bsdinstall, zfs booting, gpt partition order suitable for volume expansion

[Teske, Devin]

On Dec 14, 2013, at 7:44 PM, Teske, Devin wrote:

> 
> On Dec 10, 2013, at 11:00 AM, Devin Teske wrote:
> 
>> 
>> On Dec 10, 2013, at 9:53 AM, Adam McDougall wrote:
>> 
>>> I was wondering if either the default gpt partition order could become
>>> p1=boot, p2=swap, p3=zpool, or if the installer could be enhanced at
>>> some point to allow the user to select the order.  It seems like it would
>>> be easier to expand the size of the raw device (VM, iscsi, etc) and expand
>>> the zpool if it is the last partition.  I am not in a hurry to get this
>>> solved, but if a change to the default order is worthwhile, it seems like
>>> before 10.0 would be a good time to set precedent.  I'm trying to think ahead
>>> where people will be installing 10 to VMs or expandable volumes so they can
>>> take advantage of expansion with less hassle.  I pinged Allen Jude on this
>>> briefly, I think he said it used to be that way but it was changed to
>>> accomodate MBR partitioning (I think, apologies for not remembering details).
>> 
>> Excellent idea. Let me put that into a patch. I'll let you know when I have
>> something that tests clean.
> 
> GPT proved trivial.
> MBR on the other hand... that proved challenging.
> 
> While trying to best that challenge... I uncovered more than a couple nasty bugs
> while iterating over every possible combination in the installer.
> 
> That being said... I'm coming out of the "tunnel" since you sent this e-mail and
> will soon have something to commit that implements this suggestion while at
> the same time, plugging a few edge-cases.

Alrighty-then... time to share...

Here's the commit that does what you want...

http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259476

But just keep in-mind that the whole ball of wax that I "tested to death"
is actually a combination of the following (in order):

http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259468
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259469
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259470
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259472
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259474
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259476
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259477
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259478
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259479
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259480
http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base?view=revision&revision=259481

Needless to say, I'm going to take that break now.
-- 
Devin

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