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freebsd

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"Oopsies " FreeBSD Devs Say There's Still GPL in the Kernel
2 months ago
- FreeBSD thought it had removed all GPL code but missed some leftovers in the kernel.
- Remaining GPL code includes a header file from Linux kernel for Qualcomm SoCs and GPLv2 snippets in Device Tree.
- Most GPL pieces also have BSD licensing, so they may not count as purely GPL.
- The author finds it amusing that people strive to avoid copyleft, comparing it to Microsoft under Ballmer.
Time Machine inside a FreeBSD jail
2 months ago
- The author helps clients manage macOS backups using FreeBSD servers.
- The process uses BastilleBSD to create a jail (VNET or inherit) for the Time Machine service.
- A ZFS dataset is created with quotas and mounted into the jail.
- Samba is installed and configured with Fruit extensions to act as a Time Machine target.
- Users are added as system users and Samba users, with proper directory permissions.
- Services (dbus, avahi-daemon, samba_server) are enabled and started.
- Backups can be encrypted for security.
Why I Love FreeBSD
2 months ago
- The FreeBSD Handbook impressed the author in 2002 with its completeness, accuracy, and up-to-date documentation, contrasting with fragmented Linux docs.
- FreeBSD proved more stable, performant, and responsive on the same hardware compared to Linux, handling compilation loads gracefully.
- The Handbook taught a systematic approach: understand before acting, and its foundations remain relevant after 24 years.
- FreeBSD prioritizes evolution over revolution, ensuring long-term stability and predictability for production environments.
- The author values FreeBSD for its reliable features like jails, ZFS, boot environments, and bhyve, all native and efficient.
- The FreeBSD community is driven by genuine passion, competence, and a focus on serving users rather than chasing hype.
- FreeBSD consistently delivers on its motto 'The Power to Serve' by being effective, efficient, and secure across decades.
How to install FreeBSD on providers that don't support it with mfsBSD
2 months ago
- FreeBSD is a powerful OS offering service isolation via jails and easy snapshots with ZFS.
- Many providers no longer support FreeBSD due to Linux dominance, causing issues for diverse OS usage.
- mfsBSD is a tool that creates a bootable image loaded entirely into memory, supporting both UEFI and traditional boot.
- mfsBSD enables installation via SSH without needing a console by obtaining an IP via DHCP and opening an SSH server.
- To install, boot the server in Linux rescue mode, download and write the mfsBSD image to disk using dd, then reboot.
- After reboot, connect via SSH as root with password 'mfsroot', change the password immediately, and run 'bsdinstall' for standard installation.
New Article on BSD Cafe Journal: WordPress on FreeBSD with BastilleBSD
2 months ago
- Author published a new article 'WordPress on FreeBSD with BastilleBSD' on BSD Cafe Journal.
- The article presents BastilleBSD as a secure alternative to Linux/Docker for WordPress on FreeBSD using jails.
- Author is expanding technical content to BSD Cafe Journal, a platform for BSD-related content.
- Personal blog remains the primary platform; all new articles will be announced and linked there.
Make Your Own Backup System – Part 2: Forging the FreeBSD Backup Stronghold
2 months ago
- FreeBSD is the preferred OS for backup servers due to its ability to partition services via jails and VMs, and ZFS provides flexibility and data integrity.
- Backup servers should be hardened, encrypted (using GELI or ZFS native encryption), and ideally accessible only via VPN or LAN.
- Two main backup strategies: zfs-autobackup for ZFS-based systems (pull-type) and BorgBackup for non-ZFS systems (push-type), with per-server jails for isolation.
- Proxmox Backup Server can be run in a VM with data stored on a Minio jail, leveraging S3-compatible storage on the host ZFS pool.
- Local snapshots on the backup server (using ZFS) provide protection against ransomware or malicious deletion of backups.
- It is crucial to maintain both an external (different datacenter) and an internal (local) backup copy, with independent backups to avoid propagation of issues.
