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.