# Free BSD Release 8.0 not recognizing CD/DVD and usb install media



## dheerajsuthar (Dec 4, 2009)

Hi,
I am trying to install Free BSD release 8.0 on my Dell XPS Studio laptop along with already existing Windows partition. (150GB for Win Vista, 30GB for win backup and 130 GB for Free BSD). To do trial I first installed it on Sun virtual Box in Windows where it installed without any complaints. However when I tried clean install it on the desired partition it refuses to recognize both my CD/DVD drive and usb disk during "Select installation media:" menu in sysinstall. Please do help me out as I need it to study for an course in upcoming semester.

Please do tell some other way to install it if CD/DVD and usb can't work.(internet is not a possibility as connection is too slow). How to use the existing file system or the dos partition option.


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## graudeejs (Dec 4, 2009)

Like this?
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/install-media.html
That's what should happen

Or provide photo... of some kind...


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 4, 2009)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> Like this?
> http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/install-media.html
> That's what should happen
> 
> Or provide photo... of some kind...



thanks for reply killasmurf!
Yes I saw that screen and its after that the problem begins. I have included snap of that (sorry for zip format due to size constraint) . In text the problem it shows is:
*"No CD/DVD devices found! Please check that your system's configuration is correct and that the CD/DVD drive is of a supported type. For more information, consult the hardware guide in the Doc menu."*
Its amazing because:

My installation media (release 8 CD) is already in CD/DVD drive.
I have tried both CD and DVD release so no chance of corrupted media.
How then the sysinstall menu came in first place if it didn't recognize my DVD or DVD drive:\
It installs pretty well in both virtual environments by Sun virtual box and VMware in Windows.

I am also writing my total specifications from dell site. Please do aid me in solving this problem as I am making this daring transition from Ubuntu to Free BSD (mainly for its academic importance and clean coding style). I lay high hope on this forum.
*Specification:*
Dell Studio XPS 13

IntelÂ® Coreâ„¢ 2 Duo P8700 (3MB cache/2.53GHz/1066Mhz FSB)

Operating System
Genuine WindowsÂ® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
  Specifications - Operating System

Operating System
Genuine WindowsÂ® Vista Home Premium, 64bit, English
  Specifications - Operating System


LCD Panel
Edge-to-Edge 13.3" HD WXGA LCD with 2.0 Megapixel Camera
  Specifications - LCD Panel


Internal Optical Drive
8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
  Specifications - Internal Optical Drive


MEMORY
4GB4 Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM3 at 1067MHz (2 Dimms)
  Specifications - MEMORY

Hard Drive
320GB5 7200 RPM6 SATA Hard Drive
  Specifications - Hard Drive


Video Card
NVIDIAÂ® GeForceÂ® 9500M - 256MB
  Specifications - Video Card

SOUND CARD
High Definition Audio 2.0
  Specifications - SOUND CARD


Wireless Networking Cards
Dell Wireless 1520 802.11n Half Mini-Card
  Specifications - Wireless Networking Cards


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## graudeejs (Dec 4, 2009)

That is weird... A very, very long time ago.... When I didn't know what Linux, FreeBSD, unix etc was... I had somehow similar problem...

I could start playing game, that required CD to play.... but later it would say that I should put CD in cdrom.... in few days cdrom died totally



did you try out downloading flash image... and booting from it?

Or if you have another cdrom laying around..... you get the idea 

It's really weird, because you boot form cdrom..... and sysinstall works...


BTW, what disk did you donwload and burn?
You need either CD1, DVD or Flash


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 4, 2009)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> That is weird... A very, very long time ago.... When I didn't know what Linux, FreeBSD, unix etc was... I had somehow similar problem...
> 
> I could start playing game, that required CD to play.... but later it would say that I should put CD in cdrom.... in few days cdrom died totally
> 
> ...



Thanks again killasmurf! I was waiting for your reply eagerly.
I have tried both CD1, DVD and usb (written through unetbootin). I didn't tried that flash(memstick)version though. Also I do doubt its success as when I selected the usb installation media in sysinstall menu then also it failed to recognise the flash drive I had already connected.

