Like I always said, the best way to learn a OS is to remove any and everything that the OS will not be using in order to run. Doing it by the book was hard for me because there are so many ways and tons of docs and when you ask someone how to do it, the question is always "why?".
BASE:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=5057
Modifying My System:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=5169
Trimming down FreeBSD:
http://www.mail-archive.com/freebsd-small@freebsd.org/msg00584.html
NO_LIST = true:
http://groups.google.com/group/list.freebsd.questions/browse_thread/thread/3ce9fd08834db01a
Buildworld Type Info:
http://www.fantasticunix.com/forum/...cussion/174933-how-compile-7-0-kernel-11.html
Preparing Your Own Installation Media:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/install-diff-media.html
And 1500 more that gave me clues:
1) Copy CD-1 to your Windows HDD in a folder called BSD_SMALL (or something).
2) Delete all folder except 7.2-RELEASE and the BOOT folder.
3) Now open the 7.2-RELEASE -- Delete all folders except base, kernel and the proflibs.
4) Now open the BASE folder and make 2 extra copies of the mtree just in-case you mess up.
5) delete everything you sure you will not be using. Play it by ear if you have too. This took me since July 1, 2009 because I had to read up on the propose of each folder and it contents after I got the Mtree clue. You will learn so darn much if you don't already know what can be safely deleted. When finish make a new CD call small. If not bootable you can use Big CD to system install and switch the CD
I'm still at it to this very moment, because of modifying mTree my user is now 88 MB and my root is about 43MB cause of building a custom_kernel. I rather know the OS before using it. Now I founded my way but this is only the beginning, finally.
While going through the mTree I googled everything under the sun such as -- /usr/share/smnp ... I learned that this folder help monitor packets so I keep it. I think it has something to do with netgraph. I lost the lead link.
http://people.freebsd.org/~julian/netgraph.html
Zone info, I only keep the country I live in. locale I did the same thing... etc, etc. It depends on what you want to use your machine for. In my case it's a dedicated Web server (maybe shared) and a place to store my personal files securely in the long run for sure. So as you can see I can remove a heck of a lot more. And above all I can now see easy how FreeBSD does things with-out un-needed folders in my way. THAT'S WHAT IT ALL ABOUT! Now I know my way around and can finally move on soon. That's why FreeBSD gave us the src so we can do our own thing but that seem to have worried a whole lot of simple but experienced users.
This is the key to the whole darn thing is and I told some guys WHY many times before ...
MUST DO FIRST:
Before you do anything ... make a full install of all three CD's and copy (cp -pvr) everything to a flash drive... Now format the drive and do the SMALL install.
Guest What... Now you can add to your TINY_BSD anything you ever need by simply coping it or build it from src off another location than un-plug it so no users can get to it or what-ever. Now there are many other benefits but I don't feel I need to go into every detail when I am still in the process of experimenting.. I'm sure most of this can be done remotely also.
No scripts ... no nothing ... Easy as pie but you got to google other people experience even though they never did it this way, but it delivers the same results if not better. Now FTP or anything you like using your shinny new mtree. Now everyone save bandwidth, forever.
Have a great day
PS:
You must copy the mtree file back to the BSD machine and do the DOS text files to Unix text command -- than back to the Window machine to burn the CD unless you something on Windows that will do it for you:
Code:
# % tr -d '\r' < base0.mtree > base.mtree
