Manual Installations on Flash Media

[Mark Stapper]

Polytropon wrote:
> On Sat, 1 Aug 2009 14:21:02 -0700, David Allen <the.real.david.allen at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> I need to create a FreeBSD installation on an SSD drive (connected via a
>> USB adaptor), and would like to do so manually so as to avoid the use of
>> an installation CD, PXE or sysinstall.
>>
>> 1.	Would a device alphabetical order (as used by bsdlabel) work?
>>     
>
> I think it's no problem. My /etc/fstab looks that way:
>
> 	/dev/ad0s1b     none           swap    sw        0       0
> 	/dev/ad0s1a     /              ufs     rw        1       1
> 	/dev/ad0s1d     /tmp           ufs     rw        2       2
> 	/dev/ad0s1e     /var           ufs     rw        2       2
> 	/dev/ad0s1f     /usr           ufs     rw        2       2
> 	/dev/ad0s1g     /home          ufs     rw        2       2
>
>
>
>   
>> 2.	I don't expect the system to swap, so can I dispense with a swap entry
>> 	and have everything function normally (no error messages, etc.)?
>>     
>
> I don't know how to "expect" swapping. As far as I understood, the
> system decides by itself if to write data to / read data from the
> swap file. I'm not sure if you can omit it.
>
>
>
>   
>> 3.	Will adding `noatime' to / or any other filesystem have any
>> 	consequences?
>>     
>
> Yes. The access time for files won't be recorded. Using the noatime
> option is often advised for the use with SSD media, so is ANY advice
> that helps to minimize read / write cycles in order to increase the
> life time of the media.
>
>
>
>   
You may want to look at the link below.
It describes how to install freebsd on an USB-pendrive.
http://typo.submonkey.net/articles/2006/4/13/installing-freebsd-on-usb-stick-episode-2
It notes that /var/log /var/run and /tmp should not be written to flash
memory.
You can use memory devices for these directories to minimize disk writes.
If you want, you can backup/and repopulate these directories on
shutdown/startup.
Hope it helps!
Mark


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