# restore a FreeBSD image over the network



## ccc (Jun 15, 2011)

Hi,

Some FreeBSD desktops have only a floppy drive, no CD-ROM, and they don't boot from a USB stick. I'd like to create a boot floppy to restore a FreeBSD hard disk image from/to NFS/FTP/SAMBA server over the network, and it should work possibly automatically.

BTW, a normal, non-IT user should be able to do it.


----------



## ccc (Jun 19, 2011)

BTW, which third party software are you using to backup/restore your FreeBSD desktops over the network?


----------



## gkontos (Jun 19, 2011)

ccc said:
			
		

> BTW which 3rd party software are you using to backup/restore your freeBSD Desktops over the network?


I use ZFS send/receive functionality for that purpose now, although I think that it would require someone with a basic understanding of it in order to perform it and not just an operator.
You can have a look at g4u. I used it in the past and it worked quite well.


----------



## expl (Jun 19, 2011)

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/install-pre.html

Scroll all the way down.

As handbook says, there are no floppy images for 8.x and up, you will probably need to create them manually for later versions of the FreeBSD.

And for 7.x you will need at least 4 floppies to boot up.


----------

