Installing FreeBSD 8 from USB flash using Win XP

[ma-es]

Minimal requirements
• Operating system: Windows XP or Linux
• 1 USB stick – 8GB min
• FreeBSD-8.2-RELEASE-i386-dvd1.iso
• Download YUMI-0.0.4.2 from http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator
Step 1 – Preparations
connect a pendrive on the USB port and run YUMI-0.0.4.2.choose your flash memory drive in step1 and select "Format <Flash Mem Drive letter> Drive" check box.
In step2 part select Try an Unlisted ISO from Bootable ISOs part. Browse and select FreeBSD-8.2-RELEASE-i386-dvd1.iso file. Click Create.

A window will be open .click yes.
Wait for the Bootable Flash Drive creation to be completed.
Click next
You will be ask to add more ISOs file.you can add if you want to have a multi boot USB.else click no.


open FreeBSD ISO downloaded before (you can use software like 7zip or WinRAR to open ISO images) and extract all the folder 8.2-RELEASE into your flash memory. Note that the 8.2-RELEASE folder must be extracted too.all files should extract in flash memory root.

connect the pendrive on the USB port of computer you want to install FreeBSD.turn on your computer and press f8 to enter Boot Device selection page.
Choose usb.
Select " Directory Bootable ISOs" from next page and then" Boot FreeBSD-8.2-RELEASE-i386-dvd1.iso "
Wait to boot from flash mem. after that you can see "welcome to FreeBSD" page. Press 1key.
select country.

Select custom from next page.
installation options page will appear.

On option press enter.
go down with the directional keys to Release Name and press SPACE, here change the string from “8.2-RELEASE” in “any”

Partition:ad2 (this is your SSD)
da0 (USB pendrive installer)


press A to partition all the disk with FreeBSD, then hit Q to exit this screen
select Standard to not install a boot manager (we don’t need a boot manager since we want to install FreeBSD only) and hit OK
Label:Press c key and create a new label for swap
press C again to create another label and use the remaining space size simply pressing ENTER
Select FS and type "/" in the box



In Distribution:Select all
In Media page select 5 DOS

From option page select commit.
Click yes.
Wait for installation to complete.
once your installation is completed . now select No, then Exit, Exit Install, here you should see a screen with a confirm dialog “Yes/No”
unplug ALL external devices
now hit Yes

thank to http://sonicfrequencies.wordpress.c...eebsd-from-usb-step-by-step-guide-for-eee-pc/

 

[chrcol]

Ok, this isn't working and some bits don't make sense. E.g. you said to partition all disks which would mean reformatting the install USB boot media as well (bad idea).

Second, you said to copy the 8.2-RELEASE folder and then after that said again the 8.2-RELEASE folder must be extracted too, so you basically saying do the same thing twice?

with all that aside when I choose commit to start the install it says it cannot extract the distribution files.

If anyone has a solution for this would be great, I need a multiboot USB stick to work so I can do the normal direct to USB procedure, currently it's possible to do an online remote install but ideally I want a bootable freebsd FreeBSD installer of USB that is offline, so not over ftp. I can get it to boot to the menu but then cannot get it to copy files of the USB stick. If I boot to mfsbsd, I also cannot mount the USB stick as I assume is due to the fat32 partition.