# Couldn't create directory /dist: read-only file system



## piercedfreak (Apr 30, 2013)

I am trying to install FreeBSD on a spare computer I have. It seems to be mounting read-only, and not able to create/write to the disk. I am using a SATA HDD, and DVD drive. Windows installs fine on the machine, Linux installs fine. I get the error message "Couldn't create directory /dist: read-only file system." after selecting the packages to install. I have no clue as to where to look, or what to do now, I have tried i386, and amd64 versions, with the same results. Where should I look, what do I need to do?


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## wblock@ (Apr 30, 2013)

What version of FreeBSD?


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## piercedfreak (Apr 30, 2013)

FreeBSD 9.1-RELEASE.


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## Beastie (Apr 30, 2013)

Installing binary packages from the install DVD is still possible in 9.x?

Even if it is, you shouldn't bother with the ones included. They are 6 months old now! If you have access to the Internet on your machine, install new packages from the STABLE repository.


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## piercedfreak (Apr 30, 2013)

Beastie said:
			
		

> Installing binary packages from the install DVD is still possible in 9.x?
> 
> Even if it is, you shouldn't bother with the ones included. They are 6 months old now! If you have access to the Internet on your machine, install new packages from the STABLE repository.



I can not even install the base, much less binaries.


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## Beastie (Apr 30, 2013)

By "packages" do you mean this? Unselect them all and try again. Or try the USB "memstick" version instead of the DVD.


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## piercedfreak (Apr 30, 2013)

Beastie said:
			
		

> By "packages" do you mean this? Unselect them all and try again. Or try the USB "memstick" version instead of the DVD.



Yes, that is what I meant by "packages". I even tried to install from FTP, but it could not resolve host ftp.freebsd.org, which I am guessing is because it can not write /etc/resolv.conf due to the file system being read only.


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## piercedfreak (May 1, 2013)

Installing from a USB memstick seems to have worked. Thanks.


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