New FreeBSD user. I need help!

[rowebil]

As I posted on freebsd.orgI need help.

Here is what i wrote.
Someone please help me

I installed FreeBSD, got to the default boot loader, and left. It probably loaded up by now.

I'm REALLY dumb when it comes to linux. I am very smart in windows, proud ethical hacker.

What do I do?

Does it go right to the shell? What do I type to get to the user interface?

Also, I have a mad dog hard drive enclosure. It was found on Freesbie, it connected. I jsut don't know how to go to it.

It was ntfs/Apollo.


Lastly, I need internet, then a remote control program.
This is a laptop, old. toshiba, all I want it for is simple file sharing. I have 2 servers, but didn't want to put FreeBSD.

So, the internet.
I have a Speedstream 4200 modem. The original windows xp was conencted via usb. If I cannot use USB, I would like to use a wireless netgear card. I also have a WIRed one, but the connector is lose. So, the first would be USB, second would be Wireless netgear Ga511, and the third option would be wired netgear card.

I just need to know, what to do.

Can I use any software to burn the the internet drivers?
I'm guessing I have to download the drivers for FreeBSD, put it on a disk, then pop the disk it. Orrrrr, is it compaitible already, I just need to double click something and it installs?

I'm a new user, so I don't know anything. If someone can give me advice, or places where I can find this information, that would be great!

Please reply, not just look at it, and then go back.

Also, I have AIM, the screen name is Rowebil
I have Yahoo!, the username is rowebil64
I have msn, it's Rowebil@gmail.com

That's if you prefer talking to me in real time, which I do like the idea of. So, If I ahve a question, I don't need to reply here.

Thanks for helping me!

Also, where can I get a FreeBSD cluster? It was on youtube. That would be pretty nice, it' looks cool.

Hope you can assist me and provide more information. Any video tutorials?
Im a visual learner, not reader.

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by rowebil

I'm REALLY dumb when it comes to linux.

BSD is not Linux.

Originally Posted by rowebil

Does it go right to the shell?

Yes.

Originally Posted by rowebil

What do I type to get to the user interface?

By "user interface", do you mean Graphical User Interface (GUI)?
- option 1 : type startx or xinit if, and only if, you already installed and configured an X window system server like Xorg and a desktop environment like KDE or GNOME (or just a window manager like Fluxbox).
- option 2 : install all the above and configure a display manager like XDM, GDM, ... to log you in and execute your window manager automatically.



Check your hardware compatibility with FreeBSD on the official site: http://www.freebsd.org/releases/7.1R/hardware.html



The FreeBSD handbook is the best source of information: ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/do...ooks/handbook/
You can also get many other books and articles: ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/

[TerryP]

I installed FreeBSD, got to the default boot loader, and left. It probably loaded up by now.

...

Does it go right to the shell? What do I type to get to the user interface?

FreeBSDs boot process is fairly well documented, more specific things few people would need to care about; outside of kernel hacking / system programming references. Normal people don't need to know much more then the basics of bootstrap (and even then usually can skip half of it)

What you get loaded, depends on what you asked for; usually it's login prompt of some sort. See Beasties post.

Also, I have a mad dog hard drive enclosure. It was found on Freesbie, it connected. I jsut don't know how to go to it.

What do you want to do with it?

Lastly, I need internet, then a remote control program. ....

I'm not familiar with that networking gear. For remote control program, you probably mean something like SSH (even my Windows machine is usable over SSH). You may also want to look at X11 Forwarding, VNC, and RDP.

Can I use any software to burn the the internet drivers?

FreeBSD understands the usual CD/DVD file systems, as long as your disk drive works and understands that media. It's also possible to burn disks from FreeBSD; if you want something graphical for doing it: you'll of course need to setup a GUI.

I'm guessing I have to download the drivers for FreeBSD, put it on a disk, then pop the disk it. Orrrrr, is it compaitible already, I just need to double click something and it installs?

Generally most vendors don't release FreeBSD drivers for their products, so you get what comes with the system + what is available via ports. You would want to be fairly specific about what you need.

I'm a new user, so I don't know anything. If someone can give me advice, or places where I can find this information, that would be great!

Read the handbook on FreeBSDs website, consult manual pages for the programs (e.g. man ls), and explorer the documentation stored in /usr/share/ (if you have it installed).


Based on your self description, I assume you're able to use cmd.exe without trouble; unix shells are easier to work with, but have different quoting / globing rules. (Not to mention a nicer user experience). If you're not familiar with common UNIX commands, you should check out Wikipedia and the systems manual pages. (there are also a few books around; might also want to check the reviews here)


Few things in FreeBSD technically need to be done from a command prompt - but most common documentation provides instruction centered around the command line interface because it is easy to port between different UNIX systems, or documentation centered around their specific products (e.g. gnome / kde control panels).