Artiste1 Freebsd Desktop Setup

Note:
Seems like there is a lot to do, but it is worth the extra effort and in my opinion a good way to learn
FreeBSD is very stable and reliable and does not constantly call home like some other OS's.
My preferred desktop is xcfe4 and this checklist is based on it, go to the link here for other desktops for FreeBSD.
Tick each box as you go below.

1. Freebsd Operating System Installation

Ensure the Computer meets the FreeBSD minimum system requirements
The official FreeBSD OS download website for other images
Download the Memstick FreeBSD 15.0-RELEASE-amd64 installation image
Create USB installer: On Windows or Linux PC, use BalenaEtcher Download from official balena website
FreeBSD Install Setup Guide website
As the PC boots choose the boot option key ( F6 - F8 - F11 - F12 ) USB Disk
If not there choose the boot bios option boot 1st USB Disk
Wait and Select "Install" from the FreeBSD boot menu
Choose your preferred keyboard layout
Click Enter key
If you don't want to test keyboard. Use up arrow key & Click Enter key
Set a hostname for your system example: freebsd-0001
Select with space bar to install tick to [*] src System source tree Helps with Nvidia Graphics installation.

[  ] base-dbg    Base system (Debugging)
[ *] kernel-dbg  Kernel (Debugging)	
[  ] lib32-dbg   32-bit compatibility libraries (Debugging)
[ *] lib32       32-bit compatibility libraries
[  ] ports	 Ports tree
[ *] src         System source tree
[  ] tests       Test suite

Choose partitioning scheme Auto (ZFS) Guided Root-on-ZFS
If multiple disks are connected, choose the one where FreeBSD is to be installed.
Except defaults
Entire Disk - Yes - OK - Finish - Commit
Make sure keyboard number lock key is on. Typed charactors will not be visible.
Setup Root with a strong password
Configure network settings (DHCP or manual configuration)
Set the time zone
Enable system services (Leave all empty) Use up & down arrow key then space bar to untick
If you need to use sshd Secure shell daemon tick it now

[  ] local_unbound       local caching validating resolver
[  ] sshd                Secure shell daemon	
[  ] moused              PS/2 mouse pointer on console
[  ] ntpd                Synchronize system and network time
[  ] ntpd_sync_on_start	 Sync time on ntpd startup, even if offset is high
[  ] powerd              Adjust CPU frequency dynamically if supported
[  ] dumpdev             Enable kernel crash dumps to /var/crash

Enabling Hardening Security Options ( tick all 0 to 9 )

[X] 0 hide_uids         Hide processes running as other users
[X] 1 hide_gids         Hide processes running as other groups	
[X] 2 hide_jail         Hide processes running in jails
[X] 3 read_msgbuf       Disable reading kernel messages buffer for unprivileged
[X] 4 proc_debug        Disable process debugging facilities for unprivileged user
[X] 5 random_pid        Randomize the PID of newly created processes
[X] 6 clear_tmp         Clean the /tmp filesystem on system startup
[X] 7 disable_syslogd   Disable opening Syslogd network socket (disable remote)			
[X] 8 secure_console    Enable console password prompt    
[X] 9 disable_ddtrace   Disable DTrace destructive-mode

Add User Account YES
Add your Username Click Enter key to move to next option
Add your Full Username Click Enter key to move to next option
Except defaults Click Enter key
Login group is username. Invite username into other groups? [ ]: wheel operator video
Except defaults Click Enter key
Do you want to ? Enable ZFS encryption? (yes/no) default is [no]:
Except defaults Click Enter key
Add password Click Enter key
Add password again Click Enter key
Except defaults Click Enter key
If you need to start again choose No or Except default YES Click Enter key
If you need to add another user Yes or Except default NO Click Enter key

