# FreeBSD 9.0-BETA3 ; hard time with new installer



## _martin (Oct 7, 2011)

Hello, 

I had some time and decided to test new FreeBSD 9.0-BETA3 (amd64). I'm using bootonly image. I bumped into the problem: once the disk layout is set and I hit the commit some errors showed on the screen which got immediately wiped out by next screen. My first disappointment was: where is the useful debug output screen (alt+f2)? 

I got stuck with the "Connecting to server" screen and unable to find out what's going on (well proxy settings are problem here). <ctrl>/<alt> + F<n> keys are not doing anything. I hit the ^C and restarted the whole installer. Tried to get to the shell and set the ftp_proxy variable -- seems this doesn't fix my problem.

The question is: is there a way to see the debug output of the installer without actually interrupting installation itself? 

I understand it's a new thing and it adds an option of using GPT/MBR layouts with native ZFS installations ..  but .. I must say I miss the old installer already.


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## da1 (Oct 12, 2011)

+1 to that.


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## wblock@ (Oct 12, 2011)

I think it does write a log file, but don't really know much about it.  Check and/or submit a PR for it, as Nathan has been very responsive in tuning bsdinstall.


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## _martin (Oct 15, 2011)

wblock@ said:
			
		

> I think it does write a log file, but don't really know much about it.  Check and/or submit a PR for it, as Nathan has been very responsive in tuning bsdinstall.



Yeah, I found a workaround (if it can be called that way) to escape to shell and look into /var/log/messages. It does, however, do a raw logging so even window characters are put there -- not an eye-pleaser. Not to mention installer is reset and I need to start all over (rhetoric question: why does keyboard selection defaults to first keyboard in alphabet? :/).

I'll need to go through PRs and read more information on this. Old installer was very intuitive -- I have very hard time installing even plain system with this one.


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