> It's a Dell Optiplex 740. Ok, so the Dell Optiplex 740 uses an nvidia nforce 430 chipset.
OpenSolaris does not yet include the nv_sata PCI-IDs for the nforce 430 chipset, so it falls back to use the chipset p-ata mode. That's bug 6600281 http://bugs.opensolaris.org/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=6600281 But that doesn't explain the fdisk problems... > When I ran the "Solaris X86 > install-check 1.4" CD, the machine passed with all = "Y". > > I don't even plan on booting into the 2nd partition > (WinXP), until I retire this machine unless I need it > as a workstation (if ever). The plan is to move all > functionality off my existing Sun box, then upgrade > it to the latest OpenSolaris and then balance the > work. I think someone has reported exactly the same problem with "fdisk -n -F" failing as opensolaris bug 2133: http://defect.opensolaris.org/bz/show_bug.cgi?id=2133 The same issue is reported in bugs.opensolaris.org, too: CR 6711786, Synopsis: fdisk(1M) refuses to modify a partition with -F http://bugs.opensolaris.org/view_bug.do?bug_id=6711786 The description text for bug 2133 on defect.opensolaris.org seems to describe a workaround: (open a terminal window) run "format -e", (select the hdd drive), use the "fdisk" menu, and change the partition type to "Solaris2" from format's fdisk sub-menu. Restart the GUI installer. This message posted from opensolaris.org
