Editing Pre-installation Tasks

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=== Back Up Your Data ===

Back up all important data on the target computer before installing GhostBSD. The GhostBSD installer will not ask before making changes to the disk, but once the process has started, it cannot be undone.

=== Check for FreeBSD Errata ===

GhostBSD is based on Trueos, and TrueOS is based on FreeBSD. Although the TrueOS Project strives to ensure that each release of TrueOS is as stable as possible, bugs occasionally creep into the process. On very rare occasions those bugs affect the installation process. As these problems are discovered and fixed, they are noted in [https://www.freebsd.org/releases/12.0R/errata.html ''12.0-RELEASE Errata'' page on the FreeBSD web site]. Check the errata before installing to make sure that there are no problems that might affect the installation.

=== Prepare the Installation Media ===

The GhostBSD installation media is available as a <code>.iso</code> file. Copies of GhostBSD installation media are available for free at the [http://www.ghostbsd.org/download GhostBSD download page].

=== Creating a bootable USB Flash Drive ===

==== Introduction ====

After downloading the appropriate .iso file, copy it to a USB flash drive using one of the methods described below. Depending on the operating system, issue one of the following appropriate commands:

==== On BSD ====

: <code>dd if=/path/to/GhostBSD19.04.iso of=/dev/da0 bs=4m conv=sync</code>

==== On Linux ====

: <code>sudo dd if=GhostBSD19.04.iso of=/dev/sdf bs=4M conv=sync</code>

==== On Mac ====

: <code>dd if=/path/to/GhostBSD19.04.iso of=/dev/disk2 bs=10240 conv=sync</code>

==== On Windows ====

# Download the desired .iso file
# Download Disk Imager from http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/
# Insert your USB flash drive
# Note the drive letter assigned to your flash media
# Start Disk Imager
# Select the downloaded file and target device, and click "Write"
# Remove your USB flash drive when the operation is complete

==== Other USB Flash writer tools for Windows ====

Balena Etcher  [https://etcher.io] works for Windows, MacOS, & Linux.
Rufus   [https://rufus.ie]  works just for Windows; needs a checkbox selected to do a pure write of .ISO image file.

==== ISO CD / DVD writer tool ====
ISORecorder   [http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/]  works from Windows Menu to write a .ISO file into a CD or DVD

=== Conclusion ===

The steps described above will create a bootable GhostBSD system on a USB flash drive. To start a live session, connect the USB thumb drive into the computer and reboot the computer. Further information can be found [https://wiki.ghostbsd.org/index.php/Starting_GhostBSD_Live_Media here].

[[Category:Handbook]]
[[Category:Installing GhostBSD]]