# Necessary CDs for installing FreeBSD 7.3 ?



## kikinovak (Mar 25, 2010)

Hi,

I'm a long-time Linux user actually fiddling with FreeBSD to discover it. I have Michael Lucas' book on my lap, and a spare PC to play with.

I was able to install 8.0 just from one CD. Curiously, 7.3 comes on a set of three install CDs. Is it enough to download and use just the first CD ? My bandwidth is quite limited here, so I prefer to ask first.


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## jailed (Mar 25, 2010)

If you want to do a basic setup, first CD is enough. Then you can install what you need by using ports collection.

Other CDs include binary packages like X-Org, KDE, Gnome etc. and others.

If your bandwith has quota, I suggest you to download first CD and install freebsd then install packages with ports. It will eat some bandwidth too but I think it may be fewer. It's my opinion.

If this machine will be for testing (and will format several times), to save your bandwidth quota, backup your /usr/ports/distfiles directory to a media like CD, USB memory etc.


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## SirDice (Mar 25, 2010)

jailed said:
			
		

> If your bandwith has quota, I suggest you to download first CD and install freebsd then install packages with ports. It will eat some bandwidth too but I think it may be fewer. It's my opinion.


I would always do that. Install the ports tree during installation but don't install any of the supplied packages. Once the base OS is set up and running properly update the ports tree. Then start building ports. This will guarantee you have the latest version of whatever you decide to install.



> If this machine will be for testing (and will format several times), to save your bandwidth quota, backup your /usr/ports/distfiles directory to a media like CD, USB memory etc.



I would also create /usr/ports/packages and package all the ports you build. This will save time as you can just install those packages and you don't have to rebuild everything from scratch.


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## kikinovak (Mar 26, 2010)

Ok, thanks very much for your detailed answers !


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## kikinovak (Mar 26, 2010)

PS : I don't know how to add "Solved" to the subject line in this forum.


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## phoenix (Mar 26, 2010)

Once you have 10 posts and 10 days on the forums, you can edit your own posts.  If you edit the first post in a thread, you are given the option of marking it solved.  Until you can do that, just PM a moderator and ask for the thread to be marked solved (be sure to include a link to the thread).  Or, add a post to the thread saying it's solved, and we'll mark it solved.


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## DutchDaemon (Mar 26, 2010)

The latter is preferred


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