Trying to install OS on a remote server have multiple constraints, especially if the machine does not have full function BMC to boot from a remote disk, or IP-KVM to enter BIOS/UEFI setup screen. This is not a step-to-step guide, but a summary of pitfalls to avoid when installing FreeBSD 13 on IBM x3200 M3 over PXE with limited BMC functionality, without a “virtual media key” on the motherboard.
Continue reading “FreeBSD 13 remote install on IBM x3200 M3”Modify FreeBSD 13 memstick to enable serial console
FreeBSD installer memstick does not have serial console enabled by default. But for some hardware, it’s not convenient to access the VGA console. This article described how to enable serial console by modifying /memstick/boot/loader.conf on a memstick.
FreeBSD 13 installation over PXE
This article provides an example config and procedure to set up FreeBSD DHCP/TFTP/NFS server so other machines on the network can boot over PXE, and install FreeBSD without using a USB memory stick or CD.
Continue reading “FreeBSD 13 installation over PXE”FreeBSD 13 root-on-ZFS installation with custom zroot partition size
The default FreeBSD “Guided Root-on-ZFS” installation allocates all the space for “zroot” storage pool. However, if you’d like to have a smaller zroot, you can modify the partitioning script or partition manually.
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