# Bootable USB Install



## z3R0 (Apr 11, 2010)

I'm having issues installing FreeBSD from a bootable USB.

I can make it to sysinstall and create the partitions but when I try to install GENERIC etc... are not found.

I changed the media to filesystem and specified /mnt with no luck. Selecting usb under media does not work as no usb is found.

I created the bootable usb like so: http://miwi.bsdcrew.de/2009/06/freebsd-80-install-with-a-usb-stick/

How do I mount my usb so that I can install freebsd.

The mount command, ls, cd, ee, vi etc... do not function in the "emergency holographic shell"

I'm booting using safe mode as standard panics.

Do I need to make specific changes to /boot/loader.conf or fstab on the usb stick to install properly?
How can I disable specific hardware via a config file incase its a hardware issue thats preventing install?

Thanks!

z3r0


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## klanger (Apr 11, 2010)

Why don't you download pc-bsd usb-img and use dd to make a bootable usb-stick& then choose from install menu FreeBSD.

With a method linked by you, you need to make a little hack to make it work, which is now useless since you can put pc-bsd img on usb-stick.


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## z3R0 (Apr 12, 2010)

Well Im trying to install FreeBSD. I tried the memstick.img version with no luck as well, I kept getting a "No UFS" error.

I can boot with the USB following the method in the link just fine. I just can't install as when I boot up sysinstall doesn't see anything in ufs. I think it's searching for /dev/ufs which should be pointing to the USB stick that I'm booting from but for whaterever reason it's not mounted. 

And when selecting USB under media as the install location no USB sticks are picked up even if I do a rescan under options.

Maybe I'll have better luck with a PC-BSD bootable USB stick, I'll give it a shot and report back.

If any one has been able to successfully boot and install FreeBSD or PC-BSD off of a USB please share.

Thanks!


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## skido (Apr 12, 2010)

yes, he is right the usb.img here doesnÂ´t work. I have the same experience. I made it with Linux in the comand line, but didnÂ´t work. 

It wasnÂ´t bootable


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## skido (Apr 12, 2010)

i forgot: my stick was 1 GB. Maybe it wasnÂ´t enough space???


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## henker (Apr 12, 2010)

I got a working bootable usb flash drive working by following the tutorial on how to install zfs to root, except instead of installing it on ad0 (the harddist) i installed it on da0 (the flashdrive)
It works, but since its only 8gb drive i only have 2gb swap (dunno if this will cause me trouble later)

This is the guide I followed
http://wiki.freebsd.org/RootOnZFS/GPTZFSBoot


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## cederom (Apr 12, 2010)

Also no basic commands such as ping, cat, mount, ls sux ass - what is this shell for when there are no commands to use??


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## klanger (Apr 13, 2010)

z3R0 said:
			
		

> If any one has been able to successfully boot and install FreeBSD or PC-BSD off of a USB please share.
> 
> Thanks!



I was able to install & boot on&from 7.2 and 8.0 + latest PC-BSD-8.0

With 7.2 & 8.0 I've followed instruction that you've linked, but renamed iso & fbsd folder on usb-stick.
The only thing was that I was  doing it on FBSD/PC-BSD running machine (could be livecd).


PC-BSD usb.img works out-of-the-box and you can boot & install it form USB-stick.
In fact, I'm writing this post from my eeepc powered by FBSD-8.0 --> since this is a netbook & I don't have external CD-ROM, I've needed working bootable USB-stick


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