FreeBSD Handbook
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# 2.4 Starting the Installation

> Important: By default, the installation will not make any changes to your disk(s) until you see the following message:

>     Your changes will now be written to disk.  If you
>     have chosen to overwrite existing data, it will
>     be PERMANENTLY ERASED. Are you sure you want to
>     commit your changes?

> The install can be exited at any time prior to this warning without changing the contents of the hard drive. If you are concerned that you have configured something incorrectly you can just turn the computer off before this point, and no damage will be done.

## 2.4.1 Booting

### 2.4.1.1 Booting on i386™ and amd64

1. If you prepared a “bootable” USB stick, as described in Section 2.3.5, then plug in your USB stick before turning on the computer.

   If you are booting from CDROM, then you will need to turn on the computer, and insert the CDROM at the first opportunity.

2. Configure your machine to boot from either the CDROM or from USB, depending on the media being used for the installation. BIOS configurations allow the selection of a specific boot device. Most systems also provide for selecting a boot device during startup, typically by pressing F10, F11, F12, or Escape.

3. If your computer starts up as normal and loads your existing operating system, then either:

   1. The disks were not inserted early enough in the boot process. Leave them in, and try restarting your computer.

   2. The BIOS changes earlier did not work correctly. You should redo that step until you get the right option.

   3. Your particular BIOS does not support booting from the desired media. The Plop Boot Manager can be used to boot older computers from CD or USB media.

4. FreeBSD will start to boot. If you are booting from CDROM you will see a display similar to this (version information omitted):

       Booting from CD-ROM...
       645MB medium detected
       CD Loader 1.2

       Building the boot loader arguments
       Looking up /BOOT/LOADER... Found
       Relocating the loader and the BTX
       Starting the BTX loader

       BTX loader 1.00 BTX version is 1.02
       Consoles: internal video/keyboard
       BIOS CD is cd0
       BIOS drive C: is disk0
       BIOS drive D: is disk1
       BIOS 636kB/261056kB available memory

       FreeBSD/i386 bootstrap loader, Revision 1.1

       Loading /boot/defaults/loader.conf
       /boot/kernel/kernel text=0x64daa0 data=0xa4e80+0xa9e40 syms=[0x4+0x6cac0+0x4+0x88e9d]
       \

5. The FreeBSD boot loader is displayed:

   Figure 2-1. FreeBSD Boot Loader Menu

   Either wait ten seconds, or press Enter.

### 2.4.1.2 Booting for Macintosh® PowerPC®

On most machines, holding C on the keyboard during boot will boot from the CD. Otherwise, hold Command+Option+O+F, or Windows+Alt+O+F on non-Apple® keyboards. At the `0 >` prompt, enter

    boot cd:,\ppc\loader cd:0

For Xserves without keyboards, see Apple's support web site about booting into Open Firmware.

### 2.4.1.3 Booting for SPARC64®

Most SPARC64® systems are set up to boot automatically from disk. To install FreeBSD, you need to boot over the network or from a CDROM, which requires you to break into the PROM (OpenFirmware).

To do this, reboot the system, and wait until the boot message appears. It depends on the model, but should look about like:

    Sun Blade 100 (UltraSPARC-IIe), Keyboard Present
    Copyright 1998-2001 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
    OpenBoot 4.2, 128 MB memory installed, Serial #51090132.
    Ethernet address 0:3:ba:b:92:d4, Host ID: 830b92d4.

If your system proceeds to boot from disk at this point, you need to press L1+A or Stop+A on the keyboard, or send a `BREAK` over the serial console (using for example `~#` in tip(1) or cu(1)) to get to the PROM prompt. It looks like this:

    ok
    ok {0}

  This is the prompt used on systems with just one CPU.
  This is the prompt used on SMP systems, the digit indicates the number of the active CPU.

At this point, place the CDROM into your drive, and from the PROM prompt, type `boot cdrom`.

## 2.4.2 Reviewing the Device Probe Results

The last few hundred lines that have been displayed on screen are stored and can be reviewed.

To review the buffer, press Scroll Lock. This turns on scrolling in the display. You can then use the arrow keys, or PageUp and PageDown to view the results. Press Scroll Lock again to stop scrolling.

