Re: 8MB install

M-Trade wrote:
> Has anyone had any success installing 5.1 release on a 486
> w/ 8MB RAM?  I can't install.
> 
> avail memory = (245760) 0 MB
> 
> Is this expected behavior?

Until you build a skinnier kernel, you only have 240K of memory
in which to run processes.

Normally, the install process uses a great huge chunk of memory
for a RAM disk, which it mounts as root.

Your best bet is to install the drive on another machine, or
temporarily install RAM in the 486.  After the install, it
should barely crawl in 8M.

If you want to actually fit in 8M, you should rebuild a custom
kernel that leaves out all the devices for which FreeBSD has
drivers, but which you do not have installed in your machine.

You may also want to leave out NFS, and drivers for things which
*are* installed in your machine, but which you don't intend to
use (e.g. sound cards, etc.).

Alternately, you could find a FreeBSD 1.1.5.1 distribution on the
net somewhere, and install that, instead; I have personally run
that version of FreeBSD on a 4M 386SX, to use it as an X Terminal.
8-).

-- Terry