Hi Toomas, > I do believe you should be able to point the installer to create pool on existing slice (not to reuse existing pool). Second option: the one after use whole disk is the one to point to the existing partition (MBR). I don't think I have ever seen an option to point to an existing slice on the text installer.
> just use VM to get the first setup to learn from While that makes sense I am used to multi-boot setups. I almost never use VMs on local machines. VM feels like not a good way to unleash full power of an OS/kernel. I am addicted to native hardware performances. However I do love cloud instances that allow remoting. Atiq On Thu, Aug 14, 2025 at 1:54 AM Toomas Soome via oi-dev < oi-dev@openindiana.org> wrote: > > > On 14. Aug 2025, at 11:26, Atiq Rahman <ati...@gmail.com> wrote: > > So my disk name came out to be a long one: "c2t00A075014881A463d0" and I > am creating a fresh new pool in s6 (7th slice). > I am trying to get away with my mid week sorcery! > > Don't judge me. I barely concocted a majestic `zpool create` command doing > few searches online (been a while, I don't remember any of the arguments) > > $ sudo zpool create -o ashift=12 -O compression=lz4 -O atime=off -O > normalization=formD -O mountpoint=none -O canmount=off rpool > /dev/dsk/c2t00A075014881A463d0s6 > > I had a tiny bit of hesitation on putting in the mount restriction > switches, thinking whether it will prevent the *BSD Loader* from looking > up inside the pool. > > Then before running the text-installer (PS: no GUI yet for me, iGPU: > radeon not supported, dGPU: Nvidia RTX 4060, driver does modeset unloading) > I take the zfs pool off, > > $ sudo zpool export rpool > > pondered though if that would be a good idea before running the installer. > And then, I traveled to light blue OpenIndiana land. > > $ sudo /usr/bin/text-install > > I got away with a lot of firsts today probably in a decade (zpool create > worked, was able to treasure hunt the partition/slice that I created from > another FOSS OS with help) so while that installer is running I am almost > getting overconfident. > > An error in the end on /tmp/install_log put a dent on that just a tiny > bit. Screenshot attached: one of the py scripts invoked by > /sbin/install-finish: osol_install/ict.py has a TypeError which might have > caused due to NIC not being supported. I thought for a second whether > installer missing anything important by terminating after that TypeError. > > Life goes on: I created an entry on EFI boot manager pointing to > /Boot/bootx64.efi > As I try to boot BSD Loader is complaining that rootfs module not found. > > > As your install did end up with errors, the finalization steps are likely > missing. > > bootadm update-archive -R /mntpointfor_rootfs will create it. > > > While running some beadm command from OI live image I also noticed it said > few times that > Boot menu config missing. I guess I need to mount /boot/efi > > > no, beadm does manage boot environments and one step there is to maintain > BE menu list for bootloader boot environments menu. beadm > create/destroy/activate will update this menu (its located in <pool > dataset>/boot/menu.lst > > > As I am still learning how to make this work, any comment / suggestion is > greatly appreciated. > > Next, I will follow this after above is resolved, > > per > https://docs.openindiana.org/handbook/getting-started/#install-openindiana-to-existing-zfs-pool > , > > As there's possibly already another OS instance installed to the > selected ZFS pool, no additional users or filesystems (like `rpool/export`) > are created during installation. Swap and dump ZFS volumes also are not > created and should be added manually after installation. Only root user > will be available in created boot environment. > > > using existing pool implies you need to take care of many things yourself; > IMO it is leaving just a bit too many things not done, but the thing is, > because it is ending up with things to be done by the operator, it is > definitely not the best option for someone trying to do its first install. > It really is for “advanced mode”, when you know what and how to do to get > setup completed. > > I have not used OI installer for some time, but I do believe you should be > able to point the installer to create pool on existing slice (not to reuse > existing pool). Or as I have suggested before, just use VM to get the first > setup to learn from. > > rgds, > toomas > > which means our installation process (into existing zfs pool) missed a few > steps of usual installation even though we started with a fresh new zfs > pool, no other OS instance. > > Appreciate the help of everyone who chimed in: Joshua, Toomas, John and > others to help me discover the magic to install into specific partition > instead of using the whole disk. > > > Cheers! > > Atiq > > > On Wed, Aug 13, 2025 at 5:53 PM Atiq Rahman <ati...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Hi, >> > You can create your single illumos partition on OI as well, it does not >> have to be a whole disk setup. >> >> Yep, I would prefer to create the pool using an OI live image. So, I >> created a new partition from mkpart using latest parted from a linux system >> for this purpose, >> >> parted > mkpart illumos 767GB 100% >> >> and then set the partition type to solaris launching, >> >> $ sudo gdisk /dev/nvme0n1 >> >> (set the GUID to "6A85CF4D-1DD2-11B2-99A6-080020736631" ) >> >> I booted using OI live gui image (flashed / created it using 07-23 live >> usb image from test dir under hipster), >> Time to kill the switch! >> I see that parted can list all the partitions and format can list some. >> However, not all of them were listed under /dev/dsk or /dev/rdsk I could >> only see p0 to p4 (I guess illumos skipped the linux partitions). >> >> However, when I applied 'zpool create zfs_main >> /dev/rdsk/c2t0xxxxxxxxxxd0p4 it reported no such file or directory! Tried >> various versions of `zpool create`, nothing would succeed! >> >> Wondering if this is some nvme storage support / enumeration issue. >> >> Atiq >> >> >> On Wed, Aug 13, 2025 at 12:18 AM Toomas Soome via illumos-discuss < >> disc...