FreeBSD Installer                  ####  Example Below for username imani #######
=======================
Add User
Username: imani
Full name: imani	
Uid (Leave empty for default):
Login group [imani]:
login group is imani. Invite imani into other groups? [ ]: wheel operator video
login class [default]:
Shell (sh csh tcsh nologin) [sh]:
Home directory [/home/imani]:
Home directory permissions (Leave empty for default):
Enable ZFS encryption? (yes/no) default is [no]: 
Use password-based authentication? [yes]:
Use an empty password? (yes/no) [no]:
Use an random password? (yes/no) [no]:
Enter password:
Enter password again:
Lock out the account after creation? [no]:
Username     : imani
Password     : *****
Full Name    : imani
Uid          : 1001
Class        : 
Groups       : imani wheel operator video
Home         : /home/imani
Home Mode    : 
Shell        : /bin/sh
Locked       : no
OK? (yes/no) : [yes]:
adduser: Info: Successfully added (imani) to the user database.
Add another user?  (yes/no) [no]:

You can now change any of the setting on the Menu if needed
Click OK to exit and reboot

Tip:
FreeBSD Editor ee will be used below. At the top of the file window, you will see a list of commands.
These are all prefixed with a ^ symbol – this means the Control key.
Example: ^u end of file – press Ctrl + U keys

2. Intel CPU Graphic Driver Installation.

Skip to 2.1 if CPU does not have GPU or if it will be disable in BIOS

Log in as root and add the code below highlighted in white
Update the system: freebsd-update fetch install
To quit notices use the letter Q: q
Restart to add updates reboot
Log in as root and add the code below highlighted in white
Update pkg system: pkg update
Create boot backup: bectl create before-graphics-added
xf86-video-intel: pkg install xf86-video-intel-2.99.917.923_1,1
Edit Boot loader: ee /boot/loader.conf
Add xf86-video-intel-2.99.917.923_1,1_load="YES"
Use ESC key to bring up menu and save
Graphics Drivers: pkg install drm-kmod
Edit rc.conf: ee /etc/rc.conf Add kld_list="i915kms"
Use ESC key to bring up menu and save
Add below to: ee /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf ESC key to bring up menu and save

Section "Device"
	Identifier "Card0"
	Driver     "intel"
EndSection

Restart Computer reboot

2.1 Nvidia Graphic Driver Installation

Log in as root and add the code below highlighted in white
Update the system: freebsd-update fetch install
To quit notices use the letter Q: q
Update pkg system: pkg update
Shutdown Computer then add Nvidia Graphics Card
Restart PC, Open BIOS and disable CPU Graphics processing unit
Log in as root and add the code below highlighted in white
pciconf -lv | grep -B3 display Will show if your GPU has been identified
Create boot backup: bectl create before-graphics-card-added
Update the system: freebsd-update fetch install
Update pkg system: pkg update
Check here for supported hardware scroll down to section 5.3.3 Nvidia ( i.e. nvidia-driver-470 )
Nvidia Driver: pkg install nvidia-driver
Add module to /etc/rc.conf: sysrc kld_list+=nvidia-modeset
Add below to ee /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-nvidia.conf

Section “Device”
	   Identifier “Card0”
       Driver     “nvidia”
EndSection

Use ESC key to bring up menu and save
Restart pfsense firewall device reboot

Extra useful commands and OpenGL Rendering test tool glmark2

 
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep -i nvidia Will show if your GPU driver has been installed
 
pkg install glmark2 OpenGL Rendering test tool glmark2

glmark2 Will start the GPU OpenGL Rendering test

pkg install nvidia-settings Display Control Panel for X NVidia driver

nvidia-settings Opens Display Control Panel for X NVidia driver, can also be accessed from Desktop.

3. XFCE Desktop Installation

Log in as root
Create boot backup: bectl create before-desktop-added
Install and configure X.Org: pkg install xorg
Install desktop environment Xfce: pkg install xfce
pkg install lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter
sysrc lightdm_enable="YES"
sysrc dbus_enable="YES"
sysrc hald_enable="YES"
Edit fstab file ee /etc/fstab and add: proc /proc procfs rw 0 0

 
Example
#Device	 Mountpoint  FStype  Options  Dump   Pass#
   proc     /proc    procfs    rw      0       0

