Get the basic information necessary to begin installing FreeBSD on a system with another operating system that was previously installed. You will see how to prepare for a FreeBSD installation that will allow the system to operate with Windows, and you will also see how to install FreeBSD on a system that is running Linux.
Advanced FreeBSD Installation Issues
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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While FIPS may be nice, I think there are much better solutions out there; both free and non-free.
I just spent 3 hours fighting with a FreeBSD install yesterday. I never got X to work properly despite trying about 15 different configurations.
I even tried getting all the info by booting KNOPPIX and copying the info from that. No dice.
I finally gave up and reinstalled Linux on that hard drive. The Mandrake install took a grand total of 25 min. I really wanted to try FreeBSD and I might try an install again but I might get the FreeBSD uleashed book first.
What did not work about X? If you use xf86config and just follow the hints, it should be quite easy to set it up.
Things to beware for:
– BSD uses the wsmouse (FreeBSD: sysmouse) device for the mouse. Thus select the sysmouse driver and choose the default mouse device (/dev/sysmouse, I believe)
– Enter your own (k)Hz values. Look them up in your monitor’s manual, they should be in there somewhere.
– When it asks to look in the card database, CHOOSE Y. Press enter untill you see your card en type over the number.
– Select the right amount of video memory. Actually I have 8 MB but need to select 4 MB to make it work.
If you beware for this, I cannot think of any big problems. If you did all of this, where did it go wrong?
Notice that hardware support is not similar in Linux and FreeBSD. Perhaps you should check if your videocard is supported in FreeBSD kernel.
I just spent 3 hours fighting with a FreeBSD install yesterday. I never got X to work properly despite trying about 15 different configurations.
What’s the error in the /var/log/XFree86.0.log? Don’t copy-n-paste the full, only error part.
I even tried getting all the info by booting KNOPPIX and copying the info from that. No dice.
I finally gave up and reinstalled Linux on that hard drive. The Mandrake install took a grand total of 25 min. I really wanted to try FreeBSD and I might try an install again but I might get the FreeBSD uleashed book first.
Umm, did you tweak the mouse? I share my XF86Config on all different system such as Linux, Soloris and BSD.. It doesn’t has the problem as long I tweak the mouse in the XF86Config.
The mouse worked without a hitch.
I selected the correct card from the list (GeForce2 integrated). Used the nv driver. I took the Vertical and Horizontal values for the monitor from the KNOPPIX values. The monitor is a refurbished Dell that I bought at Fry’s without a manual.
I’m not at home but I’ll get the error logs tonight.
I had troubles getting XFree configured aswell, after researching I found that this command:
XFree86 -configure
worked like a charm. Perhaps it will work for you too.
with my nvidia card, it’s straight forward, never had a problem.