FreeBSD

Yup, this needs another thread.

While my ISP is being AWESOME and nobody's internet is capped, I decided to take the opportunity to download FreeBSD. Just for fun. So, since I have it now, I'd (kinda) like to install it, just to check it out.

Currently, I have a dual boot system with WinXP and Mandrake 9.1, and a boot loader. WinXP and Mandrake are on seperate HDs. I absolutely need to keep WinXP. Mandrake can stay or go, I don't give a crap, I never use it. I need to still be able to dual boot, though. (Meaning between WinXP and whatever else I have on here) Space is not an issue... I have 80 gb to burn on Linux/*nix/etc distros. And 80 gb for WinXP. Anyway, is there someone here that can tell me what will happen if I just reboot with the FreeBSD CD in the computer? Will it install over mandrake and still have the boot loader work, or will I need to do something else?

Quote:

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Originally posted by confuted
Yup, this needs another thread.

While my ISP is being AWESOME and nobody's internet is capped, I decided to take the opportunity to download FreeBSD. Just for fun. So, since I have it now, I'd (kinda) like to install it, just to check it out.

Currently, I have a dual boot system with WinXP and Mandrake 9.1, and a boot loader. WinXP and Mandrake are on seperate HDs. I absolutely need to keep WinXP. Mandrake can stay or go, I don't give a crap, I never use it. I need to still be able to dual boot, though. (Meaning between WinXP and whatever else I have on here) Space is not an issue... I have 80 gb to burn on Linux/*nix/etc distros. And 80 gb for WinXP. Anyway, is there someone here that can tell me what will happen if I just reboot with the FreeBSD CD in the computer? Will it install over mandrake and still have the boot loader work, or will I need to do something else?

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It will start sysinstall, where you can choose which partition to install over, or delete or whatever. I found sysinstall quite difficult at first. But it has its benifits. Be sure to install the ports collection.

And be sure to back up everything you want to keep. But you probably already knew that. ;)

Also once FreeBSD is installed, you can run sysinstall at any time by typing sysinstall in the shell, to add hard drives or change stuff.

Will FreeBSD install some sort of dual boot utility for me (or configure the existing one)?

>Will FreeBSD install some sort of dual boot utility for me (or configure the existing one)?
When partitioning the drive you'll be given the choice of loading a boot manager that lets you configure that.

well, I installed FreeBSD and ran xf86config, and everything seemed to go okay there... and I typed startx, and it gave me an error message which was something like "EE: No screens found" I'm pretty sure I installed X-window, and pretty sure I did the stuff in xf86config correctly, but... ummm... no guarantees about any of that :) Any ideas what's wrong, or how to fix it?

post the complete error message...

or try this
su
X -configure
mv /root/XF86Config.new /etc/X11/XF86Config
exit root

now give startx a try
;)

Quote:

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Originally posted by ZerOrDie
post the complete error message...

or try this
su
X -configure
mv /root/XF86Config.new /etc/X11/XF86Config
exit root

now give startx a try
;)

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How would I post the complete error message? I can't get online with FreeBSD (read: I don't know how to get online with FreeBSD. Is there a browser I can run from the console?) Anyway, I'll give that a try the next time I boot to FreeBSD.

>I don't know how to get online with FreeBSD.
How to do stuff

>Is there a browser I can run from the console?
Assuming you can get connected, you can use lynx to browse from the terminal. Though you may need to install the port first:

Code:

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cd /usr/ports/www/lynx; make && make install

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Are you using an nVidia graphics card? I know that the current XFree Default nVidia driver doesn't support the GeForce FX 5200, 5200 Ultra, 5600, and 5600 ultra. If so, you'll need to download the FreeBSD Detonator Drivers from www.nvidia.com

Do you have broadband (like Cable or DSL)? If so you should be able to just start up a browser like links or lynx and surf away with no set up (as long as you have DHCP or something of the like). If you use dial-up, and it's a WinModem, you'll have to get a FreeBSD driver for your "modem". If it is a regular modem, you should be able to run some kind of ppp program and dial-up then fire up links.