# FreeBSD newbie, IT vet, starting with FreeBSD



## edziffel (Apr 5, 2012)

After years in the field, and countless hours, in the thousands, of self study and trial and error, have finally arrived here.  From what I can see, and what my gut is telling me, *F*reeBSD is the ultimate open source OS. Really getting good vibes about it.  

What I need/want to do is set up my own compiled AMP server using apache 2.4 the latest release, which I did not see in the archives.  From what I have seen it looks like you need to already have a version of *F*reeBSD up and running in order to do this.  Have spare hardware to crash and burn as many times as it takes.  Have intermediate linux skills, but would so very much appreciate if there was someone who had done this already who could point me in the right direction as the tutorial on this is a bit dated- they reference a PIII chipset. Always a ton of gotches, getting any new system down.  To start just an procedure outline of the first few steps would be great.  IE:

Install version X.Y
Download ???
Open the make file at blah blah to hash out unwanted modules or what have you.

Thanks

Ed


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## ondra_knezour (Apr 5, 2012)

If you can wait couple of days to Apache 2.4 arrival into ports, everything will be as easy as typing

```
portsnap fetch update
cd /usr/ports/ports-mgmt/portmaster
make install
rehash
portmaster www/apache24 databases/mysql55-server lang/php5 lang/php5-extensions
```


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## drhowarddrfine (Apr 5, 2012)

You just saved him another thousand hours of study.


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## SirDice (Apr 5, 2012)

edziffel said:
			
		

> To start just an procedure outline of the first few steps would be great.  IE:
> 
> Install version X.Y
> Download ???
> Open the make file at blah blah to hash out unwanted modules or what have you.


Start by reading the handbook: Chapter 5 Installing Applications: Packages and Ports


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## edziffel (Apr 5, 2012)

Thank you for the info about the new Apache release, the reference to chapter 5, and the command line script for loading exactly what I need.  Building a server to go into production next week.

Only discovered *F*reeBSD yesterday at about noon.  Got the heads up about the manual and other reading, no doubt from the forum monitor who moved this post here.  That was exactly what I wanted/needed.  So now have about 5 hours research in it.  Because of the excellent methodology used by *F*reeBSD, looks like R&D is going to be minimal with respect to its utilization.

Built a machine from parts on hand, loaded 9x with custom partitioning (/var, /usr), and static network assignment.  Up and running as of yesterday evening.  The on screen feed back was fabulous.  Everything worked as described and intended, although the first two old SATA HDDs failed, error 5 at extract archive, and when trying to add user on the first good disk install, did not know how to get the user group assigned or abort adding user, so had to restart install.  Only biological and mechanical failures.  Sweet. 

Still have gaps though.  If you have to wait for the port to be added, then what good is the source code: i.e. what good is the *Free*BSD version of the Nvidia drivers on the Nvidia website?  In fact that is how I found *F*reeBSD.  Tired of drivers that don't work, software versions two generations old, etc., so wanted to do my own.  Nvidia has a *Free*BSD version and wanted to see if *Free*BSD was a better option for rolling your own.  Back to the docs.   

Thanks again.

ed


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## SirDice (Apr 5, 2012)

edziffel said:
			
		

> Still have gaps though.  If you have to wait for the port to be added, then what good is the source code: ie what good is the BSD version of the Nvidia drivers on the Nvidia website?


Ports download the original source, apply FreeBSD specific patches (although they aren't needed in case of the NVidia drivers) and keeps track of what's installed where, and what version.

Anything not installed using ports or packages the system won't know about. That'll make updating or even a simple inventory of what's installed a lot harder.

Ports also allow you to pick and choose options. Not all ports have them but a lot do. You can for example enable or disable HAL support with Xorg. Just keep in mind that packages are build from ports using the default options.


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