> So I downloaded all the package files, wrote them to a USB stick, > created a bootable image with GRUB, booted into the OpenBSD installer > and off we go. Now, this computer already had Windows 7 and Linux, > plus about 16 GB of unpartitioned space where OpenBSD is going. It's > actually the same notebook from two years ago.
Not very smart trying to install another OS on a disk that has anything else you want on it. I think you took a silly risk. Did you see the part where it says you're supposed to have a good backup? > password. Configuration of network interfaces. I'm not actually paying > a whole lot of attention to the questions as this is just a test > installation and I figure I can always explore and configure the > system later. Big mistake, as you found out later. > And my partition table is gone. Poof! Instantly, with no confirmation. Yeah, BSD spares us the endless hair pulling OK "confirmation" dialogs that come standard with Windows and BSD users appreciate that. No, we demand it. > I immediately realized what had happened and rebooted. Too late. I got > a "No OS" message. It seems that the OpenBSD installer actually > overwrites the partition table the instant you press Enter. It's pretty offensive when software does what you tell it, is that what you are saying? > What saved me was an Ubuntu installation CD and the wonderful tool > gpart (http://www.brzitwa.de/mb/gpart/). With a bit of tinkering in > gpart and some very careful work with the Linux version of fdisk, I > managed to reconstruct the partition table and saved my system. Great. Do that a few more times and you'll have the know-how to multiboot a new OS. BTW many Linux distros will do the same thing to you. No intelligent person adds a new OS to an existing disk with important stuff on it unless he knows what he is doing. For you, VirtualBox or VMWare would have made alot of sense. It still would except from your whining I don't really think you're cut out for OpenBSD. Ubuntu would be good for you, probably. > Distributing an installation program that can wipe out the user's hard > disk instantly on a single wrong keystroke, without so much as a > confirmation prompt is so shortsighted and irresponsible that I can > barely believe it. Try installing another copy of Windows on the same disk and let us know how you make out. Even better, try OS/2. It will nail every disk you have. Actually so will most Windows, they write bootloaders on every disk they find, without asking you and with no confirmation dialogs. > This is not about being an expert user or knowing what you want to do, > because I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Maybe, but you had no idea *how* to do it. Critical difference there buddy. > This is about incredibly stupid user interface design. Sorry, it's just > too unbelievable that someone would think that this is actually a good > idea. Well honestly the BSD installers are mostly old and cranky but we know how they work pretty well by now and they very seldom do anything but what you tell them. You're coming from Windows and hand-holding "OS" and you got a taste of a serious OS. You can't really blame the installer for believing you meant what you typed. > > I joined this mailing list just to tell you this: Right now, I feel > like never, ever touching OpenBSD with a ten-foot pole again. Have a nice day luser! I didn't even have to join the list to say that.
