unable to write data to disk ad0

[Jerry McAllister]

> 
> 
> >First of all, lets get the terminology straightened out.
> >I think you mean to say that you want to add a partition to
> >your FreeBSD slice.   
> >
> Yes.
> 
> >Second, I presume you are booted to that drive.   The system does
> >not allow you to modify the label on the boot drive.   If it is the
> >only FreeBSD bootable drive you have, then you will need to boot
> >from the 'fixit' CD and run from that to modify the label and 
> >add the additional partition.    
> >  
> >
> Well, finally I read the disklabel manual over again (about 3 times) and 
> I COULD add a new
> partition on my boot drive!
> 
> >By the way, this is in either the handbook, FAQs or the archive.
> >  
> >
> This is typical. You know what, after googling for serveral hours, I 
> found out that
> it did not let me write on the disk because the kernel had 
> SECURELEVEL=2. This is
> something that should be in the manual. I appreciate that you wanted to 
> help me, but
> actually you pointed me to the wrong direction two times.

regardless, you would be better off doing this from a not booted drive.

////jerry

> 
> I suggest to change the documentation of the disklabel/bsdlabel and 
> fdisk programs.
> We should add this warning:
> 
> "Warning: you need to disable your kernel securelevel in /etc/rc.conf. 
> The kernel does not
> allow to modify disk label information above securelevel=N."
> 
> (I'm still not sure about the value of N).
> 
> I'm not sure where can I add this request to change the documentation.
> But it would save hundreds of hours for newbies and supporters too.
> 
> Best,
> 
>    Les
> 
>