Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 13:29:48 +0100 From: Volker <volker@vwsoft.com> To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: installing fbsd from foreign system Message-ID: <45BC973C.9040703@vwsoft.com>
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Hi hackers! Probably I will be proud to have the chance to support one of Europe's major players in root server hosting for deploying FreeBSD as a target platform for their customers. I need to find a way to integrate the FreeBSD install process into their current deployment system. Currently their install process is running from a Linux install system which does the partitioning, make_fs etc. I found several options to integrate: 1) install a FAT partition, copy a bootable install system in it, boot (bsdboot) an install kernel from FAT partition and begin (unattended) installation (including fdisk, labeling, make_fs'ing). Any thoughts on that? I think this might be the best option. 2) fdisk'ing, labeling and make fs from the Linux system if there are any ported label + fs tools for Linux available - are they? 3) create an ext2 partition and copy the fbsd install system into it and boot from there to begin install process (same as 1 except running from ext2fs). Does a FreeBSD kernel support booting from ext2fs (using mdfs for root-fs)? If so, how? Any better thoughts? Any hints on how to proceed with one of the 3 options? PXE or anything else is not an option. I need to integrate the install process into an existing deployment system. I suspect to be the UFS problem to be the biggest one when it comes to deal with that from a running Linux system. Also as anything needs to run unattended, how do I set FreeBSD to try DHCP on any local interface the kernel can find? Greetings, Volker
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