Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2025 19:22:32 +0000 From: bugzilla-noreply@freebsd.org To: doc@FreeBSD.org Subject: [Bug 286402] Handbook missing "FreeBSD Firmware Installation" section, between sections 2.8.5 and 2.8.6 Message-ID: <bug-286402-9@https.bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/>
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https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=286402 Bug ID: 286402 Summary: Handbook missing "FreeBSD Firmware Installation" section, between sections 2.8.5 and 2.8.6 Product: Documentation Version: Latest Hardware: Any OS: Any Status: New Severity: Affects Many People Priority: --- Component: Website Assignee: doc@FreeBSD.org Reporter: mikethe1wheelnut@protonmail.com Created attachment 259931 --> https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/attachment.cgi?id=259931&action=edit A screen that appears for others that is undocumented. I do not recall seeing it on my machine, but that doesn't mean it didnt. I saw a screen with a menu with most options selected. Between sections 2.8.5 and 2.8.6 there should be a new section covering a new part of the installer that is, apparently, very recent. I reported this first on the forums and they agree that the documentation should be updated. They are actually the ones who told me about PR's :-) Hardware: I am running amd64, (Dell Latitude E7440) but I assume it applies to any hardware. At least one other person has confirmed, see below. Version: The latest version, 14.2 I believe, see comments below. Installation: Via usb-key. System: This is the base system, during installation. Re-install FreeBSD, and you will see this new menu(s) that are not mentioned in the handbook. I accepted the defaults, everything seems fine, even if I don't know what it did. Severity: People on the forums seem to think this affects everybody, so.. See: https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/handbook-missing-freebsd-firmware-installation-section.97657/#post-699417 >From that thread: "mikethe1wheelnut means the "firmware" script menu [1] executed by bsdinstall(8) during menu guided installation. The script executes fwget(8) to install wifi and drm-kmod firmware from packages. fwlist=`chroot $BSDINSTALL_CHROOT fwget -q -n`" " So, in the mean time I've done a re-install of 14.2 while keeping my eyes peeled and sure enough: I can reproduce the issue: I also get the brief firmware prompt: (..see attached image..) Right after the enabling of services and before the question about adding new users, easy to miss for sure! I then dove onto the prompt and found my way to: /usr/libexec/bsdinstall where you can find the firmware script. And I agree, this step should become part of the handbook. Especially because it can also lead to an actual dialog in which users can select which firmware drivers they want to install on their system." ------------------ "I don't recall seeing that particular screenshot, though it might have happened. What I saw was another menu where you could select multiple options. " ---------------------- "The screenshot was taken from a VirtualBox VM. The options selector appears only when there are supported pci wifi and, I believe, display devices present on the system which require firmware. Since VirtualBox doesn't support pci passthrough, there are no pci devices present to install firmware for in the VM, and ultimately no options selector displayed but only a "No firmware to install" notification you see in the screenshot. This notification appears also when no supported devices are present on a bare metal system." ------------------ "I assumed that this is a very recent addition to the installation process, so recent that the documentation hasn't caught-up yet. " ---------------- "It is a new feature on 14.2. The "firmware" script was introduced on CURRENT first, then "Merged From Current" into 14-STABLE, from there into 14.2-RELEASE. 14.1-RELEASE hadn't such a script." Disclaimer: This is my first bug report. One list of tips for bug reports is long, (https://docs.freebsd.org/en/articles/problem-reports/) and this is, I think, a fairly clear simple issue, so I have not read every single word of advice. If I were to do so, it would delay the report for days, and probably not change it very much :-) -- You are receiving this mail because: You are the assignee for the bug.home | help
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