# FreeBSD From Scratch

### Jens Schweikhardt

`<schweikh@FreeBSD.org>`

$FreeBSD: release/8.4.0/en_US.ISO8859-1/articles/fbsd-from-scratch/article.xml 39632 2012-10-01 11:56:00Z gabor $

Copyright © 2002,2003,2004,2008 Jens Schweikhardt

$FreeBSD: release/8.4.0/en_US.ISO8859-1/articles/fbsd-from-scratch/article.xml 39632 2012-10-01 11:56:00Z gabor $

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> This article describes my efforts at FreeBSD From Scratch: a fully automated installation of a customized FreeBSD system compiled from source, including compilation of all your favorite ports and configured to match your idea of the perfect system. If you think `make world` is a wonderful concept, FreeBSD From Scratch extends it to `make evenmore`.

# 1 Introduction

Have you ever upgraded your system with `make world`? There is a problem if you have only one system on your disks. If the `installworld` fails partway through, you are left with a broken system that might not even boot any longer. Or maybe the `installworld` runs smoothly but the new kernel does not boot. Then it is time to reach for the Fixit CD and dig for those backups you have taken half a year ago.

I believe in the “wipe your disks when upgrading systems” paradigm. Wiping disks, or rather partitions, makes sure there is no old cruft left lying around, something which most upgrade procedures just do not care about. But wiping the partitions means you have to also recompile/reinstall all your ports and packages and then redo all your carefully crafted configuration tweaks. If you think that this task should be automated as well, read on.

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