Added FreeBSD 9.3 to Slackware's GRUB2, still can't boot

PrinceCruise · 08-13-2014, 01:50 PM

Hey guys,

Not sure if this thread should be in the *BSD sub-forum but I'll try it here only.

I installed FreeBSD 9.3 AMD64 on a spare 65GB partition on my Thinkpad(sig.) using GPT partition table. I know that LILO can't boot FreeBSD, I removed it and configured GRUB2 on the Slackware partition. Also, modified the 40_custom file for FreeBSD using the UUID of the /dev/sda4 FreeBSD partition. This is my /etc/grub.d/40_custom file :-

Quote:

#!/bin/sh
exec tail -n +3 $0
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
menuentry 'FreeBSD 9.3' {
insmod ufs2
insmod bsd

search --fs-uuid --no-floppy --set=root 53ebeebd34ea64a8

kfreebsd /boot/kernel/kernel
kfreebsd_loadenv /boot/device.hints

set kFreeBSD.vfs.root.mountfrom=ufs:/dev/ufsid/53ebeebd34ea64a8
set kFreeBSD.vfs.root.mountfrom.options=rw
}

Afterwards I ran grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg, which in the end shows this :-

Quote:

Found unknown Linux distribution on /dev/sda4

But after a reboot FreeBSD 9.3 entry appears on GRUB2 prompt but it doesn't boot FreeBSD but simply reverts to the GRUB2 prompt.

This is how my fdisk -l looks like :-

Quote:

/dev/sda1 63 68003144 34001541 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 68003145 148006844 40001850 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3 284719995 625139711 170209858+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda4 * 148006845 284321708 68157432 a5 FreeBSD
/dev/sda5 382379193 389122047 3371427+ 82 Linux swap
/dev/sda6 389124096 625139711 118007808 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda7 284720058 382379129 48829536 83 Linux

Let me know if I'm missing anything and any workaround.

Regards.

jailbait · 08-13-2014, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinceCruise

Afterwards I ran grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg, which in the end shows this :-

Let me know if I'm missing anything and any workaround.

After you ran grub-mkconfig did you then run grub-install?

----------------------
Steve Stites

PrinceCruise · 08-14-2014, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jailbait

After you ran grub-mkconfig did you then run grub-install?

----------------------
Steve Stites

I'm not sure if I follow. grub-install is the first step to install grub, grub-mkconfig comes later to generate the grub config files. Please see :-
http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sla..._first_install

Thanks.

astrogeek · 08-14-2014, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinceCruise

Hey guys,

Not sure if this thread should be in the *BSD sub-forum but I'll try it here only.

I installed FreeBSD 9.3 AMD64 on a spare 65GB partition on my Thinkpad(sig.) using GPT partition table. I know that LILO can't boot FreeBSD, I removed it and configured GRUB2 on the Slackware partition.

FWIW, Lilo can boot FreeBSD. I recently installed FreeBSD 10.0 multi-boot with Slackware current (14.1+) and Lilo without any issues. I too, had heard that Lilo could not boot to it - but using a simple chain boot worked for me - details in my posts here and here.

One difference though, I am using MBR and you are using GPT, so keep that in mind, but might be worth a second look.

PrinceCruise · 08-14-2014, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrogeek

FWIW, Lilo can boot FreeBSD...
One difference though, I am using MBR and you are using GPT, so keep that in mind, but might be worth a second look.

Thanks astrogeek. However as far as I know, LILO can't boot GPT based partition, MBR would've worked.

Regards.

jailbait · 08-14-2014, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinceCruise

I'm not sure if I follow. grub-install is the first step to install grub, grub-mkconfig comes later to generate the grub config files.

It is the other way around.

---------------------
Steve Stites

PrinceCruise · 08-15-2014, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jailbait

It is the other way around.

---------------------
Steve Stites

I think you are right. I might have got it wrong. Let me try that once I'm home, however the FreeBSD entry shows up at GRUB2 prompt.

Regards.