how to use the pcbsd9.0 usb as a live session cd - PC-BSD Forums

rvc · #1 07-31-2012, 05:09 PM

i ve downloaded and made a usb stick from pcbsd9.0-usbfull-x64.img. i am able to boot of the usb but it redirects to the installer.

i have windows 7 on my primary c, and am running linuxmint13 64 bit from other partition.

question 1. can i use the usb stick as a live session cd before i go for a clean install on the harddisk

question2. can i use a triple boot with this pcbsd version along with win7 and linuxmint13 ? and if i can, how do i go about installing pcbsd on my available free partition ?

question3. the installer does not recognise the free partition (which is currently in ntfs) how to make the installer identify the total disk volumes so i can format it to the required ufs filesystem where i can install pcbsd and be able to choose from 3 OS using the triple boot option.

i am totally new to pcbsd and would appreciate if some guidance is provided in this direction.

kmoore134 · #2 07-31-2012, 05:27 PM

1:

You can use the Live image as a read-only image, to test your hardware /
functionality. We will see about making it a RW image for 9.2

2:

Yes, you can triple boot. You will need to create a 3rd primary
partition for PC-BSD (It doesn't play well with Extended parts), install
to it, and then adjust whatever boot-loader you use.

3:

See above, it needs to be a MBR primary partition to show up.

rvc · #3 07-31-2012, 05:50 PM

thank you very much sir... for your prompt reply. honestly i was keen to run pcbsd9.0 after i read your excerpts of the interview on unixmen which i posted here => http://vedgoo.com/article.php/pcbsd-...ith-Kris-Moore.

the first tihing i did was to download the usbfull image in 64bit bz2 which i extracted, used the dd option to create my usb stick. i felt i ll first test run it using the stick but i am unable to use the live session. everytime it leads me to the installer ! how i wish i could run a live session!

secondly, my hdd is a 500gb, where c: by default came with win7. sda1. sda2 is a combo of sda5/6/7 etc. where i have a 100 odd gb empty partition which is currently in ntfs.
to convert it to ufs or zfs (where it says i need 4gb ram and i have 3gb - will that be a good option to go with zfs or should i stick to ufs?) ; do i have to delete that partition and assign the new format ? if i am not mistaken this is in the extended volume. how to make this as a additional primary ? i am sorry if my questions are silly but i wish to dig into pcbsd at the same time keeping my existing OS and data intact ! all this only if the installer identifies the empty extended partition in ntfs... ?

thanks in advance.
regards,
r v c

kmoore134 · #4 08-02-2012, 03:45 PM

There will be a new live DVD for 9.1-RC1 if you can test with that

As for the partition, it will need to be a primary partition. You can
tell if it is primary, if when you run the installer, go to the disk
customization wizard -> advanced, then look at the partitions available
for installation. If its primary, will show up in there as ada0s3 or
something like that.

fluca1978 · #5 08-02-2012, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by rvc

secondly, my hdd is a 500gb, where c: by default came with win7. sda1. sda2 is a combo of sda5/6/7 etc. where i have a 100 odd gb empty partition which is currently in ntfs.
to convert it to ufs or zfs (where it says i need 4gb ram and i have 3gb - will that be a good option to go with zfs or should i stick to ufs?) ; do i have to delete that partition and assign the new format ? if i am not mistaken this is in the extended volume. how to make this as a additional primary ? i am sorry if my questions are silly but i wish to dig into pcbsd at the same time keeping my existing OS and data intact ! all this only if the installer identifies the empty extended partition in ntfs... ?

If the partition you want to use is extended as you state you will not be able to install PCBSD on it. You have to dedicate one of the four primary partition to PCBSD, and this could mean deleting existing partitions. As a suggestion, backup your data (or clone the disk) before proceeding. As Kris says, go to the installation partitioner and check that the number after the s is between 0 and 3 (i.e., sda1-4 in Linux).

rvc · #6 08-02-2012, 05:33 PM

the 100 odd gb that is empty is in the extended part which says logical when viewed from win7. i just downloaded gparted. wanted to know if i can boot of the gparted live and use the utility to move / interchange partitions from primary to extended. again my quieries may sound wierd but i read somewhere that gparted helps in moving partitions ! havent tried it (i wish to delete the existing empty partition, shrink the extended partition, next move a primary partition (with data) to the extended partition (mostly the data is my home dir for my linux) then use the space available in the primary part to create a new primary partition ! seems wierd but the usb full img file i downloaded is just luring me to set off into my pcbsd explorations ! thank you for your prompt replies !
best regards rvc

fluca1978 · #7 08-03-2012, 05:49 AM

I don't believe it is possible to "move" a partition from extended/logical to primary, at least I never did. It could be possible, but I don't bet on it!

rvc · #8 08-03-2012, 12:28 PM

thank you for the advice champ... someday will dare to go about it and be prepared for the consequences ! i just wish to install pcbsd along with the existing OS !

rvc · #9 08-03-2012, 06:10 PM

will check that out. i ll have to identify if i have a primary partion that can be used for ufs file system. just another of my silly quiery ! can i move the data from the primary partition to the empty extended partition ? (hopefully assuming its not the /home partition. if at all its a /home partition that i am currently using for linux mint, can that be moved using gparted live ? i meant moving data from primary to extended and if i do that how to go about syncing that so that when i boot on to mint, i get the /home accessible by default. if this major jugglery is possible then i can install pcbsd9 stable release out right on that partition)
sorry for my quieries but i wish to use pcbsd without disturbing my current setup ! preferably with a clean install

best regards,
r v c

rvc · #10 08-10-2012, 08:08 AM

I have successfully installed as per details below:
C:\Windows
/dev/sda3: PCBSD9
/dev/sda5 (extended/logical) : Ubuntu 12.04 Hybrye with grub on sda (MBR)

grub detects windows and linux, how do i boot into pcbsd ? i ve come this near ! but it will be a great experience to boot into pcbsd. will grub identify ? if so, how do i configure grub ?

thanks in advace !
regards,
r v c