Freebsd: list of essential task before installing x ? and a couple more?

Hi Freebsd,

In a few of your post, you mention there are a large number of essential things one needs to check or do after a new FreeBSD install before installing X. I spent a lot of time searching this forum, but could find no list from you except your top 10.

I take it in addition to not installing X during initial installation, you would pass on installing *any* packages during the initial installation process? Just the ports system?


Could you please provide a link to your suggested list? I really want to learn how to do things well, right and secure. Thank you very much.


I downloaded the four 4.5 RELEASE ISOs (and the 4.5-mini ISO) from the freebsd ftp site, burned all five to CD-R and installed the base distro without installing xfree86 3.3.6; i.e. selected *ALL* except xfree86. I skipped installing X since my Matrox G450 video card needs xfree86 4.1 or later; so I'll install X from ports later. For guidance, I only used the online freebsd handbook (through chapter two) as a reference and how to guide. It was all I needed. I want to set up both desktop and server FreeBSD boxes; hence the need for X.

Since one only needs the first 4.5 ISO for installation, not sure why they group four ISOs plus a mini-ISO together as a release. Wouldn't just a single ISO with the base install and instruction to get what one wants from the ports collection afterward be better? A newbie ask. Also, not sure of the role of the "regular" install ISO .vs the mini ISO. ? Is mini all one needs then?

As I understand another of your post, you state to download and install the STABLE rather than RELEASE of 4.5, correct? Not sure how to do this at this point in my learning curve. But willing to learn. Why STABLE over the RELEASE ISO? Would one accomplish the same thing installing 4.5 RELEASE then tracking/updating to 4.x STABLE *after* installation?

Thank you very much for sharing. I really learn a lot form your post.

Thanks again and take care,

Louis

>> why they group four ISOs plus a mini-ISO together as a release

Because FreeBSD is more newbie-friendly. You actually don't need to do a fresh install via CD because you only need to use that CD once, FTP-install is more appropriate.

>> accomplish the same thing installing 4.5 RELEASE then tracking/updating to 4.x STABLE *after* installation?

The snapshot binary release is equivalent to tracking -STABLE. If you do a fresh install via the latest snapshot release you can:
1) cvsup your ports tree (-RELEASE branch can't)
2) cvsup your src with minimal changes of the src to make your life easier when you are ready to buildworld (upgrading or buildworld on the latest snapshot binary release is much easier than on a 4.5-RELEASE branch)
3) do a clean cvsup with nothing in your /usr/src and /usr/sup.

>> but could find no list from you except your top 10

That top 10 is somewhat expandable. Like 5) Recompile a kernel, that alone can take hours to get it right. For (7) configure /etc/make.conf, you just need to make sure to add XFREE86_VERSION=4. For (11), you should install some of the commonly used software from ports, just to name a few: autoconf, automake, gettext, gmake and libtool

Thanks for sharing, Freebsd!

Take care,

Louis