Different Download Versions of i386 Image CD Disc1

T

Terry Mester

(Q1) Is there a difference between the i386 Image CD Disc1 on these two HTTP Links?

(Q2) Also, what is the difference between the '.iso' and '.iso.xz' Versions? (This should have been explained on the 'FreeBSD 13.0-RELEASE README' Page.)
FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso
FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso.xz

(Q3) Also further, what is the difference between the two Checksums SHA512 and SHA256?
 
A1) Different directories, but these look like the same. Version i386 (32-bit) with the same date and size.
A2) Iso.xz is a zipped version, hence smaller.
A3) SHA256 and 512 produce a digital checksum for a given file, in order to see if the download went well. See man sha.
 
There's probably a larger footprint in terms of power consumption since it's extremely slow and eats power at this point (even a small SBC) is most likely much faster than your current workstation.
Many Pentium 4 CPUs also do 64-bit.
 
diizzy said:
There's probably a larger footprint in terms of power consumption since it's extremely slow and eats power at this point (even a small SBC) is most likely much faster than your current workstation. Many Pentium 4 CPUs also do 64-bit.
Click to expand...
I don't use my Computer enough to be worried about electricity costs. ;) I do intend to order a new Motherboard for my machine in the not too distant future. It seems to be failing, and I wonder if anyone can explain my situation. I was using two IDE Hard Drives in March when the 20G Master Disk in the Drive 0 Slot burned out. I assume it burned out because the Computer's BIOS said that Drive 0 was 'Not Installed', but the 40G Disk in the Drive 1 Slot was still recognized. When I connect the 20G in the Drive 1 Slot it is still not recognized. However, neither my 40G nor my 250G Hard Disks are recognized when they are connected in the Drive 0 Slot -- both the Computer BIOS and 'gpart show' do not recognize them in Drive 0. However, Windows XP continues to recognize the 40G Disk in Drive 0, and gives me full access! I can't figure this out. I'm guessing that something burned out on the Motherboard when the old 20G HD Drive burned out, but why does this only affect the BIOS & FreeBSD and not the Windows OS?
 
@OP: your username really suggests you used your real name. That is a big no-no on any forum.

As for your motherboard - I'd suggest get something decently new. Asus motherboards are very good at not frying attached components (I have a story about that from 2017). If you plan to get something that's compatible with a Pentium 4 - good luck finding something even compatible on ebay. Most of the time, you'd end up with something incompatible that you bought by mistake. Another strike against older components - they tend to heat up and get fried way faster than newer stuff, which was engineered to better deal with overvoltage, undervoltage, and incompatible RAM frequencies.
 
chungy said:
That's really not a big deal.
Click to expand...
There's enough horror stories floating around - not just online bullying, but connecting the name to sensitive real-life info that the user would rather not share. I'm too lazy to dig it up right now, but there was a case somewhere in New Zealand, I believe, where this 12-year-old girl was counting cash with her grandma, and the kid posted a picture of the money online somewhere. Within hours, both were victims of an armed robbery. Or another case in England (Some forum users here may recognize it), a guy was incredibly proud of his collection of well-made toy soldiers and related accessories. He posted a picture online - and next day, he was confronted by paramilitary police for allegedly having a weapon stash in his basement (That was not the case, his asshole neighbor saw the pic and made an anonymous tip to the Scotland Yard with just that pic as evidence). Real names harvested from random forums can also mean the person will become an easy target for scamming, and will probably get conned out of a LOT of money. Sorry for the rant, but out there, you really gotta be smart and cover your ass.
 
astyle said:
@OP: your username really suggests you used your real name. That is a big no-no on any forum.
As for your motherboard - I'd suggest get something decently new. ...
Click to expand...
I'm not paranoid ? -- except about not having my name in the phone book, and not providing my birth date on the Internet. I don't see any reason to not use one's first given name. / My intention is to order a new Motherboard from Lenovo who is the successor to IBM.
 
Terry Mester said:
I'm not paranoid ? -- except about not having my name in the phone book, and not providing my birth date on the Internet. I don't see any reason to not use one's first given name. / My intention is to order a new Motherboard from Lenovo who is the successor to IBM.
Click to expand...
Lenovo does not make motherboards on its own. You'll be either looking at aftermarket parts from Asus or Tyan (Maybe even Samsung), or used motherboards ripped out of discarded PC's. With used stuff, you'll have to do a truckload of homework just to make sure specs match. Newer stuff is better standardized, so it's easier to mix and match.
 
