD OS.

Anyhoo, if you install windows vista first you might want to install the other two operating systems without messing with the boot loader or the mbr much. For example during the freebsd installation make sure to check the "leave the mbr alone" option kai don't change the active flag on the windows partition. Btw, before installing either freebsd or gnu/linux keep a note of the partition table entries and the C/H/S values with a fdisk command or something. Also, keep back ups.

Easybcd is *the* way to multiboot when you use windows vista heavily. It's also user friendly. Check it out via the following link.
http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1


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## absolutezero1287 (Oct 28, 2009)

fronclynne said:
			
		

> Looks fine *except*, Linux swap does not play nice with FreeBSD swap.
> 
> Linux wants the swap prepared with mkswapfs & FreeBSD just uses the slice/partition as is, so if FreeBSD uses the swap at all, Linux will get crabby when it goes to configure swap.
> 
> The only workaround I can suggest is to put a script that calls mkswapfs before configuring swap in linux (it should only take 5-10 seconds with 3G of swap (though test it first to see if I am correct)).



http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Linux+FreeBSD-3.html


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## NAC (Oct 28, 2009)

I just finished my dual boot, Linux and Freebsd.
my gentoo installed 3 years ago, so definitely i dont wanna go through that ordeal again. 

I have 3 primary partition 2 Logical Partitions
something like, 

/dev/sda1 (/boot for Linux)
/dev/sda2 (Gentoo)
/dev/sda3 (Freebsd)
/dev/sda4  vFat Partition
/dev/sda5  (/Swap Linux)

just install Freebsd as normal, but choose *<leave the master boot Record untouched>* 


boot freebsd use Grub, edit your grub.conf or menu.lst like

```
title FreeBSD
rootnoverify (hd0,x)(x is your freebsd partition)
makeactive
chainloader +1
```
and also make sure your freebsd parition is bootable.

hope this information could help you a bit


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