9.x installer and GPT vs geom

[Nathan Whitehorn]

On 10/13/11 04:25, O. Hartmann wrote:
> On 10/13/11 10:39, Johan Hendriks wrote:
>> Hello all.
>>
>> I just used the 9.0 B3 installer, and it defaults to GPT, which is nice.
>> However, and there has been some discussions about it, it would be nice
>> if the installer warns me that i could get in trouble if i want to use
>> gmirror and the like.
>>
>> Also i find it a little strange that the default mode, GPT in this case
>> is in some sort not compatible with the other default geom structure.
>> For a newcomer or for people who use gmirror and glabel on a regular
>> basis because there somewhat default, it could strike them if they start
>> using the default GPT.
>>
>> It is not logical.
>> Two default ways to do things that are in a way not compatible.
>>
>> So a warning at the installer level could make a lot of users aware of
>> this, and they can decide what to do, use GPT or go back to the old MBR.
>> They can start looking at the mailling list and so on to make the right
>> decision is GPT acceptable for me or not.
>> And not install FreeBSD and find out later that you could not use your
>> old gmirror and glabel tactics without corrupting the GPT structure.
>>
>> Just my thoughts about this.
>>
>> regards,
>> Johan Hendriks
>>
> Shouldn't be there also a warning that GPT can not be used with the 
> FreeBSD native bootselector? I had trouble installing FreeBSD 
> 9.0-CURRENT a while ago with default being GPT on my notebook and also 
> wanting a Windows 7/x64 for presentations, selectable via the FreeBSD 
> bootselector. This was possible with MBR, but it seems gone with GPT.

If you install onto an already MBR-formatted disk (say, you're 
dual-booting), it will use MBR as the default, not GPT. It only uses GPT 
as the default if you (a) put in a totally blank disk or (b) say you 
want to dedicate the disk entirely to FreeBSD.
-Nathan