Terry Mester said:
(Q1) Is there a difference between the i386 Image CD Disc1 on these two HTTP Links?
https://download.freebsd.org/ftp/releases/i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso
https://download.freebsd.org/ftp/releases/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso
Click to expand...
To answer the original question, the files in releases/ISO-IMAGES are symlinks to the files in releases/i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/:
Code: 
ftp> pwd
Remote directory: /pub/FreeBSD/releases/ISO-IMAGES/13.0
ftp> ls FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-*
229 Entering Extended Passive Mode (|||51043|)
150 Here comes the directory listing.
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            70 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-bootonly.iso -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-bootonly.iso
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            73 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-bootonly.iso.xz -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-bootonly.iso.xz
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            67 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            70 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso.xz -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso.xz
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            66 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-dvd1.iso -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-dvd1.iso
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            69 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-dvd1.iso.xz -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-dvd1.iso.xz
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            70 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-memstick.img -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-memstick.img
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            73 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-memstick.img.xz -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-memstick.img.xz
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            75 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-mini-memstick.img -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-mini-memstick.img
lrwxr-xr-x    1 ftp      ftp            78 Apr 13 05:25 FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-mini-memstick.img.xz -> ../../i386/i386/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-mini-memstick.img.xz
226 Directory send OK.
ftp>
So both links link to the exact same file.
 
Problem with CD Disc1 for Release 13.0
The CD Image File for Release 13.0 is 755MB. However, CDs only hold 700MB. This Image File cannot be burned to CD.
 
Terry Mester said:
However, CDs only hold 700MB
Click to expand...
Officially, yes. But most CD-ROM allow for some "over-burn". I have a number of empty Philips CD-R here that, according to the package, can hold up to 800MB. So it will probably work.
Use a USB flash disk if your BIOS supports booting from it. Using dd is easier and faster than burning a CD.
 
Those super over-capacity CDs are not the industry standard, and FreeBSD should not be using an obtuse form of CD/DVD. The standard 700MB CD is already an over-capacity CD Format. I don't know if my Sony CD-RW Drive from 2005 can burn that type you mention. If the FreeBSD Installation software cannot fit onto one 700MB CD then use two. I cannot boot from the Flash Drive, and I personally want my Operating System installation software to be a CD/DVD. If you don't redo the Release 13 Installation CD version to fit onto the standard 700MB Format then I, and many users, will not be able to install Release 13.0, and we may have to abandon FreeBSD.

How many Files involved with Release 13 are the same Files as on former Releases 12, 11 or 10? Are these Files more than 60 Megabytes in size? If so, I suggest that you can have three versions of the Release 13 CD Format:
1) A two Installation CD complete version. It would direct the user when to insert the second CD.
2) A combination single CD & USB Flash / External Hard Drive complete version. It would extract some Files from the USB Drive which would be in FreeBSD Format. (N. B. It would be necessary for FreeBSD to be able to convert the Files from Microsoft Format to FreeBSD in the cases (like mine) where the Files are originally downloaded from the Internet using Microsoft Windows Software.)
3) A single CD upgrade version. It would use an earlier Release 12 or 11 Installation CD to extract some of the necessary Files. It would direct the user when to insert the R12 or 11 CD.
 
Just find a format that fits what you have. It's free, so why are you complaining?

FreeBSD goes by release version. you can have a mini-memstick image that contains just enough to boot a minimal system and gets everything else off the Internet connection. Or you can download an 800MB disc and burn it to a DVD. Or you can get a 4 GB image, and burn that to a DVD. If you're missing something when you get one of the formats, that's OK, you can always download it. For example, the 800MB image comes with a copy of quarterly ports that you extract into /usr/ports. The 4GB image comes with some more sources that you can compile later if you want. If you don't have an option to download later, then yeah, babysit that 4 GB download until done.

yeah, that's different from how Windows used to work. FWIW, win10 upgrades actually offer similar options: a mini-stick image that sucks the rest of the stuff off the Internet, or an 10GB image that contains the base system and a few extras, plus some hardware drivers.

FreeBSD's bootonly.iso (347 MB) and mini-memstick (414 MB) are very easy to burn to a CD from 2005, and yeah, it will be bootable, to boot. :p

Edit: I just remembered that FreeBSD 6.0 did come on 2 CD's that did just that (Start at CD 1, get prompted for CD 2). Nobody does that any more, though, not even Microsoft.
 
Terry Mester said:
If you don't redo the Release 13 Installation CD version to fit onto the standard 700MB Format then I, and many users, will not be able to install Release 13.0, and we may have to abandon FreeBSD.
Click to expand...
Why so angry? Use a DVD, go and buy a $10 memory stick, or yes, abandon FreeBSD over this. I'd rather they focus on platforms with a future and bye bye i386 and CDs.
 
Terry Mester said:
I don't know if my Sony CD-RW Drive from 2005 can burn that type you mention.
Click to expand...

