# Getting a Bootable FreeBSD 7.1 USB Flash Disk .IMG file



## vask (Jan 24, 2009)

Since I can't seem to find this anywhere I am trying to make my own...

I have looked at UNetbootin from http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net but it doesn't have a 7.1 Distribution option.

Right now I am looking at:
http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/FreeBSD_disk_image_creation

Unfortunately I have not yet had success and am not totaly sure if this will work...

If someone else could create this for me and send me a link that would be awesome...

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More info:
I don't have an optical media reader...



			
				killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> easiest way would be take out HDD put in on other box, install at least minimal freebsd, and then put HDD back to box you want to use.
> 
> It'll work


I don't think users should have to do this... PCBSD already has a bootable USB .IMG to start the install process... Why NOT FreeBSD?

I have already suggested this in the Feedback section of the forums... but this post is to get a specific .IMG file


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## vask (Jan 24, 2009)

I made a [Bootable FreeBSD 7.1 Install USB Flash Disk] by following instructions at:
http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/FreeBSD_disk_image_creation

And HERE it is!!!
http://rapidshare.de/files/43456672/7.1-RELEASE-i386-bootonly.img.html

Just DD it to your USB stick... See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dd_(Unix)

Then do a FreeBSD network install by booting from te usb stick...

It's like 40MB

Hope this helps someone...

When I finally made the .IMG file... This was the easiest way I could get FreeBSD on my Acer Aspire One without taking it apart or using an external USB CD/DVD Drive.


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## danger@ (Jan 24, 2009)

A friend of mine, Martin Matuska, has wrote this nice script called mfsBSD. It can build a FreeBSD image for you just instantly...


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## alvis (Jan 26, 2009)

It's good!


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## michaelrmgreen (Jan 27, 2009)

> This was the easiest way I could get FreeBSD on my Acer > > Aspire One without taking it apart

I have the ssd/lupus linux version and its err. not very good, so I'd be very interested in how things go.


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## cstart (Feb 10, 2009)

Thank you! I will try this out on my One tonight.


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## vask (Feb 14, 2009)

Was anyone able to use this image successfully besides me?

I just received a PM that this image produced a grub error even though this did NOT happen to me.

I sent my reply as follows:

This did NOT happen to me (No GRUB error).

However, I did notice when messing around with everything that NOT all USB flash sticks worked correctly. If you can try using another USB flash disk (Maybe a newer one).

Maybe the partition scheme on the Flash Disk is important too. I used FAT16 or FAT32 before I did DD.

I also noticed that when I put my Flash disk on my OSX Macbook Pro it says "This Disk is NOT readable on this computer." (Even though this same disk worked perfectly fine for installing FreeBSD on my acer aspire one).

If you are still having failures you can try some other alternatives:
- (I haven't actually tried this method) Install freebsd on *ANY* computer to the USB Stick with whatever means necessary then once it is installed on the usb stick plug in the USB stick to your aspire one and install freebsd again from the usb stick to your aspire one.
- Make another boot image from the instructions at http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index...image_creation ( NOTE: don't worry about the PXE stuff just make the image )

Other than that I can't help you. I don't think the image I made would be specific to my acer aspire one... but maybe it is. I have been thanked a few times, but have not heard a confirmed "I used your boot image to intstall freebsd on my acer aspire one and it worked perfectly" yet...

Hopefully it is as easy as just [dd]ing to a different USB stick.


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## cstart (Feb 16, 2009)

Your image boots, installs, and runs for me. I don't think the partition scheme on the drive prior to DD matters. I used ext2.

I did however end up running into an issue with Xorg occasionally hanging but I think this has more to do with me being relatively unfamiliar with FreeBSD.


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## jronald (Feb 18, 2009)

Here is my method installing FreeBSD 7.1 via harddisk, need Windows.
Make 2 primary partitions, the 1st install windows. Make 2nd  FAT32, extract freebsd71.iso to the 2nd partition, and copy file in the 7.1-RELEASE directory to the root directory of 2nd file system. Then use grub+isoemu. After installation, the 1st partition can be freebsd, and Windows disappeared cleanly.


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