Writable file systems in FreeBSD?

Hi,

currently I have Debian Linux installed on my desktop of which I would like to turn into a dual-boot with FreeBSD and Solaris Express Community Edition (SXCE).

Since SXCE uses ZFS or UFS file system and I already have /home on a separate ext3 filesystem I was wondering if I could use FreeBSD to transfer files from ext3 and UFS?

Gona use UFS for Solaris as not enough memory for ZFS, 1GB doesn't cut it as I found out with my laptop's 512MB!

Is this possible to r/w to ext3 and UFS from FreeBSD?

My live version of FreeBSD (FreeSBIE) definitely can read and mount UFS, presumably ext3 too although haven't tried but can it write to each is the question?????

Many thanks in advance - or if someone knows a URL for a chart of what FreeBSD can read and read/write that would be awsome too.... did a Google search on it but not came up with any definitive results although may stumble upon one in passing!

Just to show that I'm not a complete newbie with BSD even though I am I do know that it uses UFS2 filesystem with same disk handling methods as Solaris using slices rather then partitions - which of course one can put multiple slices onto different partitions too if they so desire or need....! [edit] since the first line doesn't actually make sense let's just say that I've done some reading in the meantime {sadly not enough with English vocabulary skills}

May be wise to ask this to the freebsd mailing lists.
You will get an answer.
Personally, stick with the UFS2 for security.

Many thanks for the response!

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear but my intention is to install FreeBSD on my Debian root partition by reformatting the ext3 system to UFS2.

However I'm still left then with /home on ext3 which I can't format yet as I have information there.

If I installed Solaris (UFS) onto hda1 then BSD onto hdb1 (UFS2) and kept /home on hdb2 (ext3) I was wondering if I could write to hda1 and hdb2 with BSD??

hda1 = UFS -- Solaris
hdb1 = UFS2 -- FreeBSD
hdb2 = ext3 -- old Linux partition will be formatted later

if it helps makes things clearer?

The issue is that I have lots of data and no SAN, NAS or even NFS share to back the stuff up to which makes my life complicated! That's really why I was asking about UFS and ext3 being writable by BSD.

I have a hunch that UFS filesystem is writable by BSD but anyhow maybe I just need to find better Google search criteria then the direct approach?

Am still open to any advice though, as apart from Live CD I don't have any experience with BSD.

Okay.
You need a primary partition to effectively install a BSD system.
The file system can be mounted as RW in /etc/fstab.
User name and id may need to be the same. It's been awhile since I mounted both from the other.

I don't know about solaris.
Again, and forgive me if I seem to be anal about my reply. Ask the freebsd questions mailing list on this one.

You need a primary partition to effectively install a BSD system.

Taken from FreeBSD FAQs page: http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO...ml#GRUB-LOADER

title FreeBSD 6.1
    root (hd0,a)
    kernel /boot/loader

The file system can be mounted as RW in /etc/fstab. User name and id may need to be the same. It's been awhile since I mounted both from the other.

Taken from: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...-linux-641618/

EXT2 - yes, EXT3 - no You can write to an EXT3 partition but journal will be ignored. With EXT2 recovery time is much longer in case of corruption, that's the whole difference.

I don't know about solaris. Ask the freebsd questions mailing list on this one.

Am still working on that one!

Will post on mailing list once I get the prelim research sorted....

Again, and forgive me if I seem to be anal about my reply

You are forgiven - This Time!!! lol