Subject: Re: Installer and root partition roulette
To: Paul Goyette <paul@whooppee.com>
From: El JoPe Magnifico <jope@n2h2.com>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 07/23/1998 19:18:29
On Thu, 23 Jul 1998, Paul Goyette wrote:
>> How does the Installer determine what the NetBSD root parition is?
> 
> Basically, the first partition who's type is "Unix root" or "Unix root &
> usr" is assigned to the "a" partition.  In this case, "first" does not
> mean "closest to cylinder 0" but means "earliest in the partition map".
> (Of course, many partitioning utilities will sort things so that these
> both come up with the same result.)

All I have access to is Apple's HD SC.  
It can't swing this kind of maneuver, can it?
 
>> ... plus as far as I can tell, the Linux distro I'm trying out only
>> supports up to 8 partitions, meaning some additional re-partitioning
>> in order to keep all my Linux partitions within that limit.
> 
> Well, NetBSD also supports only 8 partitions on a single device...

Ah, but that's 8 _NetBSD_ partitions (isn't it?) not overall partitions,
of which I have a hodge podge on this drive.

> Another disk drive?  They're rather inexpensive these days.  :)

How would the Booter know to use that drive though?
If it goes along the SCSI chain from the lowest ID, it'll still catch
on the Linux partition on the internal drive.  If it's random, well,
that would make the original "roulette" subject line appropriate.  ;)
Besides, I've sunk enough money into the Zip, 4GB internal, and an '040
that the budget is a little thin at this point.
-jope

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