Solved Installing FreeBSD in Hetzner

Argentum

Argentum

Hello!

This may be a little bit off-topic for this thread, but hopefully not too much. I am asking a little help if somebody has this experience.

The story:

I am installing a fresh FreeBSD 13.1 in Hetzner. They have robot for that with several FreeBSD rescue images which can be activated from browser, but unfortunately
only 11.2 image is able to come up (I think it boots, but without network). And, yes, I have contacted the support and they booted 11.2 for me, not fixing the 13.0 which is the latest. Still that 11.2 allows me to install 13.1 and the first part works actually works.

After that I got everything running, but did probably a configuration mistake so that after boot it is not accessible. Already built a custom kernel and that was working, but then I blew it up. I can start all over, but that will mean many hours of my work lost.

So, my questions for help are here:
  1. Does anybody have an experience with Hetzner here?
  2. Logical next step would be to order remote console. They have a limited time available in the service package, but before ordering I want to be sure it works on my desktop (FreeBSD 13.1 with MATE). I am reading the manual and it says Java is needed. Any experience with that? What ports shall I install on my desktop to make the remote console working? I have Chromium and Firefox installed from ports.
  3. The problem also is that (I assume) when I upgrade the ZFS pool to the 13.1 version, I cannot use the 11.2 rescue system to access the storage.
Will appreciate any help or discussion.
 
The latest FreeBSD Hetzner's rescue image is 13.0, not 11.2. I do not think that there should be problems with the restoration of 13.1.
Regarding Java-based KVM: You need "/usr/ports/java/icedtea-web". However, if my memory serves me, Hetzner's KVM can run the console without using Java.
 
Ole said:
The latest FreeBSD Hetzner's rescue image is 13.0, not 11.2. I do not think that there should be problems with the restoration of 13.1.
Regarding Java-based KVM: You need "/usr/ports/java/icedtea-web". However, if my memory serves me, Hetzner's KVM can run the console without using Java.
Click to expand...
I can see that, but this image does not start on the server.

Do you mean that I can run the KVM on the plain browser?

I read the manual:
Code: 
Please note:

Lantronix support states that the KVM Console will not work fully with Java 9 or 10. To maintain functionality, stay with Java 8.
If Java 8 is not yet installed on your computer, please visit the Java website and download the latest version and then install it.
A security warning might pop-up. This is a general warning from Java and doesn't mean there are any security problems with the Java applet. You can accept the warning without worrying about it.
Unfortunately, some browsers cancel the download of the applet with an error message (file incomplete / invalid certificate). Please use an alternative browser if this happens. With a current standard version of Mozilla Firefox, for example, you shouldn't have this problem.
Once the Java applet has initialized, the console should open, and you will see the screen output of the server as though you were sitting right in front of the server itself.

My question here is - how and where can I get this applet and run on my desktop?
 
unicorn said:
their web hosting seems very cheap
Click to expand...
And the physical servers are also reasonable. We rented AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core Processor (3600.22-MHz K8-class CPU) with 64GB ECC RAM and 2x12TB HDD for a very reasonable price.

... and now the latest 13.1 rescue came up and I can actually access my ZFS pool. It looks like the system is booting OK. Something is wrong with the network configuration:

Code: 
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: ---<<BOOT>>---
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: Copyright (c) 1992-2021 The FreeBSD Project.
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: Copyright (c) 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:  The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: FreeBSD is a registered trademark of The FreeBSD Foundation.
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: FreeBSD 13.1-RELEASE COBALT amd64
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: FreeBSD clang version 13.0.0 (git@github.com:llvm/llvm-project.git llvmorg-13.0.0-0-gd7b669b3a303)
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: VT(vga): resolution 640x480
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core Processor              (3600.09-MHz K8-class CPU)
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   Origin="AuthenticAMD"  Id=0x870f10  Family=0x17  Model=0x71  Stepping=0
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   Features=0x178bfbff<FPU,VME,DE,PSE,TSC,MSR,PAE,MCE,CX8,APIC,SEP,MTRR,PGE,MCA,CMOV,PAT,PSE36,CLFLUSH,MMX,FXSR,SSE,SSE2,HTT>
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   Features2=0x7ef8320b<SSE3,PCLMULQDQ,MON,SSSE3,FMA,CX16,SSE4.1,SSE4.2,x2APIC,MOVBE,POPCNT,AESNI,XSAVE,OSXSAVE,AVX,F16C,RDRAND>
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   AMD Features=0x2e500800<SYSCALL,NX,MMX+,FFXSR,Page1GB,RDTSCP,LM>
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   AMD Features2=0x75c237ff<LAHF,CMP,SVM,ExtAPIC,CR8,ABM,SSE4A,MAS,Prefetch,OSVW,IBS,SKINIT,WDT,TCE,Topology,PCXC,PNXC,DBE,PL2I,MWAITX,ADMSKX>
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   Structured Extended Features=0x219c91a9<FSGSBASE,BMI1,AVX2,SMEP,BMI2,PQM,PQE,RDSEED,ADX,SMAP,CLFLUSHOPT,CLWB,SHA>
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   Structured Extended Features2=0x400004<UMIP,RDPID>
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   XSAVE Features=0xf<XSAVEOPT,XSAVEC,XINUSE,XSAVES>
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   AMD Extended Feature Extensions ID EBX=0x108b657<CLZERO,IRPerf,XSaveErPtr,RDPRU,WBNOINVD,IBPB,STIBP,SSBD>
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   SVM: NP,NRIP,VClean,AFlush,DAssist,NAsids=32768
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel:   TSC: P-state invariant, performance statistics
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: real memory  = 68717379584 (65534 MB)
Jun  4 11:12:45 cobalt kernel: avail memory = 66755325952 (63662 MB)