- Disk redundancy (mirror, RaidZ) is recommended for backup servers, as backups are as important as production data.
FreeBSD vs. SmartOS: Who's Faster for Jails, Zones, and bhyve VMs?
2 months ago
- Benchmarks reflect specific hardware and workloads, not universally applicable results.
- A PCEngines APU running Proxmox failed after seven years due to power surges, prompting a replacement with an Intel N150 MiniPC.
- The author tested multiple virtualization options on the N150 and an i7-7500U for comparison.
- OS-level containers (jails and zones) showed negligible CPU overhead, near bare-metal performance.
- Memory benchmarks revealed significant differences: bhyve on i7 had 0.52% overhead, while on N150 it was 9%, likely due to missing optimizations.
- SmartOS native and LX zones delivered top memory performance, beating FreeBSD bare metal by up to 25%.
- Legacy KVM on SmartOS underperformed severely, making bhyve the preferred choice.
- FreeBSD demonstrated superior bhyve HVM performance on mature hardware, with near-zero overhead.
- The final recommendation depends on workload: SmartOS for container speed and Linux flexibility, FreeBSD for pure HVM performance.
- bhyve emerged as the key technology for the client's new server.
Monitor your devices with LibreNMS on FreeBSD
2 months ago
- LibreNMS is a lightweight monitoring alternative to Zabbix, handling SNMP devices with alerts, data, and graphs.
- The installation guide targets FreeBSD 15.0-RELEASE using packages (nginx, php-fpm, MySQL 8.4) without HTTPS or reverse proxy.
- MySQL requires `innodb_file_per_table=1` and `lower_case_table_names=0` before first start.
- php-fpm is configured to use a Unix socket owned by www, and nginx serves LibreNMS from `/usr/local/www/librenms/html`.
- The LibreNMS package on FreeBSD includes sane permissions; only the `.env` file needs manual editing for database credentials and the `INSTALL=true` flag.
- After the web installer completes, the `INSTALL=true` line must be removed from `.env` for security.
- A dedicated rc service (`librenms`) runs the polling dispatcher, eliminating the need for cron entries.
- Validation via `validate.php` may show transient scheduler warnings that resolve after the dispatcher settles.
FreeBSD ports frozen after someone commits the 150MB Linux Copilot binary
2 months ago
- FreeBSD project froze its ports repository for over 48 hours after a 150MB binary file was committed.
- The commit caused GitHub mirroring to fail due to GitHub's 100MB file size limit and introduced questionable licensing.
- The binary is the entire github-copilot-cli Linux binary, committed accidentally by the port maintainer.
- The FreeBSD port is not a native port but a wrapper to run the Linux binary via Linuxulator.
- No security compromise was detected; users' systems are not at risk.
- The FreeBSD team is rolling back the commit, fixing the issue, and investigating how it happened.
- The ports tree remains frozen at the time of writing.
FreeBSD Laptop Support Continues Improving with WiFi, GPU and Audio Driver Work
2 months ago
- FreeBSD Foundation's Laptop Support and Usability Project receives over $750k funding to improve FreeBSD on laptops.
- Modern power management like S0ix is a key focus, aiming for at least 8 hours of active use on relevant laptop models.
- Kernel scheduler enhancements are being made to better support hybrid processors with performance and power-optimized cores.
- Open-source graphics drivers from Linux kernel are being updated, with ports of Linux 6.13 and 6.14 DRM states under review.
- Three WiFi 6 drivers are now supported: Intel IWLWIFI, Realtek RTW89, and MediaTek MT76.
- Audio driver support is being enhanced, and GPIO interrupts are being leveraged for low-latency touchpad handling.
- Progress on laptop usability, including power, graphics, WiFi, and touchpad improvements, is detailed in monthly status reports.
FreeBSD 16 Retires the Last of Its GPL Code from Its Base System
2 months ago
- FreeBSD 16 source tree has removed the last GNU GPL licensed code, dialog, from its base system.
- The FreeBSD installer transitioned to bsddialog, and dpv, the last user of dialog, has been retired.
- The change was merged into the source tree after a ticket opened in February, retiring the GNU sub-tree.
- FreeBSD 16.0 is expected to be released in December 2027.
