# Migrate Linux to freeBSD



## mmy (Oct 27, 2009)

Hello
I like to install freeBSD on my laptop :
Fujitsu Siemens V3505 , CPU : Intel Core Duo 2 Ghz , RAM : 2 G , Wireless : PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] ,
Ethernet : 88E8055 PCI-E Gigabit Marvell , VGA : Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Intel ,
SD/MMC Card Reader ENE Technology Inc , Bluetooth .

Now i am using Debian Lenny and all devices work fine .
Is it good idea to install freeBSD on my laptop ?
How many devices maybe don't work in freeBSD ?
Finally i don't like loss Debian , how to install freeBSD without risk ?

```
***in Linux :
fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe191e191

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1          61      489951   83  Linux
/dev/sda2              62       18783   150384465    5  Extended
/dev/sda5              62        6140    48829536   83  Linux
/dev/sda6            6141       12219    48829536   83  Linux
/dev/sda7           12220       12705     3903763+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8           12706       15744    24410736   83  Linux
/dev/sda9           15745       18783    24410736   83  Linux
```


----------



## vermaden (Oct 27, 2009)

FreeBSD can be installed only on PRIMARY partition, you have only 1 with Debian on it ...

Better just backup the whole system with tar like that:

```
# cd /
# tar -czvf - * | ssh -c blowfish user@other_system "cd /storage && dd > debian.tar.gz"
```

With that you will be later able to bring the system back with knoppix or other LiveCD.

About your hardware ...


> Wireless : PRO/Wireless 3945ABG


Check that: http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=6443



> Ethernet : 88E8055 PCI-E Gigabit Marvell


Check that: http://www.freebsd.org/relnotes/CURRENT/hardware/article.html
(yes its supported)



> Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML


Works with *intel* driver.



> SD/MMC Card Reader ENE Technology Inc
> Bluetooth


You will have to verify that, Bluetooth worked for me on Dell Latitude D630.

About CPU frequency scaling, check that:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=172

You may also want to setup Xorg without *hald/dbus*:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=7956

For working *flash*, check that:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=5786


----------



## mmy (Oct 27, 2009)

Great , Thanks


----------



## tankist02 (Oct 27, 2009)

Alternatively you can shrink your Debian installation with gparted and free some disc space to install FreeBSD.


----------



## absolutezero1287 (Oct 28, 2009)

tankist02 said:
			
		

> Alternatively you can shrink your Debian installation with gparted and free some disc space to install FreeBSD.



That's exactly what I did on Ubuntu. Now its just a matter of editing grub's menu.lst file to boot into FreeBSD.


----------

