FreeBSD 5 Install Options

[Viktor Lazlo]

On Tue, 20 May 2003, Ben Jamer wrote:

> Hello! I haven't gotten the chance to use FreeBSD yet, do I figured I
> would grab an old 486 and install it. Now, I just have a few questions
> before installation. First of all, the computer doesn't have a working
> Cd-Rom drive, so I am going to have to use floppies to install it, but
> is it possible to put all the files I would need onto the harddrive, and
> then install directly from it, rather than using just floppies? It says
> a bit about this in the handbook and install.txt/htm, but I just want to
> make sure I understand before copying files over to the other computer
> for hours. Okay, now the second question, which I also found a bit of
> info on in the handbook, but want to make sure I understand before
> actually installing. I have a second harddrive which I want to install
> FreeBSD on, so I just need to make sure to have a Primary partition on
> the second drive, and install it there, right? At times in the
> instructions, it says to copy all the files to the C: and install it
> there, but I already have another OS there, and want FreeBSD to go on
> the second harddrive. Sorry for asking questions which the instructions
> probably answer, but I just want to make sure I know what I'm doing
> before I install it. Thanks!

How do you propose to get the files onto the hard drive? If you have a
fast network or Internet connection (ADSL/Cable/T1 etc) you can boot from
the floppies and install via FTP, otherwise you may be better off either
sticking the harddrive in a computer with a working CD-ROM and installing
there, or borrowing a CD-ROM from another computer to install on the 486.

Cheers,

Viktor