Dual Booting FreeBSD and Debian GNU/Linux with GRUB
Partition systems in FreeBSD are termed as ad0s1a, ad0s1b, ad0s1d respectively
for the first 3 partitons of the first slice, where ad0 stands for the first
hard disk, s1 stands for the first slice and a, b, c stands for sectors on the
first slice and so on. Similiarly the second hard disk partitons would be
assigned ad1s1a, ad1s1b, ad1s1c where ad1 stands for the second hard disk
drive(HDD) and s1,s2,s3 the slices on the second hard disk and the sectors as
a,b,c respectively similar to that of the first hard disk sectors.
ad0s1a and its equivalent GRUB entry will be (hd0,0,a), assuming that FreeBSD
is installed in the first slice and ad0s1a is the root partition of FreeBSD
(when we use the auto allocate partition feature of FreeBSD).
ad0s1b its equivalent GRUB will entry will be (hd0,0,b). Similarly ad0s1d will
be (hd0,0,c).
or from the following data
FreeBSD<---->GRUB
ad0s1a-------->hd0,0,a
ad0s1b-------->hd0,0,b
ad0s1d-------->hd0,0,e
Partiton systems in Debian GNU/Linux are
GNU/Linux<---->GRUB
hda--------------->hd0
hda1------------->hd0,0
hda2------------->hd0,1
hda3------------->hd0,2
Steps for installating GRUB
STEP 1) Install FreeBSD first and install its Master Boot Record (MBR) on the
first sector of the FreeBSD boot partition.
STEP 2) Then install Debian GNU/Linux on the remaining free space (that is what
i have done) and install the GNU/Linux boot loader named Grand Unified Boot
Loader(GRUB) on the first sector of the boot partition when prompted to do at
installation time. This will owerwrite the BSD MBR. There is no cause for panic
as i'll briefly explain to you how to use GNU/Linux GRUB boot loader to recover
the FreeBSD partition.
STEP 3) Make the following modifications provided in bold at the bottom of the
/boot/grub/menu.list file of Debian GNU/Linux as shown below.
The modified /boot/grub/menu.list file
# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.
## default num # Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering
starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
default 0
## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 3
## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu
# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue
## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret
# # examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#
#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default optons below
## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs
## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specifiv kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/hda2 ro
## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,1)
## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true
## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false
## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single
## nonaltoption boot targets option
## This option contols options to pass to only the
## primary kernel menu item.
## You can have ONLY one nonaltoptions line
# nonaltoptions=quiet splash
## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all
## ## End Default Options ##
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-386
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8.1-2-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8.1-2-386
savedefault
boot
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-386(recovery mode)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8.1-2-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8.1-2-386
savedefault
boot
title Memory test
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
title FreeBSD
root (hd0,0,a)
kernel /boot/loader
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
Step 4) Now reboot your system and press escape to view your boot loader
options. Choose the operating system you wish to use and you are on your way.
Linux Don
Dinesh Jadhav(RHCE)
9867011640
"Do not worry about anything; instead
PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING."
Philippians 4:6
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