Part I. Getting Started

This part of the FreeBSD Handbook is for users and administrators who are new to FreeBSD. These chapters:

  • Introduce you to FreeBSD.

  • Guide you through the installation process.

  • Teach you UNIX® basics and fundamentals.

  • Show you how to install the wealth of third party applications available for FreeBSD.

  • Introduce you to X, the UNIX® windowing system, and detail how to configure a desktop environment that makes you more productive.

We have tried to keep the number of forward references in the text to a minimum so that you can read this section of the Handbook from front to back with the minimum page flipping required.

Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Synopsis
1.2. Welcome to FreeBSD!
1.3. About the FreeBSD Project
2. Installing FreeBSD 9.X and Later
2.1. Synopsis
2.2. Hardware Requirements
2.3. Pre-Installation Tasks
2.4. Starting the Installation
2.5. Introducing bsdinstall
2.6. Installing from the Network
2.7. Allocating Disk Space
2.8. Committing to the Installation
2.9. Post-Installation
2.10. Troubleshooting
2.11. Using the Live CD
3. Installing FreeBSD 8.X
3.1. Synopsis
3.2. Hardware Requirements
3.3. Pre-installation Tasks
3.4. Starting the Installation
3.5. Introducing sysinstall(8)
3.6. Allocating Disk Space
3.7. Choosing What to Install
3.8. Choosing the Installation Media
3.9. Committing to the Installation
3.10. Post-installation
3.11. Troubleshooting
3.12. Advanced Installation Guide
3.13. Preparing Custom Installation Media
4. UNIX Basics
4.1. Synopsis
4.2. Virtual Consoles and Terminals
4.3. Permissions
4.4. Directory Structure
4.5. Disk Organization
4.6. Mounting and Unmounting File Systems
4.7. Processes
4.8. Daemons, Signals, and Killing Processes
4.9. Shells
4.10. Text Editors
4.11. Devices and Device Nodes
4.12. For More Information
5. Installing Applications: Packages and Ports
5.1. Synopsis
5.2. Overview of Software Installation
5.3. Finding Software
5.4. Using Binary Packages
5.5. Using pkgng for Binary Package Management
5.6. Using the Ports Collection
5.7. Working With Installed Ports
5.8. Dealing with Broken Ports
6. The X Window System
6.1. Synopsis
6.2. Understanding X
6.3. Installing X11
6.4. X11 Configuration
6.5. Using Fonts in X11
6.6. The X Display Manager
6.7. Desktop Environments

All FreeBSD documents are available for download at http://ftp.FreeBSD.org/pub/FreeBSD/doc/

Questions that are not answered by the documentation may be sent to <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org>.

Send questions about this document to <freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org>.