Do this now, to review the text that scrolled off the screen when the kernel was carrying out the device probes. You will see text similar to Figure 2-2, although the precise text will differ depending on the devices that you have in your computer.

Figure 2-2. Typical Device Probe Results

    Copyright (c) 1992-2011 The FreeBSD Project.
    Copyright (c) 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
            The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
    FreeBSD is a registered trademark of The FreeBSD Foundation.
    FreeBSD 9.0-RELEASE #0 r225473M: Sun Sep 11 16:07:30 BST 2011
        root@psi:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC amd64
    CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     T9400  @ 2.53GHz (2527.05-MHz K8-class CPU)
      Origin = "GenuineIntel"  Id = 0x10676  Family = 6  Model = 17  Stepping = 6
      Features=0xbfebfbff<FPU,VME,DE,PSE,TSC,MSR,PAE,MCE,CX8,APIC,SEP,MTRR,PGE,MCA,CMOV,PAT,PSE36,CLFLUSH,DTS,ACPI,MMX,FXSR,SSE,SSE2,SS,HTT,TM,PBE>
      Features2=0x8e3fd<SSE3,DTES64,MON,DS_CPL,VMX,SMX,EST,TM2,SSSE3,CX16,xTPR,PDCM,SSE4.1>
      AMD Features=0x20100800<SYSCALL,NX,LM>
      AMD Features2=0x1<LAHF>
      TSC: P-state invariant, performance statistics
    real memory  = 3221225472 (3072 MB)
    avail memory = 2926649344 (2791 MB)
    Event timer "LAPIC" quality 400
    ACPI APIC Table: <TOSHIB A0064   >
    FreeBSD/SMP: Multiprocessor System Detected: 2 CPUs
    FreeBSD/SMP: 1 package(s) x 2 core(s)
     cpu0 (BSP): APIC ID:  0
     cpu1 (AP): APIC ID:  1
    ioapic0: Changing APIC ID to 1
    ioapic0 <Version 2.0> irqs 0-23 on motherboard
    kbd1 at kbdmux0
    acpi0: <TOSHIB A0064> on motherboard
    acpi0: Power Button (fixed)
    acpi0: reservation of 0, a0000 (3) failed
    acpi0: reservation of 100000, b6690000 (3) failed
    Timecounter "ACPI-safe" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 850
    acpi_timer0: <24-bit timer at 3.579545MHz> port 0xd808-0xd80b on acpi0
    cpu0: <ACPI CPU> on acpi0
    ACPI Warning: Incorrect checksum in table [ASF!] - 0xFE, should be 0x9A (20110527/tbutils-282)
    cpu1: <ACPI CPU> on acpi0
    pcib0: <ACPI Host-PCI bridge> port 0xcf8-0xcff on acpi0
    pci0: <ACPI PCI bus> on pcib0
    vgapci0: <VGA-compatible display> port 0xcff8-0xcfff mem 0xff400000-0xff7fffff,0xe0000000-0xefffffff irq 16 at device 2.0 on pci0
    agp0: <Intel GM45 SVGA controller> on vgapci0
    agp0: aperture size is 256M, detected 131068k stolen memory
    vgapci1: <VGA-compatible display> mem 0xffc00000-0xffcfffff at device 2.1 on pci0
    pci0: <simple comms> at device 3.0 (no driver attached)
    em0: <Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection 7.2.3> port 0xcf80-0xcf9f mem 0xff9c0000-0xff9dffff,0xff9fe000-0xff9fefff irq 20 at device 25.0 on pci0
    em0: Using an MSI interrupt
    em0: Ethernet address: 00:1c:7e:6a:ca:b0
    uhci0: <Intel 82801I (ICH9) USB controller> port 0xcf60-0xcf7f irq 16 at device 26.0 on pci0
    usbus0: <Intel 82801I (ICH9) USB controller> on uhci0
    uhci1: <Intel 82801I (ICH9) USB controller> port 0xcf40-0xcf5f irq 21 at device 26.1 on pci0
