Re: need help choosing appropriate BSD distro

On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 06:43:49 GMT, jch <jch@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

The best way to figure out how to get going with OBSD is to fetch a copy
of the boot CD iso (release 4.1), and burn a copy, or instead, fetch a
copy of the boot floppy (release 4.1) image (if your computer still has
a floppy drive) and cut a floppy boot disk. I suggest that you practice
installing OBSD on a machine that has a) a separate hard disk (2 to 4
Gb) you can afford to clobber (e.g. play with), and b) a supported NIC
(wireless or otherwise). While reading the (very good) info on the OBSD
web site on another machine, go through the motions of the installation
process. You will soon learn how that works.


I had a few minutes to use the install boot disk and it appears that
it does recognize my wireless card, though I didn't get very far in
the install process yet. I'll need to find the instructions on doing
it that way first as it's not completely intuitive.

It messed up the master boot record on the hard drive but I used the
undocumented procedure to restore it and all is well again.

Unfortunately, I don't have a separate disk that has nothing on it.
The two on my desktop computer are both used by different operating
systems and the one on the laptop only has a spare 4 GB partition.

I'll check out the info on the web site when I have more time. I have
too many things that take my time away from my computer interests and
I have to work it in when I can do so. Some people don't seem to have
a life and understand how this lack of time (caring for a sick person,
taking care of my ministry, and full time work to support myself) can
affect my ability to do lots of reading on different BSD branches just
to try to find one that meets my requirements. I do appreciate your
help and the help of others here who do understand this or are patient
with people who are not familiar with these BDS branches.

I had a rare opportunity early this afternoon to try out the install
CD burned from the iso image or it would have had to wait until the
evening (or late afternoon).

Since you've done this before, could you tell me if there's a place
during the install process that asks you for a WEP key so I can
connect to the Internet for the install?

I really don't want to disable WEP if I don't have to do so. It was a
pain setting it up since the router decided that it wanted to use
non-standard IP addresses for the home network, not the ones the
manual said it would use. So I had to design a work-around to get it
to work (took me a week to do so), and it does, but if I "disturb" it
I'm not so sure I would be able to get it working again. Security (at
least a measure of it) is important since I've been a victim of
identity theft in the past.

Thanks again to everyone who wish to be helpful and patient instead of
critical (which is most of you)!
.

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