Is there any other way like the one remaining option (I seriously don't know how to use it):
Install from existing file system.

I will be waiting eagerly for your kind reply.:q 
On a side note, is the freebsd project become dead or something like that. Most of the other forums totally lack users commited to it and also google lack any great info on it. Please don't take it to heart but just take its as a doubt by a newbie converting from ubuntu to freebsd.:r


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## graudeejs (Dec 4, 2009)

Ubuntu is more "User friendly", Well it ain't to me.. to me FreeBSD is more user friendly, when I can customize about anything....
FreeBSD is not dying, in fact it's growing, otherwise this forum wouldn't be opened....


Ok, if no media works, and you don't want to do Net install I have One more idea... pretty hackish.... you'll need 1 primary MBR partition that is not used.

on your Ubuntu install qemu....
in console run
`# qemu -cpu pentium3 -m 256 -cdrom [b]/path/to/FreeBSD.dvd[/b] -hda /dev/[b]hda[/b] -no-kqemu -boot d`

Now you can use that unused partition.... don't mark any boot flags, don't install bootloader... don't create new slices, only create labels for that 1 unused partition....
then try to install.....

*[red]WARNING: if you do it wrong, you can corrupt all your data or at least partition scheme. BE EXTRA CAREFUL, IF YOU AREN'T SURE ABOUT ANY STEP, BETTER CANCEL, BEFORE YOU DO DAMAGE[/red]*

I'm not 100% sure you'll be able to access disk like that in linux... but I think you should be able


Then you need to edit your /boot/grub/grub.lst and enable booting from FreeBSD.
You might already have entry there commented out...
If not search google, I can't tell you this one

I recommend that you try this in emulator first.... Ye [qemu under another emulator] it'll be very slow [if possible]

*[red]FINAL WARNING: I'm human, I may have errors. ACT AT YOUR OWN RISC. DON'T BLAME ME IF YOU DO DAMAGE[/red]*

also let me think some 5 more minutes... perhaps I'll change something

EDIT:
you'll need root access
Also backup your data

EDIT:
note: for -hda you need to specify divice for entire HDD, not just 1 partition, otherwice FreeBSD in qemu will thread that partition as hard disk, and you'll be able to create "virtual slices" inside partition

I hope you know difference between partition and slice.... [basically the same, but freebsd makes labels for partition, and then you call it slice] google it if you don't understand.


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 4, 2009)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> Ubuntu is more "User friendly", Well it ain't to me.. to me FreeBSD is more user friendly, when I can customize about anything....
> FreeBSD is not dying, in fact it's growing, otherwise this forum wouldn't be opened....
> 
> 
> ...



First of all I apologise for my comment on freebsd, it was just a silly doubt and hope you will forgive it. Well, I have already removed ubuntu from it (had great hopes on FreeBsd). Also fortunately or unfortunately even Windows partitions seems disappeared now. So all I have available now is a laptop with total hardisk at my disposal and this old junky desktop where I am using net with only Windows Vista Premium. Please don't worry about the laptop data as its ultimately gone. However I now seriously need to run FreeBSD else I will be the laughing stock of whole family.:r


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## LateNiteTV (Dec 4, 2009)

can you install via ftp?


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## graudeejs (Dec 4, 2009)

dheerajsuthar said:
			
		

> However I now seriously need to run FreeBSD else I will be the laughing stock of whole family.:r



That's not the worst thing that could happen


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 4, 2009)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> That's not the worst thing that could happen



Well if you consider all data gone as more worse than also it has happened. But please help me out now. The more I am trying the more I am becoming excited about it. This time I gave whole disk for installation but still same problem. 
How much time will it take with ftp with my speed of 30kB/s for complete install (with all packages and binaries). Or is any way possible of only installing some important files(like driver etc.) from net and then remaining packages from DVD.
And killasmurf you really are very kind:f


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## graudeejs (Dec 4, 2009)

If you have external HDD, you can pull out HDD from your Desktop PC, put it in External HDD case... pug it to laptop, and try to install FreeBSD from laptop.... to external HDD.

