Install FreeBSD 8.0 using a USB stick, failed: No /boot/loader

E

everypot

I tried to install FB 8.0 Beta3 on my Lenovo S10-2 netbook from a usb stick, but I got the following

Code: 
No /boot/loader

FreeBSD/i386 boot
Default: 0:ad(0,a)/boot/kernel/kernel
boot:
No /boot/kernel/kernel

FreeBSD/i386 boot
Default: 0:ad(0,a)/boot/kernel/kernel
boot:_



I followed the instruction: http://miwi.bsdcrew.de/2009/06/freebsd-80-install-with-a-usb-stick/
and did these:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1: clear stick:
Code: 
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/da0 bs=1k count=1

2: make the USB-Stick bootable
Code: 
bsdlabel -Bw da0 auto

3: create an UFS2 Filesystem with GEOM Lable “FreeBSD”
Code: 
newfs -L FreeBSD /dev/da0a
4:
Code: 
 mkdir /mnt/iso

mount ISO-Image:
Code: 
mdconfig -a -t vnode -f 8.0-BETA3-i386-disc1.iso -u 0 && mount -r -t cd9660 /dev/md0 /mnt/iso

5:
Code: 
mkdir /mnt/usb-stick

Code: 
mount /dev/da0a /mnt/usb-stick

Code: 
 cd /mnt/iso
Code: 
 cp -r *.* /mnt/usb-stick

create a fstab:
Code: 
mkdir /mnt/usb-stick/etc/
Code: 
ee /mnt/usb-stick/etc/fstab

put the codes in the fstab:
Code: 
/dev/ufs/FreeBSD / ufs ro 0 0

save.

Code: 
umount /mnt/usb-stick

Unplug the USB stick.​
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Your boot2 seems to be looking on ad0, I think an USB storage device would be da0 (or higher if there are other da devices).
 
Aprogas said:
Your boot2 seems to be looking on ad0, I think an USB storage device would be da0 (or higher if there are other da devices).
Click to expand...

Are you saying that the BIOS has some problem?
 
tangram said:
Did you try following the method described in 8.0-BETA1 announcement (which is also applicable to BETA2)?

AFAIK FreeBSD 8.0 sysinstall supports USB install without unneeded tinkering.
Click to expand...
I followed their instruction:
Code: 
dd if=8.0-BETA3-i386-memstick.img of=/dev/da0 bs=10240 conv=sync

successful. Restart the system to boot from the usb stick. but I get
Code: 
NO bootable partiton in table_

Then I realize that I didn't clean the stick before copying the img. So I clean the stick by
Code: 
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/da0 bs=1k count=1

and recopy the img to the stick
Code: 
dd if=8.0-BETA3-i386-memstick.img of=/dev/da0 bs=10240 conv=sync

Finally, a bootable usb stick!
 
I have no experience with USB booting, I just noticed the ad0/da0 difference. I think your USB stick and BIOS are fine. Try booting from 0:da(0,a)/boot/kernel/kernel
 
I could not get my system to boot 8.0-RELEASE until I did the following which finally seemed to produce a bootable memstick:
Code: 
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/da0 bs=1k count=1

and then

Code: 
dd if=8.0-RELEASE-amd64-memstick.img of=/dev/da0 bs=1M
 
I made freebsd FreeBSD 8.3 on 2GB USB. Everything is fine except there is a trick at /boot/loader.conf. You have to add:
Code: 
kern.cam.boot_delay=10000

Another step, I do not know it is a trick or not. You have to wipe out the whole disk before you fdisk it.

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/da0 bs=512k

No count! Zero out the whole disk. Some other lazy guys:
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/da0 count=2

I did not get luck with this lazy way.

By the way, this USB stick is not the livefs memory stick. It is a normal FreeBSD on it the same as on a regular hard drive.
 
frankpeng said:
By the way, this usb stick is not the livefs memory stick. It is a normal FreeBSD on it the same as on a regular hard drive.
Click to expand...
You are responding to a 2 year old post. FreeBSD 8.0 had a livefs image.
 
LiveFS is different than FreeBSD installed on USB. For example, if you want to install ntfs, you can do the following if it is a FreeBSD on USB:
Code: 
cd /usr/ports/sysutils/fusefs-ntfs
make -DBATCH install clean.
If it is a livefs, you cannot do this. Can you?
 
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