Re: Manual Installations on Flash Media
Polytropon wrote: > On Sat, 1 Aug 2009 14:21:02 -0700, David Allen > 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 swapsw0 0 > /dev/ad0s1a / ufs rw1 1 > /dev/ad0s1d /tmp ufs rw2 2 > /dev/ad0s1e /var ufs rw2 2 > /dev/ad0s1f /usr ufs rw2 2 > /dev/ad0s1g /home ufs rw2 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 signature.asc Description: OpenPGP digital signature
Re: Manual Installations on Flash Media
On 8/3/09, Polytropon wrote: > On Sat, 1 Aug 2009 14:21:02 -0700, David Allen > 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 swapsw0 0 > /dev/ad0s1a / ufs rw1 1 > /dev/ad0s1d /tmp ufs rw2 2 > /dev/ad0s1e /var ufs rw2 2 > /dev/ad0s1f /usr ufs rw2 2 > /dev/ad0s1g /home ufs rw2 2 Knowing that will make things easier when editing the disklabel and adding corresponding entries in fstab. > > 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. Something got lost in the translation. "I don't expect" is an idiomatic form of "I estimate a low probability of swapping". > I'm not sure if you can omit it. Haven't done an actual NanoBSD installation on flash, but my reading of the setup is that there is no swap partition whatsoever. Guess I'll have to experiment to find out for myself. > > 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. Just wanted to be sure. I'm still open to using md devices for /var and /tmp (with a cron-ed sync to disk) possibly in conjunction with remote logging, but one of the reasons I opted for SSD over regular flash is to avoid that extra layer of complexity. Thanks for the reply. ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org"
Re: Manual Installations on Flash Media
On Sat, 1 Aug 2009 14:21:02 -0700, David Allen 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 swapsw0 0 /dev/ad0s1a / ufs rw1 1 /dev/ad0s1d /tmp ufs rw2 2 /dev/ad0s1e /var ufs rw2 2 /dev/ad0s1f /usr ufs rw2 2 /dev/ad0s1g /home ufs rw2 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. -- Polytropon >From Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ... ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org"
Manual Installations on Flash Media
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. When creating an /etc/fstab file, does the order in which entries appear have any significance? I've noticed that when using sysinstall approach, the entries appear in the following order: # Device Mountpoint FStype Options Dump Pass# /dev/ad0s1bnone swapsw 0 0 /dev/ad0s1a/ufs rw 1 1 /dev/ad0s1e/tmp ufs rw 2 2 /dev/ad0s1f/usr ufs rw 2 2 /dev/ad0s1d/var ufs rw 2 2 Would a device alphabetical order (as used by bsdlabel) work? 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.)? 3. Will adding `noatime' to / or any other filesystem have any consequences? ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org"