ESC key to bring up menu and save

Change pkg to latest from Quarterly: mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/pkg/repos
Copy: cp /etc/pkg/FreeBSD.conf /usr/local/etc/pkg/repos/FreeBSD.conf
Change where it says quarterly to latest ee /usr/local/etc/pkg/repos/FreeBSD.conf
Use ESC key to bring up menu and save
Restart Computer reboot Login to Desktop with your user name

4. Software Installation

Open Terminal: su add root password
Create boot backup: bectl create before-software-added
Add the package Sudo: pkg install sudo
Edit sudoers: ee /usr/local/etc/sudoers scroll down and remove this # from below

root ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL  
%wheel  ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

Use Sudo as yourself instead of root: exit
Update Packages sudo pkg update add your password
Upgrade Packages sudo pkg upgrade
Web browser: sudo pkg install firefox
Open Firefox: https://artiste1.com/artiste1-freebsd-desktop-setup To copy and paste code below
Office suite: sudo pkg install libreoffice
Edit fstab file sudo ee /etc/fstab and add: fdesc /dev/fd fdescfs rw 0 0
Use ESC key to bring up menu and save
Media player: sudo pkg install vlc
Configure sound: sudo pkg install xfce4-pulseaudio-plugin & sudo sysrc sndio_enable="YES"
Audacious Music Player: sudo pkg install audacious audacious-plugins
Notepad Next: sudo pkg install notepadnext
Remmina (Remote Desktop): sudo pkg install remmina
Network connection manager: sudo pkg install networkmgr

5. Storage Tweeks

Stop ZFS using too much RAM, Edit Boot loader: sudo ee /boot/loader.conf
Add the code below:

vfs.zfs.arc_max="2147483648"
vfs.zfs.arc_min="1073741824"

Use ESC key to bring up menu and save
Access Windows NTFS disks:
load fusefs: sudo kldload fusefs
load at startup: sudo sysrc kld_list+=fusefs
Binary Package Management sudo pkg install fusefs-ntfs
Edit /boot/loader.conf sudo ee /boot/loader.conf Add code below

fusefs_load="YES"
fuse_load="YES"

Use ESC key to bring up menu and save

6. Adding Drives and Permission

FreeBSD Storage Documentation Website
FreeBSD The Z File System (ZFS) Website
Root has full administration , users have to be given permission to Create, write & delete
Open Terminal and addsu add root's password
To see disk permissionls -l FreeBSD Basics 3.4. Permissions Documentation Website
Get zvol or drive name: gpart list add to example below zvol/nvme1tb or /ada1
Give Full access to username: setfacl -m u:username:full_set::allow /nvme1tb

7. Create Boot Backups using bectl for ZFS

Allways backup, before adding a new program or make changes which could stop a successful bootup
Open Terminal
bectl create sudo bectl create finished-setup
bectl list sudo bectl list shows all available backups
bectl activate sudo bectl activate finished-setup makes it the defaulf boot
bectl destroysudo bectl destroy backup-01 deletes if not needed, you will get a warning if its the defaulf boot
To access the backups at startup choose 7. Boot options as in image below from FreeBSD Website
Now choose a boot backup from list, then add 1. Boot Multi user [Enter]

login to your desktop and open a terminal
Use bectl list sudo bectl list copy the boot backup
Now paste or typesudo bectl activate your-backup it will now be the defaulf startup boot

Tip: Open Terminal sudo bsdconfig bsdconfig a Graphical User Interface to change freebsd configuration settings

Note: This checklist provides a general guide for setting up FreeBSD Desktop.
Specific steps may vary depending on your specific requirements.
Always refer to the official documentation for the most up-to-date information.

Artiste1 Freebsd Desktop Setup

1. Freebsd Operating System Installation

2. Intel CPU Graphic Driver Installation.

Skip to 2.1 if CPU does not have GPU or if it will be disable in BIOS

2.1 Nvidia Graphic Driver Installation

3. XFCE Desktop Installation

4. Software Installation

5. Storage Tweeks

6. Adding Drives and Permission

7. Create Boot Backups using bectl for ZFS

Related Guides and Checklists