    usbus1: <Intel 82801I (ICH9) USB controller> on uhci1
    uhci2: <Intel 82801I (ICH9) USB controller> port 0xcf20-0xcf3f irq 19 at device 26.2 on pci0
    usbus2: <Intel 82801I (ICH9) USB controller> on uhci2
    ehci0: <Intel 82801I (ICH9) USB 2.0 controller> mem 0xff9ff800-0xff9ffbff irq 19 at device 26.7 on pci0
    usbus3: EHCI version 1.0
    usbus3: <Intel 82801I (ICH9) USB 2.0 controller> on ehci0
    hdac0: <Intel 82801I High Definition Audio Controller> mem 0xff9f8000-0xff9fbfff irq 22 at device 27.0 on pci0
    pcib1: <ACPI PCI-PCI bridge> irq 17 at device 28.0 on pci0
    pci1: <ACPI PCI bus> on pcib1
    iwn0: <Intel(R) WiFi Link 5100> mem 0xff8fe000-0xff8fffff irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci1
    pcib2: <ACPI PCI-PCI bridge> irq 16 at device 28.1 on pci0
    pci2: <ACPI PCI bus> on pcib2
    pcib3: <ACPI PCI-PCI bridge> irq 18 at device 28.2 on pci0
    pci4: <ACPI PCI bus> on pcib3
    pcib4: <ACPI PCI-PCI bridge> at device 30.0 on pci0
    pci5: <ACPI PCI bus> on pcib4
    cbb0: <RF5C476 PCI-CardBus Bridge> at device 11.0 on pci5
    cardbus0: <CardBus bus> on cbb0
    pccard0: <16-bit PCCard bus> on cbb0
    isab0: <PCI-ISA bridge> at device 31.0 on pci0
    isa0: <ISA bus> on isab0
    ahci0: <Intel ICH9M AHCI SATA controller> port 0x8f58-0x8f5f,0x8f54-0x8f57,0x8f48-0x8f4f,0x8f44-0x8f47,0x8f20-0x8f3f mem 0xff9fd800-0xff9fdfff irq 19 at device 31.2 on pci0
    ahci0: AHCI v1.20 with 4 3Gbps ports, Port Multiplier not supported
    ahcich0: <AHCI channel> at channel 0 on ahci0
    ahcich1: <AHCI channel> at channel 1 on ahci0
    ahcich2: <AHCI channel> at channel 4 on ahci0
    acpi_lid0: <Control Method Lid Switch> on acpi0
    battery0: <ACPI Control Method Battery> on acpi0
    acpi_button0: <Power Button> on acpi0
    acpi_acad0: <AC Adapter> on acpi0
    acpi_toshiba0: <Toshiba HCI Extras> on acpi0
    acpi_tz0: <Thermal Zone> on acpi0
    attimer0: <AT timer> port 0x40-0x43 irq 0 on acpi0
    Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
    Event timer "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 100
    atkbdc0: <Keyboard controller (i8042)> port 0x60,0x64 irq 1 on acpi0
    atkbd0: <AT Keyboard> irq 1 on atkbdc0
    kbd0 at atkbd0
    atkbd0: [GIANT-LOCKED]
    psm0: <PS/2 Mouse> irq 12 on atkbdc0
    psm0: [GIANT-LOCKED]
    psm0: model GlidePoint, device ID 0
    atrtc0: <AT realtime clock> port 0x70-0x71 irq 8 on acpi0
    Event timer "RTC" frequency 32768 Hz quality 0
    hpet0: <High Precision Event Timer> iomem 0xfed00000-0xfed003ff on acpi0
    Timecounter "HPET" frequency 14318180 Hz quality 950
    Event timer "HPET" frequency 14318180 Hz quality 450
    Event timer "HPET1" frequency 14318180 Hz quality 440
    Event timer "HPET2" frequency 14318180 Hz quality 440
    Event timer "HPET3" frequency 14318180 Hz quality 440
    uart0: <16550 or compatible> port 0x3f8-0x3ff irq 4 flags 0x10 on acpi0
    sc0: <System console> at flags 0x100 on isa0
    sc0: VGA <16 virtual consoles, flags=0x300>
    vga0: <Generic ISA VGA> at port 0x3c0-0x3df iomem 0xa0000-0xbffff on isa0
    ppc0: cannot reserve I/O port range
    est0: <Enhanced SpeedStep Frequency Control> on cpu0