Now I wonder how I screwed my configuration?
 
I have got a server with Hetzner.

It is a quite simple:
Get an extra USB flash drive. They charge an extra euro or two, it is worth it.
Install any old system on your hard drive, rescue Free bsd or even [GASP] linux [/GASP].
Download the memstick install image for 13.1 or whichever version you want.
dd it onto the USB flash drive.
Use their KVM to do all the necessary steps in the setup.
Boot up from the USB flash.
Then install FreeBSD, exactly as you want.
 
Geezer said:
Use their KVM to do all the necessary steps in the setup.
Click to expand...
My question here is (before I try) - if and how I get the KVM running on my desktop? On my desk I have FreeBSD 13.1 with Firefox (and Chromium). Assume I need some extra ports to install before I get the KVM working. Can you help?
 
Argentum said:
My question here is (before I try) - if and how I get the KVM running on my desktop? On my desk I have FreeBSD 13.1 with Firefox (and Chromium). Assume I need some extra ports to install before I get the KVM working. Can you help?
Click to expand...

No. It is an HTML5 KVM. Works well in firefox or chrome.
 
I installed OS on Hetzner bare metal using KVM and its feature "ISO mapping" as virtual CD-drive.

Just downloaded .iso image of the OS I need onto my local PC, launched Hetzner KVM, mapped that .iso as virtual CD-drive, selected it as a boot option and then went through OS install flow as on native hardware KVM.
 
Marked this solved. It is not FreeBSD issue, but Hetzner issue. Reinstalled the whole thing with 13.1. Yes, they have a rescue system for 13.1 (labeled 13.0) and it works, but takes a very long time to boot (why?). With very I mean very! Perhaps 10 minutes!
 
Argentum said:
Hello!

This may be a little bit off-topic for this thread, but hopefully not too much. I am asking a little help if somebody has this experience.

The story:

I am installing a fresh FreeBSD 13.1 in Hetzner. They have robot for that with several FreeBSD rescue images which can be activated from browser, but unfortunately
only 11.2 image is able to come up (I think it boots, but without network). And, yes, I have contacted the support and they booted 11.2 for me, not fixing the 13.0 which is the latest. Still that 11.2 allows me to install 13.1 and the first part works actually works.

After that I got everything running, but did probably a configuration mistake so that after boot it is not accessible. Already built a custom kernel and that was working, but then I blew it up. I can start all over, but that will mean many hours of my work lost.

So, my questions for help are here:
  1. Does anybody have an experience with Hetzner here?
Click to expand...
As a matter of fact: yes, I do. I've installed FreeBSD on a server of their AX line just last week. Installed FreeBSD 13.1, used ZFS as file system. All boots well and is up and running.

First of all: use the 11.2 install image. This can be used then to install FreeBSD 13.1.

For remote console: there's something called vKVM in the server console, which you can enable anytime. Basically what this does is booting up a Debian image via the network, and firing up the hardware's HDDS/SSDs inside a virtual machine there. So you can then see that installation booting up any time you want in your web browser. vKVM just delivers VNC or SPICE via a web interface. No Java involved.
 
hardworkingnewbie said:
As a matter of fact: yes, I do. I've installed FreeBSD on a server of their AX line just last week. Installed FreeBSD 13.1, used ZFS as file system. All boots well and is up and running.

First of all: use the 11.2 install image. This can be used then to install FreeBSD 13.1.

For remote console: there's something called vKVM in the server console, which you can enable anytime. Basically what this does is booting up a Debian image via the network, and firing up the hardware's HDDS/SSDs inside a virtual machine there. So you can then see that installation booting up any time you want in your web browser. vKVM just delivers VNC or SPICE via a web interface. No Java involved.
Click to expand...
Good to know.

BTW, I reinstalled this machine 2 times today (AX). I was using 13.0 image to install 13.1. All good when installing, but somehow the machine gets unaccessible when configuring a static V6 address and rebooting. Does not look my fault...