It will appear as da something... depends on laptop, on my laptop it's own hdd is da0, so If I'd do this, external drive would be da1

plugin external hdd, after sysinstall screen appears... to make sure, that your external HDD is last of da [if other are available] also I suggest using dvd, and entering fixit mode, and

```
# dmesg | less
```
to see what freebsd detected and did it detect HDD, then exit fixit mode and do install


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## LateNiteTV (Dec 4, 2009)

on a 30kb/s connection it would definately take a long time if you want EVERYTHING.


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## graudeejs (Dec 4, 2009)

dheerajsuthar said:
			
		

> Well if you consider all data gone as more worse than also it has happened. But please help me out now. The more I am trying the more I am becoming excited about it. This time I gave whole disk for installation but still same problem.
> How much time will it take with ftp with my speed of 30kB/s for complete install (with all packages and binaries). Or is any way possible of only installing some important files(like driver etc.) from net and then remaining packages from DVD.
> And killasmurf you really are very kind:f



You need to install only base+kernel+man pages [optional]....
It would be some 100-300MB 

Pic minimal installation....
Then later you can add what you want from cd/dvd form already running FreeBSD on your HDD

for 300M it would take some 2h roughly


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 4, 2009)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> You need to install only base+kernel+man pages [optional]....
> It would be some 100-300MB
> 
> Pic minimal installation....
> ...



Thanks again killasmurf ! I liked this method the best so will be trying it. But for that I will have to remove net from this PC. But please keep posting any new solution you feel like. I will be checking this thread as soon as I get any success or failure. Please do keep a king eye on this thread.
And also thanks to you LateniteTV.


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## zeissoctopus (Dec 4, 2009)

I have same problem when I install FreeBSD 8.0 to my shuttle X27D box.

My shuttle X27D (atom 330) have one HDD only. It can be booted by USB external CD-ROM.

I burn a FreeBSD 8.0 DVD1 disc, insert it into USB external DVD drive, change BIOS setting for booting from USB-CDROM

My Shuttle X27D success boot FreeBSD 8.0 install DVD from this USB external CD-ROM. The GENERIC kernel detects this USB externel CD-ROM, too. However, startup script in installing DVD does not link my DVD drive to /dev/cdrom so that the sysinstall does not find my DVD drive. I need to install FreeBSD 8.0 from ftp.

My workaround steps.

0. BIOS setting, connect internet cable to your NIC
1. boot FreeBSD installing DVD from USB external DVD drive
2. configure networking in sysinstall
3. install minimum 'base' distribution only from ftp
4. reboot fresh FreeBSD from local HDD
5. connect USB external DVD drive with FreeBSD installing DVD again
6. su root and run sysinstall again
7. install other distribution set from FreeBSD installing DVD (do not need reinstall 'base')
8. complete


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 4, 2009)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> You need to install only base+kernel+man pages [optional]....
> It would be some 100-300MB
> 
> Pic minimal installation....
> ...



ï¿½eï¿½eï¿½eIST 5:05AM MY FREEBSD IS UP AND RUNNINGï¿½eï¿½eï¿½e
Thanks all you guys for your kind help... especially you killasmurf:f.
I did what u told only base+kernel(including source)+binaries and man pages from ftp install.


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 4, 2009)

zeissoctopus said:
			
		

> I have same problem when I install FreeBSD 8.0 to my shuttle X27D box.
> 
> My shuttle X27D (atom 330) have one HDD only. It can be booted by USB external CD-ROM.
> 
> ...



Exactly that's *my next problem is - to install the remaining distribution set from DVD.* Sorry zeissoctopus *I don't have usb dvd drive.* Will I be able to access my DVD drive now.(it was available in my linux installation). Please do tell how to access it(i.e. mount address etc.). Or are any special drivers to be loaded from net?

Also *Is it possible to create complete backup of my present installation.* So that i don't get stuck with same situation again especially places where internet is totally unavailable (for eg. my college-hostel's restricted internet connection).

Again thanks to you all cool guys ! You r really helpful. Hopefully I may also help someone someday like you.


