From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Sep 27 20:39:38 2007 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6DF0916A420 for ; Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:39:38 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from kneel.pardoe@virgin.net) Received: from n082.sc1.he.tucows.com (smtpout0169.sc1.he.tucows.com [64.97.136.169]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3352913C45B for ; Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:39:38 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from kneel.pardoe@virgin.net) Received: from [192.168.0.2] (82.20.24.65) by n082.sc1.he.tucows.com (7.2.069.1) (authenticated as kneel.pardoe) id 46E439FA0019930C for freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG; Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:11:20 +0000 Message-ID: <46FC1C65.6060801@virgin.net> Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:11:01 +0000 From: neal User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.6 (X11/20070915) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: Subject: newby needing help X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:39:38 -0000 Hello List, I've been reading the list for a few weeks now and trying out 6.2STABLE. I've been using Linux for the past 6years and dos/windows a lot longer before that. Now I'm trying out something new and I really like it. Even better, there are both a mailing list and a newsgroup for support, wahay! no [expletive] forums! IMHO something that is done FOR the users and for which I am truly grateful. I've checked out all the main functions I want from FreeBSD and had them all working (hehe, but since broke some) so I'm happy it will do the things I want so far. First question, what is recommended regarding doing updates. Is it best to just do all of them? I have always had problems doing this e.g. with Mandrake and other Linuxs and so am reluctant, but if it is usual I'll give it a try. (I'm also reluctant as I assume a full update will update xorg to 7.3 and I have 7.2 installed with the latest nvidia 9# driver and it works beautifully so would rather stay with that. I have read the Handbook, but still have a problem understanding how to map my ext2 and ext3 partitions to the UFS notation. e.g. I have a drive hda, it has a swap an unused space and four partitions one of which is my home partition hda7. How do I refer to this home partition using ad0??? notation (as this is what I understand I need to do, if not please enlighten). I have installed the ext2fs utilities/drivers and can mount an ext2 fs written on dvd without problems. I intend to do a completely fresh install and would like to compile for my specific pc kit. Would I be best doing this following installation and initial setting up? and is it possible to load something from a package now and later reinstall from ports? TIA neal.