# Installing FreeBSD TO a USB Flash Drive



## mphueyuc (May 10, 2012)

Is there any documentation on how to install FreeBSD 9 ONTO a USB Flash Drive? (not FROM a USB Flash drive).

I booted the installer, but it doesn't properly detect the USB Flash drive.  I dropped to the shell and found this in the /var/run/dmesg.boot file:


```
umass2: <HP v165w, class 0/0, rev 2.00/16.38, addr 4> on usbus7
umass2: SCSI over Bulk-Only; quirks = 0x0100
umass2:8:2:01: Attached to scbus8
Root mount waiting for: usbus7
Root mount waiting for: usbus7
Root mount waiting for: usbus7
Root mount waiting for: usbus7
ugen7.5: <HP> at usbus7
```

It sees the thumb drive, but doesn't ever assign it a device name (ie. da0).

If there is existing documentation, I'd appreciate a link. I looked but just found tons of information about installing from a USB device.  

I've successfully installed FreeBSD 9 onto a SATA disk using this same hardware.  The plan is to use the system as a back up server, and I'd prefer not to consume any drive bays for the OS.


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## tingo (May 10, 2012)

Install to a USB flash drive should work the same way as install to a hard drive. If your USB flash drive isn't detected, you have two options:

see if a rescan of USB devices will detect it
try another USB flash drive


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## phoenix (May 10, 2012)

Some flash drives come pre-configured as virtual CD-ROM drives, or have custom Windows/MacOS X software on them with hidden partitions (like the U3 Cruzers), or otherwise come configured such that non-Windows/MacOS X systems can't detect them.

Try formatting the USB stick under Windows or Linux to remove any such nonsense.


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## wasabi (May 11, 2012)

I have been trying to install FreeBSD 9 to a USB stick (4GB). Just a warning but I have got some errors when trying to add the xorg-minimal package: Out of inodes when downloading python.

I can try to install python first before adding Xorg to see if it works. However, I did find a thread that says 6GB sticks are needed. (I am not too sure of any workarounds such as keeping ports on a different drive. Maybe the more experienced can help.)

http://freebsd.1045724.n5.nabble.com/Can-t-install-FreeBSD-amd64-9-0-RC2-quot-mnt-out-of-inodes-quot-td5001348.html


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