I want to install PC-BSD on my laptop. Version 1.5 amd-x64 disc booted into the install program just fine. Here's my problem.

I originally partitioned the disk like this as reported by Knoppix

/sda1 75 GB primary part. Vista
/sda2 20 GB Ext part. WinXP
/sda5 55 GB Ext part. data

I first installed Win XP on /sda2. Then later added Vista on /sda1. Now I know that Vista has done something to XP, because I planned to install Solaris Express on /sda1, and first used Gparted in Knoppix to delete the partition so Solaris would find one unused partition to install into. Well, after that, I tried to boot XP only to find it wouldn't. What I want to do is change the partition layout to

/sda1 50 GB primary part. PC-BSD
/sda2 25 GB Ext part. WinXP
/sda5 75 GB Ext part. data

This means taking everything off the drive and re-partitioning. My question is: Is it possible to backup everything in such a way that I don't have to reinstall WinXP? If so, how? Use knoppix and tar /sda2? But then how do I restore it to bootability? I am assuming that tar will not put the necessary files in the correct place on the hard drive to make it bootable. I can use dd to backup the mbr, but I think there is more to this than that. Can I dd only /sda2 and then run the WinXP disc repair to restore bootabilty? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Terry

One possible solution, use knoppix and partimage to back up the partition you want saved, then use supergrub bootdisk to build a grub install to boot everything. Might save you some reintall work. Might not work though, if that partition is already screwed up. So, use at your own risk. Here are some links...

http://www.partimage.org/
http://supergrub.forjamari.linex.org/?section=download

Let us know how it goes....

David

P.S. You could also backup your XP partition, wipe the disk, put the partitions as you want them, restore XP, then install pc-bsd, and let pc-bsd install the bootloader for you.

David

David,

Thanks. I'll give partimage a try. I also downloaded super grub. I think the partitions are healthy.

When you said I could backup, wipe the disk, repartition, restore XP, then install bsd, how did you mean backup XP. This was my original question. Perhaps I wasn't clear. I know that if I just back up /sda2 w/tar, tar probably won't put the boot files in the correct place on the hdd, leaving the system unbootable.

Terry