# Install two FreeBSD into a single primary partition?



## shaform (Sep 22, 2010)

Is it possible to install two FreeBSD into a single primary partition? (in different labels)


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## lyuts (Sep 22, 2010)

Why do you need two separate FreeBSD installations? Maybe it is better to use jails?
UPD: This sounds impossible. If I'm not mistaken, then one partition goes for one OS. Otherwise, how the boot loader will know which OS of these two on this partition to load.


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## shaform (Sep 22, 2010)

Hey, I've found the solution!
Using grub2, I can boot into a particular FreeBSD!!
For example, if I change 'd' to 'a', I can boot from a different label:


```
menuentry "FreeBSD" {
    insmod ufs2
    set root='(hd1,4,d)'
    kfreebsd /boot/kernel/kernel
    kfreebsd_loadenv /boot/device.hints
    kfreebsd_module /boot/splash.bmp type=splash_image_data
    set kFreeBSD.vfs.root.mountfrom=ufs:ad8s4d
}
```
I'm doing this just because I'm testing i386/amd64 versions...
I'm new to FreeBSD... so I don't know what are jails... haha


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## lyuts (Sep 22, 2010)

shaform said:
			
		

> Is it possible to install two FreeBSD into a single primary partition? (in different labels)


So by saying "single primary partition" you actually meant a single slice, didn't you?


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## DutchDaemon (Sep 22, 2010)

Slices and partitions appear to remain an elusive concept.


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## phoenix (Sep 23, 2010)

lyuts said:
			
		

> So by saying "single primary partition" you actually meant a single slice, didn't you?



"Primary partition" in DOS-speak == "disk slice" in FreeBSD speak.    Always has.

"Partition" vs "Partition", though, can get confusing.    The addition of "primary" disambiguates them.


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