Nowadays most CD-R's can handle it, so you might just give it a try. As an alternative you can use the bootonly.iso. That file is much smaller, the resulting CD will allow you to boot the PC and run bsdinstall. The installer can download other installation files when you have an internet connection. So you need to have ip-address/network mask/gateway/DNS-server at hand. Please take a look at the handbook
 
Who still uses CDs? I haven't touched my burner in years, I'm actually wondering if it still works, it's probably clogged up with dust now. Just use the memstick image and a USB stick. A decently modern computer will have no problems booting from a USB stick.
 
I don't currently have a functioning DVD-ROM Drive since mine burned out. I also don't have high speed Internet which is why I had my brother download the Image File for me to a Flash Drive. My Pent 4 Computer cannot boot from the USB.
Tieks said:
Nowadays most CD-R's can handle it, so you might just give it a try. As an alternative you can use the bootonly.iso. That file is much smaller, the resulting CD will allow you to boot the PC and run bsdinstall. The installer can download other installation files when you have an internet connection. So you need to have ip-address/network mask/gateway/DNS-server at hand. Please take a look at the handbook
Click to expand...
I unfortunately don't have any of those 800MB CDs at home to try it out, and due to COVID-19 stores have been closed in my jurisdiction. It will be some period of time before I can make it to the computer store.

SirDice said:
Who still uses CDs? I haven't touched my burner in years, I'm actually wondering if it still works, it's probably clogged up with dust now. Just use the memstick image and a USB stick. A decently modern computer will have no problems booting from a USB stick.
Click to expand...
As a Moderator, I don't think that you should be condescendingly lecturing people about what computer equipment to use. I'm a very common sense person, and I like to keep life simple. If you're going to offer an 'i386' Version of FreeBSD, then common sense would tell you that those Computers are not going to be equipped to boot from the USB Port!

If I enjoyed regularly spending hundreds of dollars on computer equipment, then I could just spend the money to upgrade to the latest Versions of MS Windows which has vast software available to it. To not offer the 'i386' Version on a standard CD makes no sense to me.
 
Old computers have indeed bios which can not boot from USB.
But get using curl or wget or ftp,
Code: 
https://download.freebsd.org/ftp/releases/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-i386-bootonly.iso
Size 300MB ,fits on any CD. Though you will need a working network(card).
(There is always a minium requirement.)
To burn,
docs.freebsd.org

Chapter 20. Storage

This chapter covers the use of disks and storage media in FreeBSD. This includes SCSI and IDE disks, CD and DVD media, memory-backed disks, and USB storage devices.
docs.freebsd.org docs.freebsd.org
 
I remember i once used the following trick.
Put a "utility CD" in the drive, which contained a chainloader. And it loaded the bootloader from the USB.
And the bootproblem was solved. It was long time ago, so i don't remember which utility CD.
[You can find these things in the section computer archeology, paleolytic or old stone-age]

Serious an alternative is a small linux partition. And with grub you can chainload the USB-ISO.
 
Thanks Alain.
Since I don't have High Speed Internet the Boot Only version won't be of use to me. Would it be possible for the Boot Only version to extract Files from the Flash Drive instead of the Internet? (The Files would be downloaded from the Internet to the Flash Drive on my brother's Windows machine.) However, I don't think it's possible for a CD version to mount the Flash Drive because the CD Disc is 'read only'.

Alternately, if I were to log on via my Release 11 Installation CD (which is the FreeBSD Release I have now which was under 700MB), would it be possible to activate the Release 13 Flash Drive Version? (I would have the Flash Drive Version made on my brother's Windows 10 system.) However, I would still have the problem of the CD Disc being 'read only'.

I don't really want to get into Linux GRUB which would require me to reformat my Hard Drive erasing my current Windows Partition.
 
Ok, can you install FreeBSD on a hard drive in ANOTHER computer and then transfer that drive to your computer?

So take the drive you want FreeBSD installed on OUT of your computer and put in your brother‘s computer or whatever. Boot off USB or take one of the download options and install to YOUR drive on that computer or location.

Once that is done, move your drive back into your computer and boot off it.

I suspect that your drive is so old it won’t work in many modern machines but hopefully you can find one.
 
There is a windows tool , non commercial free, to load any operating system. I used it in the past.
Just register,
neosmart.net

EasyBCD

EasyBCD is a software utility for Windows that lets you control and configure the BCD/BOOTMGR bootloader for Windows 7, Windows 10, and Windows 11 for dual-boots.
neosmart.net neosmart.net
The usage needs some technical background. For the use you will be on your own.

There is however something else you can do also.
Boot from a linux CD, download install gparted in memory and shrink the windows partition.
The free space can be used for e.g. a freebsd-ufs or linux-ext4 partition.
On the linux-ext4 partition you can install grub to chainload boot from a Freebsd-13 USB stick.
Your bios cannot but the chainloader of grub can.
 
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