# Need help installing FreeBSD via USB



## merlock18 (Apr 13, 2011)

I'm running an old Toshiba with a busted cd drive.  This Toshiba has the interesting quality of being unable to boot from a usb cd drive.  I have scoured the interwebs for ways to install FreeBSD (7.4 preferably) on it from a usb drive.  I have been unable to find such a solution.  

I have installed grub2 on a stick but I can't find the correct config chage to make to the grub.cfg file to be able to install FreeBSD from it.  

http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=5918
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=12082
http://forums.freebsd.org/archive/index.php/t-9777.html
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1645298

and the most promising...

http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=19701

Is it impossible to boot into something via USB and then begin to load the FreeBSD install iso from that environment? Right now I have access to Ubuntu, Windows and OpenSolaris.  There must be some tool out there somewhere that will let me do this. I don't want to load the OS ONTO the USB stick.  I want to load it FROM the USB stick. I just bought Absolute FreeBSD and I am dying to jump into this OS and learn.  But I cant...


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## davidgurvich (Apr 14, 2011)

Download the memstick image file and boot from that.  You'll need at least a 1GB usb stick.


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## wblock@ (Apr 14, 2011)

Two problems with that.
A) The target machine can't boot from USB.
B) It will overwrite the memory stick.

If B is acceptable, A can be circumvented--maybe--with plop.


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## merlock18 (Apr 14, 2011)

Yes, the maching WILL boot from USB hard disks, NOT USB CD-DRIVES.
I will try this plop. 



			
				davidgurvich said:
			
		

> Download the memstick image file and boot from that.  You'll need at least a 1GB usb stick.



What memstick file?  I have only seen the CD and DVD ISOs.

Thanks for the help.


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## davidgurvich (Apr 14, 2011)

It's one of the image file formats for 8.X along with the iso files.  If you want to install 7.X you will need to build your own usb image.


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## wblock@ (Apr 14, 2011)

merlock18 said:
			
		

> Yes, the maching WILL boot from USB hard disks, NOT USB CD-DRIVES.
> I will try this plop.



plop should not be needed if you can boot from the USB stick.



> davidgurvich - Download the memstick image file and boot from that. You'll need at least a 1GB usb stick.
> What memstick file?  I have only seen the CD and DVD iso's.



It's in with the other versions: ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ISO-IMAGES-i386/8.2/
Also see the Handbook about writing the memory stick.

Avoid 7.4 unless it's required, it's the end of that line and is missing a lot of the advantages of 8.x.


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## tingo (Apr 15, 2011)

davidgurvich said:
			
		

> It's one of the image file formats for 8.X along with the iso files.  If you want to install 7.X you will need to build your own usb image.



Or just *dd* the -disc1 image to a memory stick. It worked for me, YMMV.


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## kdemidofff (Apr 20, 2011)

Seriously, in the linux world all distributions can be booted from one usb stick without overwrite/wearing flash. Even windows 7 can be booted along penguins. FreeBSD so special than needs be only one on stick (yes it is but I just want all tools be on one stick and not 10x sticks marked as disk1, disk2, disk3 of ... xd)?

Is it hard to be FreeBSD installer iso compatible with FAT usb stick e.g. to exist along with other ISOs. Of course you can buy zalman HDD enclosure to present HDD iso files as virtual cd but is it not possible with just slight modification of installer to support boot from FAT ISO file? E.g. syslinux compatible?

If FreeBSD adds support for true ISO FAT boot, then it will be major compatibility for multiboot environments.

I have syslinux-like usb stick with all kind of tools (UBCD, hiren's, ubuntu livecd/install) and windoze setup as well, wanted to add FreeBSD but seems it's not possible.

for linuxes there tools
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/


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## wblock@ (Apr 20, 2011)

The filesystem would have to be understood by the loader.  Syslinux may already work.


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