BTW, the 13.0 image comes up and appears actually 13.1 :). But it takes a very long time to boot.
 
hardworkingnewbie said:
Well for your edge case to be resolved you could give vKVM a try.
Click to expand...
Hope I do not blow it up this time. But if it happens, I will try vKVM.

There is something with network. When I try to configure static V6 address and reboot, even V4 becomes inaccessible. Manually configuring V6 is all good.
 
It is up and running now:

Code: 
root@cobalt:~ # uname -a ; sysctl net.inet.tcp.functions_available
FreeBSD cobalt 13.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 13.1-RELEASE fc952ac22 COBALT amd64
net.inet.tcp.functions_available:
Stack                           D Alias                            PCB count
freebsd                           freebsd                          6
rack                            * rack                             1

... and the other machine in Hetzner shows something like this:

Code: 
# uptime
11:33PM  up 486 days,  6:41, 8 users, load averages: 1.71, 1.18, 1.09

;)
 
yes, this is bad news. However, you can still order the console and use an ISO image to boot from.

As a side note, no intention for hijacking this thread: exactly this is the reason I use to criticize people here for the "we do not need more users, we are fine with what we have" attitude - we need a certain size of userbase to stay relevant. Last week I made an offer to a hosting company in my country to provide them automated FreeBSD installations on their hardware as a community effort, but they of course rejected because "no one is using this".
 
Geezer said:
Yes, but it is still simple enough to install Freebsd on their machines.
Click to expand...

Not really, if I understand it well, one has to order a console first and wait for it to be available. There is only a relatively narrow window for debugging a FreeBSD setup.
 
DavidMarec said:
Not really, if I understand it well, one has to order a console first and wait for it to be available. There is only a relatively narrow window for debugging a FreeBSD setup.
Click to expand...

You have to wait for about half an hour to get a three hour kvm. And you can do this as many times as you want. Still simple enough.
 
Regarding dropping FreeBSD support, Hetzner Says:

"I'm sorry for delivering bad news to you.. Our decision to stop supporting the FreeBSD rescue System was motivated by a number of internal factors. However, the problem is not with the stability of the system once it’s booted, but with the boot process via network. We have spoken with the FreeBSD maintainers, attempting to make the network boot work with all of our existing and upcoming server types. Since we were unable to make it work to a satisfying state, we have decided to stop supporting the FreeBSD Rescue System. Instead, we provide the option to run a FreeBSD image from an USB stick upon client request."
 
Instruction for Hetzner (and not only) how to boot FreeBSD installation media from Linux rescue without KVM or USB:

1) Activate Hetzner Linux Rescue
2) Login into Linux rescue via SSH
3) wget https://myb.convectix.com/DL/mfsbsd-13.1.img (see below how to build your own img)
4) dd if=mfsbsd-13.1.img of=/dev/sda bs=4M
dd if=mfsbsd-13.1.img of=/dev/sdb bs=4M (optional)

or alt. (3)+(4) steps in single on-the-fly op: wget https://myb.convectix.com/DL/mfsbsd-13.1.img -O -| cat | dd of=/dev/sda

5) sync && shutdown -r now

After ping ( reboot may take ~5 minutes ):

ssh root@<IP>

Password: `mfsroot`

bsdinstall

UPD 2022-07-15: If you do not have Linux-rescue and want to write the MfsBSD image to a "live/active" disk with Linux OS ( perform an depenguination ;-) then we need to stop most of the system processes so that they do not write to us on the disk and follow these procedures:

wget https://myb.convectix.com/DL/mfsbsd-13.1.img -q -O -| cat | dd conv=fsync of=/dev/sda
echo b > /proc/sysrq-trigger

then perform a hard reset (without 'reboot' or 'shutdown').
Instruction how to build mfsbsd-13.1.img:

Code: 
cd /root
mkdir /root/cd-rom
fetch https://download.freebsd.org/ftp/releases/amd64/amd64/ISO-IMAGES/13.1/FreeBSD-13.1-RELEASE-amd64-dvd1.iso
mount -t cd9660 /dev/`/sbin/mdconfig -f FreeBSD-13.1-RELEASE-amd64-dvd1.iso` /root/cd-rom
fetch https://github.com/mmatuska/mfsbsd/archive/master.zip
unzip master.zip && cd mfsbsd-master
ls -la conf/
cp -a conf/rc.conf.sample conf/rc.conf
sysrc -qf conf/rc.conf ifconfig_DEFAULT="DHCP" sshd_flags="-oUseDNS=no -oPermitRootLogin=yes"
# (optional) If you want to login via SSH key, drop your authorized_keys into conf/
make BASE=/root/cd-rom/usr/freebsd-dist
 
Last edited:
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