Re: slice X?

From: Jerry McAllister (jerrymc_at_clunix.cl.msu.edu)
Date: 02/29/04

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    To: ka0ttic@cfl.rr.com (Aaron Walker)
Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 17:09:53 -0500 (EST)

    >
    > I have installed FreeBSD before, but it has been a while since I've
    > messed around with it. I am attempting to install on my secondary
    > desktop machine which also runs Linux.
    >
    > ad0s1-ad0s3 are linux partitions as well as ad0s4 which is an extended
    > partition (containing more linux partitions).
    >
    > When I try to create a new slice, it gives it the name 'X' which causes
    > a problem when I try to create new partitions on that slice:
    >
    > Unable to create partitons on device: /dev/X
    >
    > I didn't see anything about this in the FAQ.
    > Anyone have any ideas?

    Only 4 _primary slices_ are allowed on any disk. From your narrative
    above, it sounds like you already have that many used up on the disk
     - eg ad0s1, ad0s2, ad0s3, ad0s4. If so, the system will not allow
    you to create any more - an ad0s5 or beyond. Since FreeBSD must be
    installed in a primary slice, you will have to do something about
    your current disk use.

    You will need to add a new disk or reorganize the existing disk to
    consolidate its use so you can free up one slice designation.
    Do you really need that many separate slices dedicated to Linux?
    Do you have 4 different versions of Linux running on the machine?

    I am not a Linux user, but if you have only one version of Linux
    running (or 2 or 3) can't it just use one slice which is subdivided
    to make separate file systems - essentially the way it is done in
    FreeBSD? If so, then you would need only one primary slice per
    version of Linux and one for FreeBSD. If you really need all those
    primary slices for Linux, then you will need another disk in order
    to add FreeBSD.

    I haven't tried to create more than 4 primary slices on a disk so I
    don't know what the error messages look like. If it makes things
    look like it created a slice called 'x', then it is kind of poor
    about how it reports things. It will not have created a usable
    slice no matter what it appears to call things. It most properly
    should tell you the operation failed or is not possible.

    So, of course, if it didn't really create the slice, it will not
    be able to create partitions withing that slice.

    Note in this, the difference between a primary slice and a partition
    which subdivides a slice. Your narrative appears to use the terms
    consistent with the FreeBSD standard, so I am assuming you know this,
    but this issue seems to result in many misunderstandings. The MS
    world calls a partition and, unfortunately so does a few FreeBSD
    utillities that fail to follow the FreeBSD standard. All of which
    can add to the confusion.

    ////jerry

    >
    > Thanks,
    > Aaron
    >
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