FreeBSD install corrupts neighboring partitions

[Dan Harrison]

>I'm attempting to install FreeBSD 4.8 on a system which will boot it 
>and also Windows 2000 Server. I've done this with two multiboot 
>utilities: the simple boot manager that comes with FreeBSD and V 
>Communications' System Commander.
>
>In both cases, I have found that when I install FreeBSD it corrupts 
>neighboring NTFS and FAT partitions. After the install, the OSes in 
>these partitions fail to boot or the partitions become entirely 
>unreadable. Whether I tell FreeBSD not to install an MBR or whether 
>I tell it to install its boot manager, the result is the same: 
>Neighboring partitions are being corrupted to the point where one 
>can not get to data on them.
>
>I realize that dual booting is not common, but I need to do it on 
>this laptop. Has anyone else on the lists encountered this problem?

Yes. I had it corrupt a copy of Win XP on a desktop I installed it 
on. My solution, I'm sorry to say, was to get another hard drive and 
re-install Windows on that. If I wanted to use windows, switch the 
hard drives in the OS detect order in the BOIS. :\

I don't know how practical it is on a laptop, but I wanted to tell 
you that you are not alone.

Good luck.
-- 
Signed,
Dan Harrison