Howto - Dual Boot PC-BSD/Windows in an easyway - PC-BSD Forums

mohamed · #1 05-31-2008, 08:06 AM

Hello,

This is what I did to make it dual boot:

1-Install windows first.

2-In the other partition install PC-BSD.But don't check the boot loader option, so now the install progress should not touch windows boot loader.

3-When the install is finished, it should reboot into Windows.

4-In windows download the latest EasyBCD.

5-Run EasyBCD, you should add an entry, as you should see your BSD partition. (you can figure it out, it's a peace of cake)

6-Reboot ... you should see your windows boot manager listing, and your PCBSD should be listed there ! ! !

Good luck

KenWeiLL · #2 08-26-2008, 02:18 AM

Can't PC-BSD automatically create its own dual-boot thing?

Is EasyBSD really needed to dual boot?

What if I install Windows first, then install PC-BSD in the other partition? If i check boot-loader, will it make windows unbootable?

TerryP · #3 08-26-2008, 07:18 PM

The FreeBSD boot loader included with PC-BSD can boot Windows <= NT5.1 (e.g. XP), don't have an NT6 install (Vista0 to try.

Somepeople prefer or need other boot loaders.

KenWeiLL · #4 09-18-2008, 03:53 PM

Actually, i have tried installing PCBSD 1.5
Boot loader is actually not a GUI based.

Other than that, it's default is to boot from PCBSD. I have no idea how to change it.

Im hoping this is improved in 7. Im currently downloding 7 now.

Edward · #5 09-21-2009, 12:33 PM

This is what scares me, my dad installed it & windows wouldn't boot anymore, so I am a bit put off by that. I don't want to nuke my windows ability to boot. I just have XP so easybcd won't work..

graedus · #6 09-22-2009, 12:42 AM

Of course, to each its own, but the quick and easy way to dualboot is with the default bootloader, not with a third party one.

The default freebsd bootloader will boot out of the box windows nt 5/5.1/6/7 (that's 2000, xp, vista, and 7).

With 7 you will need to do a quick repair of the boot files but no biggie.

I personally like gag, but other do work as well.

Lol-x · #7 11-22-2009, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by graedus

The default freebsd bootloader will boot out of the box windows nt 5/5.1/6/7 (that's 2000, xp, vista, and 7).

With 7 you will need to do a quick repair of the boot files but no biggie.

I personally like gag, but other do work as well.

Since I installed Windows 7 the PCBSD bootloader will not work.

I just installed PCBSD 7.1.1 as a repair/upgrade. It didn't seem to make any difference.

I would be very thankful if someone might point me in the right direction here.

mal.exe · #8 11-23-2009, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by mal.exe

So now that was interesting.

After I finished installing Vista I installed Freebsd 8.0 Current then PCBSD 7.1

I try to boot Vista today, BAM the infamous winload.exe (0xc000000e) error message. Damn I can't boot into my vista now. I do remember having to do some thing for vista to be able to participate into a dual-boot.

I try to boot with my support cd from alienware (pretty much only the support tools of the windows vista cd + drivers). The Vista partition is not detected, and trying any option like repair, restore does not work. There is a command prompt which I can try to use.

With the command prompt I go with these commands:
1. bcdedit /CREATESTORE C:\BCD
2. I shutdown the laptop, then boot on the CD again (not reboot, a complete shutdown was necessary for me *shrugs*)
3. bcdedit /set {default} device partition=c:
4. bcdedit /set {default} osdevice partition=c:
5. bcdedit /set {bootmgr} device partition=c:

I then reboot, ta-dam !!! Everything works, I can now boot into Vista, FreeBSD and PCBSD. that's great.

Now is time to go back on making the bluetooth keyboard and mouse into working.

here is the useful link information:
http://pi3141.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/ ... /#comments

BillB0B · #9 01-03-2010, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Lol-x

Originally Posted by graedus

The default freebsd bootloader will boot out of the box windows nt 5/5.1/6/7 (that's 2000, xp, vista, and 7).

With 7 you will need to do a quick repair of the boot files but no biggie.

I personally like gag, but other do work as well.

Since I installed Windows 7 the PCBSD bootloader will not work.

I just installed PCBSD 7.1.1 as a repair/upgrade. It didn't seem to make any difference.

I would be very thankful if someone might point me in the right direction here.

Get EasyBCD it works on Win7 and PCBSD 7.11 and 8.

vulcanrob · #10 05-10-2011, 06:18 PM

I installed pc-bsd after windows 7 and when I tried to boot into windows from the stark bsd menu I got a windows error.

I found this page and booted off the windows 7 dvd and went to the prompt and found windows 7 thought it was now on the D: drive, so I modified the first bcdedit command and put:

d:\windows\system32\bcdedit /createstore d:\bcd

and then shutdown and restarted onto the windows 7 dvd again. This time the windows dvd found the windows installation and offered to fix it, so I let it and it did a good job, all works well now. Thanks for starting this thread! --rob