Fwd: Reinstalling Windows from a corrupt FreeBSD install

[Mike Starr]

In response to boot0cfg -B ada0 I got the error

boot0cfg: Unable to get providername for ada0





How do you recommend transferring the EasyBCD thing to the FreeBSD laptop?
Boot from a CD with the software burnt onto it?

And for VirtualBox, that would be on the non-corrupt laptop I'm currently
running off of, if I'm getting everything right here?

On Wed, Nov 26, 2014 at 9:26 AM, Warren Block <wblock at wonkity.com> wrote:

> On Wed, 26 Nov 2014, Mike Starr wrote:
>
>  *Geom name: ada0*
>>> *Scheme: MBR*
>>> *Providers:*
>>> 1.
>>>     ada0s1
>>>     1.5G
>>>     type: !39
>>>
>>> 2.
>>>     ada0s2
>>>     581G
>>>     ntfs (windows?)
>>>
>>> 3.
>>>     ada0s3
>>>     338G
>>>     ebr
>>>
>>> 4.
>>>     ada0s4
>>>     11G
>>>     FreeBSD
>>>
>>
> This is an MBR partitioning scheme.  The first slice is probably a utility
> or recovery partition for Windows, and Windows is installed in the second
> slice.
>
> The third slice is an "extended" partition.  There might be subpartitions
> inside it.  Let's ignore that, it will not matter to FreeBSD.
>
>  *Geom Name: ada0s4*
>>> *Scheme: BSD*
>>> *Providers:*
>>> 1.
>>>     ada0s4a
>>>     10G (I thought this was where I installed FreeBSD...)
>>>     FreeBSD-ufs
>>> 2.
>>>     ada0s4b
>>>     561M
>>>     FreeBSD-swap
>>>
>>
> This is a normal FreeBSD install in the fourth slice.  The slice is
> divided into a 10G data filesystem partition and a 561M swap partition.
>
>  I tried the boot0cfg -B -m 0xf command but it didn't work. But I see what
>>> you're trying to do--not so change the BIOS (each slice or Geom has its
>>> own?), but to change the boot manager (so you can choose which Geom to
>>> load
>>> from). I don't know what the difference between a  provider and a
>>> consumer
>>> is. I'll poke around with the boot0cfg command a bit more and see what
>>> happens.
>>>
>>
> From memory, it would just be 'boot0cfg -B ada0'.
>
> However, Windows users might find it using easier to use EasyBCD
> http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/ (scroll to bottom, click Register,
> registration not required).
>
> Another option is just to install VirtualBox and install FreeBSD as a VM
> inside it.  Besides making it possible to run multiple systems at the same
> time, it does not endanger the existing partition table or operating
> systems.
>