Make a partition bootable

netbsdnoob

Hello everyone I am trying to install netbsd without sysinst as a kind of learning experience.

I am aiming at a BIOS / GPT configuration.

So far the steps I performed were these:

# Create a new GPT partition table
gpt destroy wd0
gpt create -f wd0

# Create swap partition
gpt add -a 2m -s 2g -t swap -l "netbsd-swap" wd0

# Create root partition
gpt add -a 2m -t ffs -l "netbsd-root" wd0

# Make sure that everything is in place
 dkctl wd0 listwedges
gpt show wd0 

# Format the root partition
newfs -O 2 -V2 -f 2048 /dev/dk1

# Mount it on /targetroot
mount /dev/dk1 /targetroot

# Install sets
cd /amd64/binary/sets
tar xvzpf base.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf comp.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf etc.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf games.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf gpufw.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf kern-GENERIC.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf man.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf misc.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf modules.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf text.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf xbase.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf xcomp.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf xetc.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf xfont.tar.xz -C /targetroot
tar xvzpf xserver.tar.xz -C /targetroot
cd / 


# chroot and MAKEDEV
chroot /targetroot
cd dev
./MAKEDEV all
exit

Then I edit /targetroot/etc/rc.conf to have this:

rc_configured=YES

# Add local overrides below.
#
dhcpcd=YES
dhcpcd_flags="-qM wm0"
hostname=nbsd.local
dhcpcd=YES
sshd=YES
wscons=YES

At this point it is not clear what are the steps to install the bootloader
I tried to read the installboot manpage and tried different combinations of copying files and performing installboot but nothing works.
What are the steps here to make my root partition bootable considering my GPT+BIOS setup?

rvp

netbsdnoob What are the steps here to make my root partition bootable considering my GPT+BIOS setup?

You'll need to create a EFI ESP (any kind of DOS) partition then copy /usr/mdec/boot*.efi into \EFI\BOOT' of the EFI ESP. And, I don't see you adjusting/etc/fstabanywhere above to set the/andswap` partition locations.

Also, you should extract neither etc.tar.xz nor xetc.tar.xz. Those two tarballs you should leave to etcupdate.

I have some notes on all this but they're too ugly to post on the board. Send me and email @ SDF.

netbsdnoob

rvp i actually fixed it, but no your indications are wrong, i don't need any efi file, since as I said this is a BIOS+GPT not a UEFI+GPT, in the latter case I would have agreed with you.

I don't understand the part with not extracting etc and xetc for a new installation. Could you please explain it?

rvp

netbsdnoob since as I said this is a BIOS+GPT not a UEFI+GPT, in the latter case I would have agreed with you.

Ah, OK (whenever I see GPT, my brain automatically adds UEFI for some reason).

netbsdnoob I don't understand the part with not extracting etc and xetc for a new installation. Could you please explain it?

Another boo-boo of mine. Please ignore. I mixed up this thread and your other one re: update.