If your CDROM is of an unsupported type, then please skip to MS-DOS Preparation.
There is not a lot of preparatory work that needs to be done to successfully install from one of Walnut Creek's FreeBSD CDROMs (other CDROM distributions may work as well, though we cannot say for certain as we have no hand or say in how they are created). You can either boot into the CD installation directly from DOS using Walnut Creek's supplied ``install.bat'' batch file or you can make a boot floppy with the ``makeflp.bat'' command. [NOTE: If you are running FreeBSD 2.1-RELEASE and have an IDE CDROM, use the inst_ide.bat or atapiflp.bat batch files instead].
For the easiest interface of all (from DOS), type ``view''. This will bring up a DOS menu utility that leads you through all the available options.
If you are creating the boot floppy from a UNIX machine, see the beginning of this guide for examples. of how to create the boot floppy.
Once you have booted from DOS or floppy, you should then be able to select CDROM as the media type in the Media menu and load the entire distribution from CDROM. No other types of installation media should be required.
After your system is fully installed and you have rebooted
from the hard disk, you can mount the CDROM at any time by
typing: mount /cdrom
Before removing the CD again, also note that it is necessary to first
type: umount /cdrom. Do not just remove it from the drive!
Special note: Before invoking the installation, be sure that the CDROM is in the drive so that the install probe can find it. This is also true if you wish the CDROM to be added to the default system configuration automatically during the install (whether or not you actually use it as the installation media).
Finally, if you would like people to be able to FTP install FreeBSD directly from the CDROM in your machine, you will find it quite easy. After the machine is fully installed, you simply need to add the following line to the password file (using the vipw command):
ftp:*:99:99::0:0:FTP:/cdrom:/nonexistent
Anyone with network connectivity to your machine (and permission
to log into it) can now chose a Media type of FTP and type
in: ftp://your machine after picking ``Other''
in the ftp sites menu.