Is it possible to install opensolaris on an extended partition?

I know Solaris must install on a primary partition.

I tried to install Solaris on this computer almost a year ago and gave it up.

There were some grave hardware incomptibility problems.

I must find an very old computer to try and install Solaris.

I want to try opensolaris.

I looked at the Solaris and Opensolaris websites and their FAQs.

I couldn't find any information on it.

Your thoughts are welcome.

Moved: This thread is more suitable in Solaris/OpenSolaris and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Thanks XavierP

I posted it hastily.
This is the right place.

I hope someone will answer my question.

No, OpenSolaris has the same requirements as Solaris. Extended paritions are only usable as FAT data partitions but can't be booted on.

OpenSolaris being also a live distro, you can easily test if your hardware is supported. If it isn't, you can still run OpenSolaris under VirtualBox.

Thanks jlliagre for taking time to reply me.

Do you know The reason for this stupid barrier?

I have installed Windows 2003 server on a computer.

I have also installed Open SuSE on it.

Both works fine. The program GRUB selects the operating system.

I want to insert a new hard drive and install Opensolaris on it.

Today I bought a new 500GB SATA hard drive.

I have not connected this particular computer to the Internet.

Do you know a way of installing Windows 2003 server, Opensolaris and Open SuSE on this computer?

I am prepared to reformat the hard drive.

I don't have any important stuff on that computer.

I wouldn't qualify that limitation to be "stupid". Just that it is a low priority request. I know some work is done in that area with the new caiman installer and extended partitions will possibly be accessible in the future with device name like c0d0p5, p6 and so on. I'm not sure such extended partitions would be able to be subdivided again in slices to allow Solaris to boot though.

Moreover, ZFS now removes the need to have plenty of different partitions to boot different OSes and somewhat makes partitioning obsolete.

So if there is a stupid barrier to complain of, it is really Windows and Linux failing to support booting on ZFS

I would just backup the first drive MBR just in case, copy the SuSE menu.lst to a removable media and install OpenSolaris on the second drive. When done, I would simply add the SuSE grub menu entries at the end of the OpenSolaris grub ones and that should just work.

Thanks jlliagre for taking time to reply me again.

Your suggestion makes life easy for me.

You want me to backup or copy MBR and 'menu.lst' file.

I know how to add and remove programs in GRUB.

Those steps are very simple.

I have not inserted the new 500GB hard drive to the computer.

Simply I didn't find time do it.

1. I will insert or rather install the new hard drive.

2. I will copy all the files you have mentioned.

3. I will insert the opensolaris Live CD and start the
installation on the new hard drive.

4. I hope the above will work smoothly.

Please tell me if I am forced to do some other things before going ahead with the above.


I got an opensolaris Live CD and another DVD.
[ OpenSolars 2008.05 platforms: X86/X64 opensolaris.com ]

It is 'RESOURCE DVD'.

I didn't download them.

I got them from some people who work with promotion of open source. They are nicely printed CDs and DVDs from SUN.
I read the following on the cover of the case of the CD:
opensolaris STUDENT PACK
SHARE FREELY
CHANGE YOUR WORLD WITH OPENSOLARIS
--------------------------------------------------------------------
[By the way, it is a waste of space to use an entire 500GB hard drive for the installation of opensolaris. I hope to install some Linux flavours on it too.]

I have good news for you.

Starting from build 105, Solaris (Express/Open) will be able to manage up to 32 extended partitions including booting from them. These partitions will be named p5 to p36.

Thanks Jlliagre for the reply.

I got the latest opensolaris live CD.

It is 'OpenSolaris 2008.05 platforms x86/64'.

I didn't find time to look at it.

What is build 105?

The (very) latest OpenSolaris live CD is 2008.11, released a couple of days ago. It is based on build 101b. I would suggest you to use that one instead of 2008.05 which had some issues now resolved.

Open Solaris is released every couple of weeks. Build 105 should be released about mid december. You will be able to upgrade OpenSolaris to the latest build but I'm not sure how you would install it on an extended partition as the live CD doesn't include that feature. Alternatively, you should be able to install Solaris Express build 105 though.