@lists.illumos.org> wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> On 13. Aug 2025, at 09:29, Stephan Althaus via illumos-discuss < >>> disc...@lists.illumos.org> wrote: >>> >>> On 8/13/25 04:17, Atiq Rahman wrote: >>> >>> Copying this to illumos discussion as well if anyone else knows. >>> >>> ---------- Forwarded message --------- >>> From: Atiq Rahman <ati...@gmail.com> >>> Date: Tue, Aug 12, 2025 at 6:23 PM >>> Subject: Re: [OpenIndiana-discuss] Installation on a partition (UEFI >>> System) >>> To: Discussion list for OpenIndiana <openindiana-disc...@openindiana.org >>> > >>> Cc: John D Groenveld <groenv...@acm.org> >>> >>> Hi, >>> I tried a live usb text installer again. Right after the launch text >>> installer shows following as second option on the bottom of the screen, >>> *F5_InstallToExistingPool* >>> >>> Screenshot is below. If you zoom in, you will see the option at the top >>> of the blue background in the bottom part of the image. >>> >>> <text_install_screen.jpg> >>> >>> Can I partition and create a pool using FreeBSD as you mentioned. And, >>> then use this option to install on that pool. >>> >>> *Note that my system is EFI Only (no legacy / no CSM).* >>> >>> Sincerely, >>> >>> Atiq >>> >>> >>> On Tue, Aug 12, 2025 at 2:27 PM Atiq Rahman <ati...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi, >>>> Following up again to request confirmation regarding the "partition the >>>> disk" option in the installer. >>>> >>>> At present, it’s impractical for me to carry an external storage device >>>> solely for OpenIndiana. With other operating systems, I can safely install >>>> and test them on my internal SSD without risking my existing setup. >>>> Unfortunately, with OI, this specific limitation and uncertainty are >>>> creating unnecessary friction and confusion. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> You can create your single illumos partition on OI as well, it does not >>> have to be whole disk setup. >>> >>> >>> Could you please confirm the current state of EFI support — >>>> specifically, whether it is possible to safely perform a custom-partition >>>> installation on an EFI-only system, using a FreeBSD live USB image with the >>>> -d option. >>>> >>>> Thank you, >>>> Atiq >>>> >>> >>> >>> yes, it is possible. However, if you intend to share pool with illumos, >>> you need to know the specifics. illumos GPT partition type in FreeBSD is >>> named apple-zfs (its actually the uuid of illumos usr slice from vtoc). >>> FreeBSD boot loader is searching for partition freebsd-zfs to boot the >>> FreeBSD system. >>> >>> In general, I’d suggest to use virtualization to get first glimpse of >>> the OS, to learn its details and facts and then attempt to build >>> complicated multi-os/multi boot setups. >>> >>> rgds, >>> toomas >>> >>> >>>> >>>> On Mon, Aug 4, 2025 at 3:54 PM Atiq Rahman <ati...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi John, >>>>> That's very helpful.. >>>>> >>>>> So, even though I choose "Partition the disk (MBR)" on the text >>>>> installer, it should work fine on my UEFI System after I set up the pool >>>>> using FreeBSD live image. >>>>> Right? I get confused since it mentions "MBR" next to it and my System >>>>> is entirely GPT, no support for legacy / MBR booting at all (no CSM). >>>>> >>>>> Have a smooth Monday, >>>>> >>>>> Atiq >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Tue, Jul 15, 2025 at 5:56 AM John D Groenveld via >>>>> openindiana-discuss <openindiana-disc...@openindiana.org> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> In message <CABC65rOmBY6YmMSB=HQdXq= >>>>>> tdn7d1xr+k8m9-__rqpbzhjz...@mail.gmail.com> >>>>>> , Atiq Rahman writes: >>>>>> >Most likely, I am gonna go with this. It's been a while since I last >>>>>> had a >>>>>> >Solaris machine. I have to figure out the zpool stuff. >>>>>> >>>>>> If you create the pool for OI under FreeBSD, you'll likely need to >>>>>> disable features with the -d option as FreeBSD's ZFS is more feature >>>>>> rich. >>>>>> <URL: >>>>>> https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=zpool-create&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+14.3-RELEASE+and+Ports&arch=default&format=html >>>>>> > >>>>>> >>>>>> Once you get OI installed on your OI pool, you can enable features: >>>>>> <URL:https://illumos.org/man/7/zpool-features> >>>>>> >>>>>> John >>>>>> groenv...@acm.org >>>>>> >>>>> Hello! >>> >>> You can install to an existing pool created with FreeBSD, be shure to >>> use the option "-d" as "zpool create -d <newpool> <partition> " to disable >>> additional ZFS features, see Details here: >>> >>> >>> https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=zpool-create&sektion=8&apropos=0&manpath=FreeBSD+14.3-RELEASE+and+Ports >>> >>> And an EFI partition should be there, too. >>> >>> HTH, >>> >>> Stephan >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> *illumos <https://illumos.topicbox.com/latest>* / illumos-developer / > see discussions <https://illumos.topicbox.com/groups/developer> + > participants <https://illumos.topicbox.com/groups/developer/members> + > delivery options > <https://illumos.topicbox.com/groups/developer/subscription> Permalink > <https://illumos.topicbox.com/groups/developer/T240e6222b19f3259-Mb5fdbbc3baf6394b6072de80> > <1000003941.jpg> > > > _______________________________________________ > oi-dev mailing list > oi-dev@openindiana.org > https://openindiana.org/mailman/listinfo/oi-dev >
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