# FreeBSD minimal



## yahn (Jul 17, 2009)

FreeBSD comes with a lot of bells and whistles.  Is there anyway to have FreeBSD installed more like Arch Linux?  I'm sure there is, but I'm unaware.  I prefer FreeBSD to Linux, but I prefer the "control" I get from Arch Linux over what I currently have with FreeBSD.

Note: I'd rather not have to uninstall everything manually.

Any suggestions?

Thank you


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## wsw1wsw2 (Jul 17, 2009)

You can install the minimal base system and install the software what you need by ports.


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## avilla@ (Jul 17, 2009)

also, have a look at src.conf(5) for options to disable some parts of the system when you `# make buildworld`


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## mk (Jul 17, 2009)

boot install iso and examine sysinstall options, make few test installs.
i personally use Custom options and in Distribution menu chose Custom - at the bottom. From there select base,kernel and man pages, within 12 minutes system is installed. Of course you can make your own install iso. for this check this post and check sysinstall(8)()


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## estrabd (Jul 17, 2009)

Some resources:

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/articles/nanobsd/index.html
https://www.minibsd.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeSBIE (can't reach the actual site atm)
http://m0n0.ch/wall/


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## roddierod (Jul 17, 2009)

yahn said:
			
		

> FreeBSD comes with a lot of bells and whistles.  Is there anyway to have FreeBSD installed more like Arch Linux?  I'm sure there is, but I'm unaware.  I prefer FreeBSD to Linux, but I prefer the "control" I get from Arch Linux over what I currently have with FreeBSD.



Just out of curiosity, what are "lots of bells and whistles" in the FreeBSD install you speak of?


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## iic2 (Jul 18, 2009)

Like I always said, the best way to learn a OS is to remove any and everything that the OS will not be using in order to run.  Doing it by the book was hard for me because there are so many ways and tons of docs and when you ask someone how to do it, the question is always "why?".

BASE:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=5057

Modifying My System:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=5169

Trimming down FreeBSD:
http://www.mail-archive.com/freebsd-small@freebsd.org/msg00584.html

NO_LIST =  true:
http://groups.google.com/group/list.freebsd.questions/browse_thread/thread/3ce9fd08834db01a

Buildworld Type Info:
http://www.fantasticunix.com/forum/...cussion/174933-how-compile-7-0-kernel-11.html

Preparing Your Own Installation Media:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/install-diff-media.html

And 1500 more that gave me clues:

1)  Copy CD-1 to your Windows HDD in a folder called BSD_SMALL (or something).
2) Delete all folder except 7.2-RELEASE and the BOOT folder.
3) Now open the 7.2-RELEASE -- Delete all folders except base, kernel and the proflibs.
4) Now open the BASE folder and make 2 extra copies of the mtree just in-case you mess up.
5) delete everything you sure you will not be using.  Play it by ear if you have too.  This took me since July 1, 2009 because I had to read up on the propose of each folder and it contents after I got the Mtree clue.  You will learn so darn much if you don't already know what can be safely deleted.  When finish make a new CD call small.  If not bootable you can use Big CD to system install and switch the CD 

I'm still at it to this very moment, because of modifying mTree my user is now 88 MB  and my root is about 43MB cause of building a custom_kernel.  I rather know the OS before using it.  Now I founded my way but this is only the beginning, finally.

While going through the mTree I googled everything under the sun such as -- /usr/share/smnp ... I learned that this folder help monitor packets so I keep it.  I think it has something to do with netgraph.  I lost the lead link.

http://people.freebsd.org/~julian/netgraph.html

Zone info, I only keep the country I live in. locale I did the same thing... etc, etc.  It depends on what you want to use your machine for.  In my case it's a dedicated Web server (maybe shared) and a place to store my personal files securely in the long run for sure.  So as you can see I can remove a heck of a lot more.  And above all I can now see easy how FreeBSD does things with-out un-needed folders in my way. THAT'S WHAT IT ALL ABOUT!  Now I know my way around and can finally move on soon.  That's why FreeBSD gave us the src so we can do our own thing but that seem to have worried a whole lot of simple but experienced users.

This is the key to the whole darn thing is and I told some guys WHY many times before ...

MUST DO FIRST:
Before you do anything ... make a full install of all three CD's and copy (cp -pvr) everything to a flash drive... Now format the drive and do the SMALL install.

Guest What... Now you can add to your TINY_BSD anything you ever need by simply coping it or build it from src off another location than un-plug it so no users can get to it or what-ever.  Now there are many other benefits but I don't feel I need to go into every detail when I am still in the process of experimenting..  I'm sure most of this can be done remotely also.

No scripts ... no nothing ... Easy as pie but you got to google other people experience even though they never did it this way, but it delivers the same results if not better.  Now FTP or anything you like using your shinny new mtree.  Now everyone save bandwidth, forever.

Have a great day 

PS:

You must copy the mtree file back to the BSD machine and do the DOS text files to Unix text command -- than back to the Window machine to burn the CD unless you something on Windows that will do it for you:


```
# % tr -d '\r' < base0.mtree > base.mtree
```


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## iic2 (Jul 18, 2009)

It fool me.  Whatever is in base it get written regardless or I'm missing something doing mtree check-off somewhere.  Whatever is deleted from the CD has no way of getting copied.  So it's only a half of a solution which is really useless.  You'll get 119mb worth of users files even with minimum-install checked so that along makes the deletions of folders from CD useless.  Back to the drawing board.  I guest nanobsd, or sysutils/freesbie is the best way to go.  Well, at lease you know my reasons and how I always keep the whole system, ports and all at hand anyway.  If someone see where I went wrong please let me know.


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## Daisuke_Aramaki (Jul 18, 2009)

wow! 

first time i am hearing freebsd has a lot of baggage attached to it! man i must be living in an alternate universe then! 

anyway lots of info has been provided already, so i won't repeat them. even sysinstall gives you the choice of setting up the system as minimal as possible, is it not?

if you really want greater control in linux, use a source based distro!


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