Bootstrapping GDC with DMD
2 months ago
- FreeBSD lacks a GDC package; a wrapper program enables bootstrapping GDC using DMD.
- GDC is written in D since GCC 12; DMD can bootstrap stage1 GDC with flag translation via a wrapper.
- The wrapper, gdc-wrapper, translates GCC-style flags for DMD, allowing GDC builds on FreeBSD and other systems.
FreeBSD 16 removes last GPL-licensed software, a first among *BSDs
2 months ago
- FreeBSD has removed the last GPL-licensed software from its base system in version 16-CURRENT, retiring the entire GNU subtree.
- This removal includes the replacement of dialog with bsddialog, marking a significant milestone in becoming GPL-free among major BSD systems.
- OpenBSD still includes some GPL components historically but aims to replace them; NetBSD acknowledges limitations in removing GPL software.
- FreeBSD's achievement is celebrated as a big step toward software freedom, making it a standout among major BSD distributions.
- The change is notable for highlighting the ongoing efforts within BSD communities to reduce reliance on GPL-licensed tools.
GitLab on FreeBSD
3 months ago
- Install and set up a GitLab server on FreeBSD using a Bhyve VM with a FreeBSD-15.1-RELEASE image.
- Configure PostgreSQL database with necessary extensions and adjust connection limits, then set up Redis with socket permissions and group access.
- Install and configure GitLab with specific worker settings, global Git configurations, asset compilation, and integration with Nginx for web access.
- Finalize setup with GitLab secret generation, service enabling, and accessing the web interface using the root account.
- Consider additional steps such as adding HTTPS certificates to Nginx for secure access.
Moving to FreeBSD from Linux
3 months ago
- The author transitioned from long-term Mac OS usage, including various models from Mac SE/30 to Mac Pro, to Hackintosh and then Windows.
- After using Linux (Arch Linux with Sway) for nearly 10 years, frustrations arose due to frequent breakages and systemd-related issues.
- While working with networking, the author deployed OpenBSD and FreeBSD machines, developing a liking for BSD systems due to ease of control.
- A keyboard failure after a Linux kernel update prompted a move to FreeBSD, chosen for its ports tree, leading to a successful installation and configuration.
- After 6 months, FreeBSD works well with minor drawbacks like no browser source in OBS and lack of AnyDesk/RustDesk support, but overall it's a positive experience.
FreeBSD ate my RAM
3 months ago
- Memory usage reporting is complex due to OS caching mechanisms like disk caching in RAM for performance, which can be freed when needed.
- Virtual Memory (VM) systems manage RAM pages in queues (active, inactive, laundry, wired, free), making it hard to define 'used' vs. 'free' memory accurately.
- Tools like fastfetch, btop, and htop use different heuristics to report memory usage, leading to discrepancies in displayed values.
- btop had bugs on FreeBSD, including integer overflow with 32-bit variables and incorrect cache reporting due to using a legacy sysctl parameter.
- Fixes were implemented for btop and htop to correctly account for ZFS ARC cache and filesystem buffers, improving memory monitoring accuracy.
- The author contributed patches to open-source projects, highlighting the importance of understanding OS internals for accurate system monitoring.

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freebsd

"Oopsies " FreeBSD Devs Say There's Still GPL in the Kernel

Time Machine inside a FreeBSD jail

Why I Love FreeBSD

How to install FreeBSD on providers that don't support it with mfsBSD

New Article on BSD Cafe Journal: WordPress on FreeBSD with BastilleBSD

Make Your Own Backup System – Part 2: Forging the FreeBSD Backup Stronghold

FreeBSD vs. SmartOS: Who's Faster for Jails, Zones, and bhyve VMs?

Monitor your devices with LibreNMS on FreeBSD

FreeBSD ports frozen after someone commits the 150MB Linux Copilot binary

FreeBSD Laptop Support Continues Improving with WiFi, GPU and Audio Driver Work

FreeBSD 16 Retires the Last of Its GPL Code from Its Base System

Bootstrapping GDC with DMD

FreeBSD 16 removes last GPL-licensed software, a first among *BSDs

GitLab on FreeBSD

Moving to FreeBSD from Linux

FreeBSD ate my RAM