Overview

Simple tips for installing FreeBSD in a virtual machine.

Note: This tutorial was done using the FreeBSD 11.0 release.

Because FreeBSD

People often ask me why I use FreeBSD, well I’ve always been a guy who used Unix at the time IBM-AIX and then I migrated to FreeBSD and started in version 3.0 and I use FreeBSD to this day as a workstation and server. I like the simple and easy things, also eventually use Linux and Mac for a specific project. I need to create a virtual machine for development tests and I decided to write a howto to show how simple it is to install FreeBSD so let’s go…

1. Preparing the working directory

Open your terminal and execute the commands below:

mkdir ~/work && cd ~/work
fetch ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/ISO-IMAGES/11.0/FreeBSD-11.0-RELEASE-amd64-disc1.iso
OR
wget ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/ISO-IMAGES/11.0/FreeBSD-11.0-RELEASE-amd64-disc1.iso

2. Creating the virtual machine

I’m considering that you already have Virtualbox installed.

• 2.1 Make sure you have FreeBSD 64

VBoxManage list ostypes | grep FreeBSD
ID:          FreeBSD
Description: FreeBSD (32-bit)
ID:          FreeBSD_64
Description: FreeBSD (64-bit)

• 2.2 Makes an export with the VM ostype

export VM='FreeBSD_64' && echo $VM

• 2.3 Creating a VDI with 30GB

VBoxManage createvm --name $VM --ostype $VM --register

• 2.4 Adding a SATA controller

VBoxManage storagectl $VM --name "SATA Controller" --add sata --controller IntelAHCI
VBoxManage storageattach $VM --storagectl "SATA Controller" --port 0 --device 0 --type hdd --medium $VM.vdi

• 2.5 Make sure your HD has been created

VBoxManage list hdds | grep $VM

• 2.6 Adding the IDE drive is the ISO image

VBoxManage storagectl $VM --name "IDE Controller" --add ide
VBoxManage storageattach $VM --storagectl "IDE Controller" --port 0 --device 0 --type dvddrive --medium ~/work/FreeBSD-11.0-RELEASE-amd64-disc1.iso

• 2.7 Changing the boot order and memory for VM.

VBoxManage modifyvm $VM --boot1 dvd --boot2 disk --boot3 none --boot4 none
VBoxManage modifyvm $VM --memory 4000 --vram 16

• Start FreeBSD Virtual Machine

VBoxManage startvm $VM --type gui

If all went well, you should see this image to start the installation:

• Screen 1

3. Following the screen step by step

I did print all the installation screens basically without any changes, just follow them all to finish.

• Screen 2

• Screen 3

• Screen 4

• Screen 5

• Screen 6

• Screen 7

• Screen 8

• Screen 9

• Screen 10

• Screen 11

• Screen 12

• Screen 13

• Screen 14

• Screen 15

• Screen 16

• Screen 17

• Screen 18

• Screen 19

• Screen 20

• Screen 21

• Screen 22

• Screen 23

• Screen 24

• Screen 25

• Screen 26

• Screen 27

• Screen 28

Ready! Now it is necessary to shut down the virtual machine and change the boot order again. Run the command:</p>

VBoxManage modifyvm $VM --boot1 disk --boot2 none --boot3 none --boot4 none

FreeBSD installed and running, have fun!

In case of doubts the documentation of the FreeBSD is quite updated see in: Handbook.