    p4tcc0: <CPU Frequency Thermal Control> on cpu0
    est1: <Enhanced SpeedStep Frequency Control> on cpu1
    p4tcc1: <CPU Frequency Thermal Control> on cpu1
    Timecounters tick every 1.000 msec
    hdac0: HDA Codec #0: Realtek ALC268
    hdac0: HDA Codec #1: Lucent/Agere Systems (Unknown)
    pcm0: <HDA Realtek ALC268 PCM #0 Analog> at cad 0 nid 1 on hdac0
    pcm1: <HDA Realtek ALC268 PCM #1 Analog> at cad 0 nid 1 on hdac0
    usbus0: 12Mbps Full Speed USB v1.0
    usbus1: 12Mbps Full Speed USB v1.0
    usbus2: 12Mbps Full Speed USB v1.0
    usbus3: 480Mbps High Speed USB v2.0
    ugen0.1: <Intel> at usbus0
    uhub0: <Intel UHCI root HUB, class 9/0, rev 1.00/1.00, addr 1> on usbus0
    ugen1.1: <Intel> at usbus1
    uhub1: <Intel UHCI root HUB, class 9/0, rev 1.00/1.00, addr 1> on usbus1
    ugen2.1: <Intel> at usbus2
    uhub2: <Intel UHCI root HUB, class 9/0, rev 1.00/1.00, addr 1> on usbus2
    ugen3.1: <Intel> at usbus3
    uhub3: <Intel EHCI root HUB, class 9/0, rev 2.00/1.00, addr 1> on usbus3
    uhub0: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
    uhub1: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
    uhub2: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
    uhub3: 6 ports with 6 removable, self powered
    ugen2.2: <vendor 0x0b97> at usbus2
    uhub8: <vendor 0x0b97 product 0x7761, class 9/0, rev 1.10/1.10, addr 2> on usbus2
    ugen1.2: <Microsoft> at usbus1
    ada0 at ahcich0 bus 0 scbus1 target 0 lun 0
    ada0: <Hitachi HTS543225L9SA00 FBEOC43C> ATA-8 SATA 1.x device
    ada0: 150.000MB/s transfers (SATA 1.x, UDMA6, PIO 8192bytes)
    ada0: Command Queueing enabled
    ada0: 238475MB (488397168 512 byte sectors: 16H 63S/T 16383C)
    ada0: Previously was known as ad4
    ums0: <Microsoft Microsoft 3-Button Mouse with IntelliEyeTM, class 0/0, rev 1.10/3.00, addr 2> on usbus1
    SMP: AP CPU #1 Launched!
    cd0 at ahcich1 bus 0 scbus2 target 0 lun 0
    cd0: <TEAC DV-W28S-RT 7.0C> Removable CD-ROM SCSI-0 device
    cd0: 150.000MB/s transfers (SATA 1.x, ums0: 3 buttons and [XYZ] coordinates ID=0
    UDMA2, ATAPI 12bytes, PIO 8192bytes)
    cd0: cd present [1 x 2048 byte records]
    ugen0.2: <Microsoft> at usbus0
    ukbd0: <Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, class 0/0, rev 2.00/1.73, addr 2> on usbus0
    kbd2 at ukbd0
    uhid0: <Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, class 0/0, rev 2.00/1.73, addr 2> on usbus0
    Trying to mount root from cd9660:/dev/iso9660/FREEBSD_INSTALL [ro]...

Check the probe results carefully to make sure that FreeBSD found all the devices you expected. If a device was not found, then it will not be listed. Kernel modules allows you to add in support for devices which are not in the `GENERIC` kernel.

After the procedure of device probing, you will see Figure 2-3. The install media can be used in three ways: to install FreeBSD, as a live CD, or to simply access a FreeBSD shell. Use the arrow keys to choose an option, and Enter to select.

Figure 2-3. Selecting Installation Media Mode

Selecting [ Install ] here will enter the installer.

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