FreeBSD 6.00 Installation problem + solution

[private_pile]

After spending 3 weekends to download the first FreeBSD 6 disc, i burnt a CD and decided to test if it would boot.

In the setup program I went to the FDisk program to create a partition for the OS. When I entered FDisk I recieved an error that the disk geometry was incorrect, and that it had automatically changed it. I ignored this and when I finally rebooted my hard disk wouldnt boot(its a gigabyte 300 GB sata drive).

My first impulse was to go to my bios to check if the drive was still there and i auto detected it to see if the BIOS would correct the problem. This however, did not work.

The solution:

I loaded a windows XP pro installation CD and after waiting about 30 minutes it loaded the installation. I created a small partition to make sure it modified the disc geometry. Rebooted and everything was back the way it was.

This is not a great solution, and im not sure if ill be able to install freebsd with this problem. I am considering Loading a bootable Linux, like gnoppix and using the fdisk utility to create a UFS partition.

[zen-froglet]

I have found of late that I am using windows as my default OS, and then with the addition of VMWare, I can choose to run any OS I want. One does require a fair bit of disk space, and well RAM as well.

It also means that I have a working OS at all times.

zen.

[Phate]

VMware rocks man

[fubar]

The disk geometry bug has been in FreeBSD for a long time. I remember when I first tried FreeBSD 4.7 it was there.