Re: using GPT support in BIOS boot

["Jonathan A. Kollasch" <jakllsch%kollasch.net@localhost>]

On Sat, Jan 08, 2011 at 10:41:11AM -0500, Greg Troxel wrote:
> 
> "Jonathan A. Kollasch" <jakllsch%kollasch.net@localhost> writes:
> 
> > On Fri, Jan 07, 2011 at 01:31:52AM -0800, Thomas Mueller wrote:
> >> Some questions on my part:
> >> 
> >> What versions of NetBSD is this good for?  Only 6 (current)?
> >
> > You need gpt(8) from current to install the new mbr_gpt code.
> > You also need the new /boot and bootxx code.
> 
> Sorry for being slow, but does this imply that one can use gpt
> partitions and boot them on a motherboard whose BIOS has no idea about
> gpt, because the BIOS will load sector 0 and then it's all our code?
> Or is this about accomodating newer computers with EFI boot?
> (I realize this is a huge win for >2T drives.)

This is for systems with a BIOS.

> If so, is there any big advantage to doing this on a disk that's < 2T
> when one is using the whole disk for NetBSD?  I agree that the fdisk
> partitioning is a bit gross, but I have not had trouble from making wd0c
> be 63-end * and then using disklabels.

There's no particular advantage for drives less than 2TiB.