# How do I install FreeBSD w/ZFS on Sparc64



## Simba7 (Nov 3, 2011)

How do I install FreeBSD with ZFS Root on a SunFire v100?

I have 5 of these servers and I'd like to put FreeBSD 9 on them instead of Solaris. I'm familiar with installing it on x86 systems (I have 8 other servers), but I'm new to the Sparc64 architecture.

I'd really appreciate some help here.


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## hansivers (Nov 3, 2011)

Hi Simba,

I have two SunFire V100. Compact, cheap and reliable machines (but a bit noisy!). I use them for firewalling and static websites, under OpenBSD and FreeBSD respectively. 

My feeling is that the UltraSparc IIi (550 or 650 Mhz) processor, the ATA-66 drive bus and the slow (PC133 ECC) memory will clearly impact the performance of ZFS... but I must say that I have never try to install ZFS on these machines. So, you are free to try and report your experience here! 

Regards, Hans.


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## mmoll (Nov 4, 2011)

ZFS is not supported as root-filesystem on FreeBSD/sparc64 ATM. Use UFS for / and then you can use ZFS for the rest.


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## Simba7 (Nov 5, 2011)

mmoll said:
			
		

> ZFS is not supported as root-filesystem on FreeBSD/sparc64 ATM. Use UFS for / and then you can use ZFS for the rest.


What about using UFS for the kernel directory (/kernel) and ZFS for root (/)?

I did this with Gentoo awhile ago (did this with btrfs), just had a separate /boot partition and everything was fine.


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## Simba7 (Nov 15, 2011)

Ok. I successfully built /boot as UFS (ada0a) and / as ZFS (ada0d).. Now it's complaining that /boot/loader is missing..


```
Sun Fire V100 (UltraSPARC-IIe 548MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 4.0, 1024 MB memory installed, Serial #xxxxxxx.
Ethernet address xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx, Host ID: xxxxxxx.



Executing last command: boot /pci@1f,0/ide@d/cdrom@3,0:f
Boot device: /pci@1f,0/ide@d/cdrom@3,0:f  File and args:
Can't read disk label.
Can't open disk label package
Evaluating: boot /pci@1f,0/ide@d/cdrom@3,0:f

Can't open boot device

Can't read disk label.
Can't open disk label package
Boot device: disk  File and args:

>> FreeBSD/sparc64 boot block
   Boot path:   /pci@1f,0/ide@d/disk@2,0:a
   Boot loader: /boot/loader
File /boot/loader not found
Program terminated
```
How do I install it?


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## Simba7 (Nov 15, 2011)

Scratch that.. I forgot a piece of my script.

I'll post the script in the How To section.


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