[10.0/10.1] Fresh install trouble

G

greenhat

Greetings!

I recently put together an inexpensive computer to learn FreeBSD and a couple of Linux distributions. The system is comprised of the following hardware:

-Intel NUC DN2820FYKH
-8GB SODIMM DDR3 1600MHz (down clocked to 1066)
-2.5 SATA III 256GB SSD

It's meant to be one of those mini-HTPC/AIO devices. Consequently, there's no optical drive. It has one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 slots.

I proceeded to download and attempt to install FreeBSD 10.1 *.iso via a 64GB USB 3.0 thumb drive with no luck. After searching around these forums, I found a thread indicating the memstick.img is for use with the thumb drive, specifically. I received a boot error until I used the 10.1-amd64-uefi-memstick.img but ran into another hurdle. The start up text displays it is loading the FreeBSD kernel then gets to a point where I can press "enter" to boot or any other key to get to a command prompt or do nothing for an auto-boot which will occur after 10 seconds of inactivity. If I press "enter" or let it auto-boot, it displays:

Code: 
 Starting @ ffffffff802db500...
\

It just seems to hang/freeze there. I can't type or do anything but restart/turn off the computer. If I press the "any" key (hehe), I get a command line with an "OK" where I'm notified I can either type "?" or "help". Typing "?" doesn't seem to do anything I can perceive other than go to the next line with "OK". The "help" command informs me of the help parameters but doesn't give me a list of commands to use. I tried randomly typing "install", "setup", and "bsdinstall" with no luck. All that works is typing "boot" which results in the same text above where it just hangs and I can't do anything.

As a last resort, I tried updating the BIOS to the latest firmware version per Intel's website and checking it has the right boot settings before going through the process all over again with the same results. Also, if it is significant, my main system is a Windows 8.1 desktop PC. I downloaded "dd for Windows" and used a guide from koitsu's wordpress site to place the *.img onto my thumb drive. Both my thumb drive and the system SSD which I'm trying to get FreeBSD on are fresh. The thumb drive only has the *.img on it and FreeBSD is the first operating system I'm trying to get on the SSD as it will be my initial and primary focus for learning before the other OS's.

I've searched around some looking for "ffffffff802db500" and other solutions but I'm running into a dead end. I could use some help. The "help" command isn't cutting the mustard so far. Any ideas?

Thanks.
 
That sounds like you where using the UEFI bootloader. It's new, and seems to have problems on many different pieces of hardware. I get a very similar problem when using the UEFI bootloader on my system. Try going into the BIOS setting and enabling CSM.
 
Hey, reub2000.

I just checked, it's set to prioritize the UEFI but use legacy BIOS if unable to get the UEFI to work which I'm assuming is CSM being enabled.

The odd thing is only the 10.1-amd64-uefi-memstick.img has gotten me to this point. The rest of the 10.0/10.1 images give me a "boot error" right off the bat.
 
I tried your suggestion.

First, I used the 10.0-amd64-memstick.img since we're shutting off the UEFI. It produced a "boot error" upon start up. Pressing any key on the keyboard would restart the system with the same "boot error" message creating a loop.

Next, I tried the 10.1-amd64-uefi-memstick.img just to see what would happen. It gave me an "invalid partition table" error which wouldn't let me type anything and just hung there.

Lastly, I tried swapping out the RAM for a 4GB DDR3 1600 and the SSD for a standard 2.5" HDD 500GB as they are what I had on hand to try and eliminate hardware conflicts but both configurations produced the same results.

To save me some time and the expense of going out to buy an external USB optical drive, I'm wondering if what I'm thinking would work? I'd install Linux (Mint, in particular) and partition the SSD. Then, download the FreeBSD-10.0-amd64-dvd1.iso and mount it on a virtual drive to install it on one of the partitions within Linux. If this is possible, any advice or tips to make the process go smoothly?

Appreciate it.
 
Thanks for the information, protocelt.

Just so I understand this correctly, no matter what approach I use, FreeBSD won't work on my system until they come up with a solution to the APCI/hardware conflict but I'll be okay to use Linux (3.13.5 or later)?
 
You could try PCBSD which uses GRUB instead of the FreeBSD bootloader. (No UEFI support though.)

greenhat said:
To save me some time and the expense of going out to buy an external USB optical drive, I'm wondering if what I'm thinking would work? I'd install Linux (Mint, in particular) and partition the SSD. Then, download the FreeBSD-10.0-amd64-dvd1.iso and mount it on a virtual drive to install it on one of the partitions within Linux. If this is possible, any advice or tips to make the process go smoothly?
Click to expand...
Are you talking about running FreeBSD as a guest inside of a virtual machine? That should work.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
protocelt: Alrighty, appreciate it just the same. I read the bug site you posted while at work and that's what I quickly gleaned from it. I was really trying to figure out if this incompatibility was something that stops me dead in my tracks with FreeBSD altogether until the support is added or are there other options? Possibly using one of those Unetbootin or UUI USB installers with an older version of FreeBSD (9/8). If it is a no-go, then I'll just bookmark the site and check back periodically until the support is added and install it then.


reub2000: Not to run FreeBSD within a virtual machine as the general mode of operation. I thought the original installation problem lied in the medium (USB) and was looking for a way around it but based off what protocelt posted, even if it did work, it probably wouldn't boot either way. I'll take a look at the PC-BSD, you mentioned.


Thanks again, all.
 
Hello

About your problem greenhat, I have the same with my computer (Asus p8p67, Intel i5 2500k, 12GB RAM). UEFI Installation stops exactly when yours does. First I tried installing from USB stick (10.1 rc2), then I thought that the problem might be with the stick, so I tried using CD. Hangs in the same place. I have also some Asus i3 laptop and the same USB stick installation runs fine.
 
Hi, @Sławek,

According to PR 187966, my hardware (NUC DN2820FYKH) doesn't play well with FreeBSD due to APIC conflicts which interrupt the boot process. What I need to find out now is if this is just for the 10.0/10.1 versions or are the conflicts persistent in older versions of FreeBSD as well. If it's persistent, then I'm SOL until something changes.

It could be a different reason altogether but the possibility exists that it may explain why the FreeBSD install on your laptop was successful and not on your desktop using the same memstick.
 
Hello again, greenhat.

Did you read carefully this PR PR 187966? It says that the patch was applied to versions 10 and 9-STABLE, 9.3. For me, this problem occurs only when I'm trying a UEFI install, which is only possible to use from RC version 10.1. In legacy BIOS mode, the above-mentioned USB stick runs ok, so I think, reub2000 is right in this case.
 
Sławek S. said:
Hello again, greenhat.

Did you read carefully this PR PR 187966? It says that the patch was applied to versions 10 and 9-STABLE, 9.3. For me, this problem occurs only when I'm trying a UEFI install, which is only possible to use from RC version 10.1. In legacy BIOS mode, the above-mentioned USB stick runs ok, so I think, reub2000 is right in this case.
Click to expand...


I missed that part as to which versions it was applied. I did try reub2000's suggestions about running strictly on legacy BIOS previously with a "boot error" result. I tried again (non-UEFI) to be sure with the same outcome. I'm going to try contacting Intel to see if they can shed any light on this matter. I'll post back if there are any further developments.
 
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