Minimalist FreeBSD 4.8

Tue Aug 26 13:47:29 PDT 2003

here is a possibilty..

as soon as the system has it's disks mounted, you could do:
compile a kernel with option KTRACE

( cd /big-partition; ktrace -d -i -p 1 -tn)

put it in /etc/rc just after the mount of the big partition.
then  boot
do what you want to do...

when you are likely to have done everything you want to do,
then:

ktrace -C

cd /big-partition; kdump

 should give you a list of every file that has
been accessed since
you rebooted..

delete everything not referenced :-)

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003, Tyler Kellen wrote:

> Tim,
> 
> I've been pointed in the direction of the delete-and-reboot method a few
> times before.  I'd really like some pointers for trimming down quickly
> that doesn't involve hours of trial and error.
> 
> I don't need all of the functionality that base system offers.  When and
> if I do, I'd like to put it on the system myself.
> 
> Just so you have a little background, I am a seasoned C & C++
> programmer. I'm currently doing some web-based application development
> utilizing asp/mssql.  In the past I've worked with php/postgresql.
> 
> I'm not a novice by a long shot when it comes to this sort of tinkering.
> Even so this process has proved itself pretty daunting.
> 
> I find it much easier to learn when everything on my system was put
> there by me (within reason).  I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I feel
> like I can't get there with FreeBSD.  It bugs me to the point of turning
> back to Linux.
> 
> I'm doing a make buildworld as we speak, hopefully going through this
> process will help a bit.
> 
> What I'd really like to know is how to strip down a working system.  If
> This hasn't been done, I guess I'm looking for someone with the
> knowledge and the time/generosity to help me figure it out.  Once I get
> there, I intend to post it on my website for other converts who may feel
> the same way.
> 
> This forum is most likely going to be my last resort, as I have looked
> pretty much everywhere I can think to look.  Is there anything else you
> can offer to get me moving in the desired direction?
> 
> -T
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-freebsd-hackers at freebsd.org
> [mailto:owner-freebsd-hackers at freebsd.org] On Behalf Of Tim Kientzle
> Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 12:42 PM
> To: Tyler Kellen
> Cc: freebsd-hackers at freebsd.org
> Subject: Re: Minimalist FreeBSD 4.8
> 
> Tyler Kellen wrote:
> > I've got a 4.8 minimal install on an extra machine. As an LFS user
> > I find the FreeBSD 4.8 minimal install to be pretty far from minimal.
> 
> You've found one of the major differences between FreeBSD and Linux.
> In short, FreeBSD is a complete system.  It's designed, developed,
> and maintained as a single coherent project.  (There are a few
> components that are imported from outside sources, but the key approach
> is still the same:  the source code from those outside projects is
> integrated into FreeBSD's source code and then maintained as a
> part of the integrated FreeBSD project.)
> 
> In contrast, Linux distributions are assembled from the results
> of a number of independently-managed projects.
> 
> As a result, it is quite natural to remove (or not install)
> components of a Linux distribution.  This is a less natural
> thing to do with FreeBSD.  It is possible, and minimal FreeBSD
> systems are being used in a lot of embedded systems (such as
> routers, email appliances, and the like), but it does require
> a bit of expertise to get there.
> 
>  > I've checked
> > out the PicoBSD project, the MiniBSD project and the FreeBSD From
> > Scratch projects extensively. I'm not famillar enough with FreeBSD to
> > get any of them up and running the way I want.
> 
> Those projects are intended more for people knowledgable about FreeBSD
> who want to customize FreeBSD for specialized applications.
> They really aren't designed for people just getting started.
> 
>  > I'm looking for a way to strip down my 4.8 box to nothing but gcc and
>  > vi. Unfortunately I don't quite know how to get there.
> 
>  > I'm hoping to end up with an empty system that I can fool
>  > around with and learn from the bottom up.
> 
> My advice:  start deleting things and see what happens.
> You can always re-install from the CDROM and start over if
> necessary.
> 
> In the case of FreeBSD, though, a better way to start learning the
> system is probably to install a basic system, then learn how to compile
> and update the system from source code, and then start playing with
> the various customization options there (read "man make.conf" carefully,
> experiment with kernel configuration, etc.).  That will help you get
> a feel for how the various pieces interact and which ones are
> important for what uses.  You may want to set yourself a goal
> of building your own customized release CDs (e.g. "make release").
> By the time you get there, you'll have a pretty good feel for
> the FreeBSD system as a whole.  If you have programming skills,
> you can then start digging into the source code and seeing how
> it all works internally.  If not, you can still get a lot out
> of browsing through the source tree to see what's there and
> how it all fits together.
> 
> And, of course, read the mailing lists and ask questions.
> You've already got that part.
> 
> FreeBSD is a great system.  Welcome to the club!
> 
> Tim Kientzle
> 
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