FreeBSD newbie :)

Hello everyone. Well, as subject states, im taking the plunge into FreeBSD. I'm Super Excited to get started!! I just have a couple of questions.

First question. I'm going to download and burn the .iso image tonight from www.linuxiso.org.
Question, on the page for the FreeBSD 4.5 images, this is what I see:

i386 FreeBSD 4.5 Install ISO (Standard install) ~624megs

i386 FreeBSD 4.5 ISO Disc 2 (Fix-it CD & CVS Files) ~602megs

i386 FreeBSD 4.5 ISO Disc 3 (Extra packages) ~623megs

i386 FreeBSD 4.5 ISO Disc 4 (Extra packages) ~618megs

Question: Do I or should I download and burn all of these images on 4 seperate CD's? Or do I only need a couple of them?


Second question: I'm planning on setting up a box that is going to be my firewall. It is going to run FreeBSD 4.5. QUestion is, will FreeBSD support IP Masquerading?

Last question, any recommendations on some Unix or FreeBSD flavored books? I've been working with Linux for about a year. Just thought about getting a good book to get me started.

Thanks for everyones reply. It feels great to be aboard the UNIX WOR

Thank you for the update.

My apologies for the lack of description in the subject field. I will be more thorough when I post in the future.

Thank you again.

Thank you for you reply. I really appreciate it. The link you provided will come in handy also. I do appreciate your help. Thank you.

>> Do I or should I download and burn all of these images

No.

>> Or do I only need a couple of them?

Not at all.

Why?

Because you should download the latest daily snapshot from releng4.freebsd.org FTP site (without XF86336 and packages directories).

What's the benefit of downloading a snapshot?

1) It makes your life easier when you are ready to cvsup and buildworld, which you will do sooner or later anyway. When you upgrade (via cvsup + buldworld ) from a daily snapshot to 4.5-STABLE, that daily snapshot is already 4.5-STABLE. That said, upgrading from 4.5-STABLE to the latest 4.5-STABLE is much easier because of the minimal source/userland changes.

2) You can cvsup your ports tree when you are running the latest snapshot branch. Note, you can't cvsup your ports when running 4.5-RELEASE.

Why shouldn't I download XF86336 and packages?

Because that X is 3.3.6, an outdated version. I'm sure you'd want the latest 4.X, so just skip that directory.
As far as that packages, they are precompiled binaries. BSDs have got the ports collection, therefore you don't need to install anything from packages at all.

Anyway, you really don't need to download anything but the two floppies from the latest snapshot then select FTP install, don't waste your CD, save it to burn some warez or mp3s instead.

Thank you for your input. The concept of Snapshot images is new to me, but sounds very interesting.

Just a quick question in regards to snapshots. I've made my boot disks and now all I need to do is connect via FTP and download the image to my computer, correct?

If so, what snapshot image am I looking for in particular? I was looking into the current stable image directory. I apologize for my lack of understanding. I have a lot to learn and im trying to make up as much as I can in as little time.

I appreciate everyones input to my question. Thank you.

Tarballed

Yes, I would'nt mind some followup on ftp everytime I tried it I just give up after a couple of failed attempts such as there is no branch named 4.5-Stable here.

Also what about NFS Install can a ghost of another install be done?

>> what snapshot image am I looking for in particular?

As of today grab kern.flp and mfsroot.flp and use rawrite.exe to write those flp files to two different floppy disks and label kern.flp as the 1st floppy and mfsroot.flp being the 2nd.

>> im trying to make up as much as I can in as little time

That's why I'm telling you all this just to save your time (maybe 100 hours) and make your life easier.

Didn't know about that site...that rocks!

Brett

i could not get to that ftp site it requires a username and pass

That releng4.freebsd.org is currently down, as of 15:39PM PST.

ahhh well that would be why i cant get on

the ftp site for bsd snapshots still seems to be down. is there anywhere else i can get those three files from?

Regards

It it's down grabbing those 2 files are useless because you can't connect to the same FTP server when doing FTP-install.

ok i dont really understand snapshots never used freebsd before used linux thought id try this, just gonna use the full isos from verson 4.5 iv. i have disk 1 the install and disks 3 and 4 do i need 2?

Regards

>> just gonna use the full isos from verson 4.5 iv

Since you can't wait and releng4.freebsd.org appears to be out of service indefinitely, well just play with 4.5-RELEASE.

>> do i need 2?

If you can tell me the description of it, maybe I'll have a clue.