From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Apr 21 21:51:40 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 33A69106566C for ; Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:51:40 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Received: from mx01.qsc.de (mx01.qsc.de [213.148.129.14]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E68628FC1B for ; Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:51:39 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Received: from r55.edvax.de (port-92-196-27-202.dynamic.qsc.de [92.196.27.202]) by mx01.qsc.de (Postfix) with ESMTP id CCB6D3CF51; Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:51:37 +0200 (CEST) Received: from r55.edvax.de (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by r55.edvax.de (8.14.2/8.14.2) with SMTP id n3LLpW0p005368; Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:51:32 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:51:32 +0200 From: Polytropon To: complists@risei.net Message-Id: <20090421235132.e08c3ff0.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: References: Organization: EDVAX X-Mailer: Sylpheed 2.4.7 (GTK+ 2.12.1; i386-portbld-freebsd7.0) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org, Scott Seekamp Subject: Re: Customized Remote Install X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: Polytropon List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:51:40 -0000 On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:42:32 -0600, Scott Seekamp wrote: > My hope was that I could make an automated install CD/DVD that > configured all the options I want AND change some base config files so > I can actually get to the box (or install an SSH key). > [...] > I'm open to other options if someone has gone down this road before! I'd like to advertize a method that I think is very comfortable in such a setting. It's worth mentioning that this method usually requires (a) modern enough PCs or (b) you to know what is the hardware profile of the PC. The method works as follows: First create a FreeBSD as you want it to be on the clients. Install and configure everything as you intend. Then dump the created partitions onto a CD or DVD and create a simple script that: 1. initializes the client's hard disk 2. slices the disk and newfses the partitions 3. dumps the partition images onto the disks 4. reboots the machine into operating state. After this, you should be able to SSH into the client and change settings that need to be changed. You always have your "reference machine" at hand, because it's exactly installed and configured as the clients. Under controlled conditions, it's even possible to build the needed system in a virtualized environment. -- Polytropon >From Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...