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## graudeejs (Dec 5, 2009)

backup:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=185

mount cdrom:

```
# mount -t cd9660 /dev/acd0 /mnt
```
]
or you don't have acd0 device, try

```
# kldload atapicam
# mount -t cd9660 /dev/cd0 /mnt
```

you'll find packages somewhere on cd1/dvd

To install apps:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/ports.html

To install X window system:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/x11.html

basically everything you'll need now is in handbook

later you can search forum, to find out how to enable regular user mount removable media.

It was discussed few days ago [again]


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## graudeejs (Dec 5, 2009)

also look at mksnap_ffs(8)
you can use it to make snapshot of ufs fs [except for root] and then dump that snapshot....

read my backup howto including comments


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 5, 2009)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> backup:
> http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=185
> 
> mount cdrom:
> ...



Thanks for replying killasmurf.. My problems seems not to end. 
Both the methods of mounting cdrom failed. For both it gives file or directory not foundx(
However I found your threads on backup. They are really very elaborate and helpful (even for a newbie like me). But only if I could use either my CD or USB 
Also please kindly tell me what and how to install atleast browser (even from ftp way) so that I can atleast access web from that laptop so that I can keep checking this thread and other resources. Its very painful jumping from desktop to laptop everytime.
Please remember I had only installed the user binaries+kernel source as instructed by you.


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 5, 2009)

Update:
My USB drive is working   
Used instructions in the documentation to mount it.
So mysteries are slowly unravelling! Now downloading the memstick IMG. Hope it helps in installing further packages.
Killasmurf will this new development aid in installing all the remaining packages?
Also please help me install a webbrowser first so that I can browse from laptop even if I hav to install it via ftp.
And my extreme apologies for disturbing you and other visitors again an' again.


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## graudeejs (Dec 5, 2009)

start reading manual
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 5, 2009)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> start reading manual
> http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/



OK killasmurf...
I have already installed it in text form from net and going through. Hope things work out well. 
Above all, THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP


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## dheerajsuthar (Dec 6, 2009)

GOT ALL THE PACKAGES AND PORTS INSTALLEDï¿½e:e:eï¿½e
Atlast my two sleepless nights paid.. got the packages installed. It seems that free bsd makes you wiser each day:stud
So here is what I did:

Mounted the ISO file in /mnt/cd


```
mdconfig -a -t vnode -f /path/to/image.iso -u 1
mount -t cd9660 /dev/md1 /mnt/cd
```

Then restarted sysinstall by following command:


```
sysinstall
```


Selected configure present install option.
Chose distribution option and then all. Also chose to install ports. Then returned back to chose install media.
There I selected existing file system option and gave the address /mnt/cd (where you mounted /dev/md1).
And Bingo... All and everything got installed.

Hope killasmurf you may like my progress.. Just a pat on back will be enough for encouragement.
Also thanks to all those people who had put this code on net at different places.
Senior members please find any errata in the steps (just a newbie here :r).


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## graudeejs (Dec 6, 2009)

Welcome to FreeBSD world... enjoy!


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## djo (Dec 6, 2009)

I got the same problem as the threadowner. Booting from external USB-DVD-Drive was no problem, but in sysinstall there was no way to install from usb...
Anyway, i usually prefer to install via nfs. All you have to do is to download the iso, set up a working nfs-server on another pc in lan (i.e. in ubuntu, bsd, etc.), mount the iso there, export it and boot from there. I think it is also possible via vm (means that you are running *nix with nfs-server on win). Other options are http or ftp. but nfs is easier to do


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## MorgothV8 (Dec 7, 2009)

My BSD always boots from DVD and DONT recognizes CD/DVD if medium wasn't properly fixated - which is a cese in 80% of my burncd's sessions 
If I burn DVD on M$ it is recognized OK , the same was yesterday with 8.0-RELEASE amd64


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## Jacky_z_Cao (Mar 24, 2011)

There is a easy way to solve this problem. just rescan the media in option


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## DutchDaemon (Mar 24, 2011)

This thread has been dead for fifteen months and marked [Solved]. Not much reason to add to it.


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## Jacky_z_Cao (Mar 25, 2011)

Sorry to bother, but this is the first post when I googled relative issues. So I think it is still important to update it.


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