Due to a recent situation where I had to install FreeBSD on a IBM X3250 without the remote control upgrade to the IMM (to mount images virtually) and with no CD/DVD drive available an alternative solution had to be cooked up.

These files will enable you to use the zfsinstaller from mfsBSD SE in the fixit prompt of a FreeBSD 8.2 memstick (usb) image. As always I assume you know basic FreeBSD to use this guide.

Once you are in the prompt setup network – f.x. with DHCP

dhclient -l /tmp/leases em0
echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" > /etc/resolv.conf

Now fetch the zfsint.sh script

fetch http://microsux.dk/zfs/zfsinst.sh

Modify the script’s last line before running it to suit your needs (or just comment the line out and run the zfsinstall_mod.sh manually) – if you want mirror add -r mirror. Once ready run the script.

sh zfsinst.sh

If you get an error about partitions already on your drive(s) you can use the destroygeom_mod.sh in /tmp/zfsinst.

/tmp/zfsinst/destroygeom_mod.sh -d your-device-id

That’s it – you have now used the zfsinstall script via the FreeBSD memstick image.

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