>Number:         175694
>Category:       kern
>Synopsis:       [regression]Unknown and undocumented high RAM memory 
>requirement prevent installation and running of FreeBSD 9.1 release on system 
>with RAM less than 256Mb
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       low
>Responsible:    freebsd-bugs
>State:          open
>Quarter:        
>Keywords:       
>Date-Required:
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   current-users
>Arrival-Date:   Wed Jan 30 09:10:00 UTC 2013
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     Alex Verbod
>Release:        9.1 release
>Organization:
>Environment:
FreeBSD xxx.xxx.com 9.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 9.1-RELEASE #0 r243826: Tue Dec  4 
06:55:39 UTC 2012     [email protected]:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC  
i386
>Description:
It is impossible to install FreeBSD 9.1 Release on a systems (either on a real 
hardware or on a virtual machines) that have less than 256 Mb of RAM(random 
access memory)

To my best knowledge, regression came with r229997 when "device ctl" has been 
added to default kernel that require abnormal amount of memory and prevent to 
use FreeBSD as a Virtual Private Server with low memory accounts and in 
embedded projects.
>How-To-Repeat:
Use a real hardware or any virtual machine(tested on QEMU-KVM, XEN, VMware, 
VirtualBox) and attempt to install FreeBSD on a system with RAM set to 128 Mb.
>Fix:
Workaround:
To be able to install and run FreeBSD 9.1 release on a system with installed 
memory less than 256 Mb one need to interrupt booting process by pressing 
"2"([Esc]ape to loader prompt) in the boot menu.

then type:

$ set kern.cam.ctl.disable=1
following by pressing "Enter", then type:

$ boot

and press "Enter" again to continue installation process.

In the end of installation, jump to a shell prompt and execute following lines:

$ echo -e "\n#---\nkern.cam.ctl.disable=1\n#---\n" >> /boot/loader.conf.local


this will allow to start and running installed bare FreeBSD 9.1 Release even on 
a system with 64 Mb of RAM

Suggestion for a real fix:
- Remove "device ctl" from GENERIC kernel and load "ctl" kernel module 
dynamicaly on systems that have enough memory installed.
- Set "kern.cam.ctl.disable=1" in the /boot/defaults/loader.conf as default 
value and overwrite it if a system can afford it.




>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted:
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