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Installer Note:
Starting with FBSD Release 9.0 the sysinstall application used by previous Releases has been replaced the new bsdinstall which was written from scratch. The major difference is it defaults to creating a single disk partition. The FBSD handbook has documentation on the bsdinstall method.See https://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/using-bsdinstall.html
The boot from the FBSD install CDROM executes the bsdinstall application. It’s the mandatory vehicle required to initially install FBSD to your hard drive.
This section presents you with the minimum responses to the bsdinstall application install prompts necessary to install FBSD on your hard drive. In most cases the response is ‘no’. You will learn how to manually configure a FBSD server outside of the bsdinstall application option prompts. This way the next time you use the bsdinstall application you will understand what it is asking for and how to respond.
Put the FBSD install CD in to the CD reader device. Power on the PC. The PC boots from the CD and you will first see some stuff scroll across the screen and then display the FreeBSD boot option screen.
There is a 10 second count down after which the default option is taken. You will see this boot option screen every time you boot FBSD. The normal response is to press the enter key to select option <1> which is the default or just let the 10 second timer expire and the default boot process will continue.
Hit [Enter] to boot immediately using the default option number 1.
1. A bunch of hardware probe messages will scroll across the screen and them the "Welcome" prompt will be displayed.
2. Then a prompt is shown where you can select a non-default key mapping for your system.
This option is for users who have an non-English keyboard attached to their PC. Use the keyboard arrow keys move the highlight bar to the keymap you want and hit the space bar to select.
3. Then you are prompted to enter the hostname to be given to the newly installed system.
4. Then you are prompted to select optional components to install.
Use the space bar to remove the asterisks from "games" and "ports". This selection list should be all blank before selecting ok. Note: the lib32 option is no-longer present on the screen.
5. Then the partitioning menu is shown.
The <guided> option is high-lighted in blue, just hit enter to select it.
6. Then you will be asked if you want to use the entire disk
7. The default <auto> disk lay out is shown.
Tab over to <Finish> option and hit enter or hit the letter "F" on your keyboard to to accept this layout and continue.
8. A confirmation prompt is shown giving you a last opportunity to exit the install process before permanently erasing the contents of the hard drive.
The <commit> option is high-lighted in blue, hit enter to accept. This starts the process of writing the FBSD operating system to the hard drive. Two windows pop up showing you the progress of the install as data is copied from the install CDROM to your hard drive. There are no user prompts to answer during this phase of the install, so just set back and watch it happen.
9. At the conclusion of the population of the hard drive with the operating system software you are automatically launched into the create password for the root account. The "root" account is the master account and has default permissions to administer the complete FBSD system. Enter your secret password and press enter, You will be prompted to enter your secret password a second time. You must remember this password as it is needed to gain access to the Master account root. WRITE IT DOWN SOME WHERE YOU CAN FIND IT WHEN YOU NEED IT LATER.
10. Prompt you for network configuration, select the cancel option and hit enter.
11. Prompt for "select local or UTC (Greenwich mean time) clock", Hit enter to select no option. This launches the time zone utility, select your region, select your country, select your time zone. Documented here.
12. Prompt for what service to start at boot time, blank out all selections, hit enter.
13. Prompt for activation of crash dumps, select no option and hit enter.
14. Prompt to add user accounts, select no option and hit enter.
15. Prompt for activation of crash dumps, select no option and hit enter.
16. Prompt for last chance to change any of the post install options, select exit option and hit enter.
17. Prompt for manual configuration option, select no option and hit enter.
18. Prompt that installation is complete and re-boot the system.
Hit enter to reboot. Be sure to remove your cdrom install disk or you will boot from it again.
On the first boot of your FBSD system after installing from CDROM, you have to return to the BIOS's setup configuration menu and change the boot sequence=CDROM to boot sequence=C this tells the PC to boot from the hard drive instead of the CDROM drive.
You now have the base installed for your FBSD server.
This FreeBSD Install Guide is an public domain HOW-TO. This content may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, and used by all without permission in writing from the author.