Are all USB Installs the same ?

[13Gauge]

If I create an Thumbdrive install from a CD and then launch that install on a computer, can I then take that Thumbdrive to an entirely different computer and launch it there ?
IOW, is there anything unique about the boot thumbdrive after you create and launch it or is it the same for everyone made ?

 

[Mirfster]

If I create an Thumbdrive install from a CD and then launch that install on a computer, can I then take that Thumbdrive to an entirely different computer and launch it there ?

Only real difference would be that you may have to reconfigure the network; as long as whatever hardware you are attaching it to is supported.

IOW, is there anything unique about the boot thumbdrive after you create and launch it or is it the same for everyone made ?

Of course the configuration will be different between my boot OS and someone else's...

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

you may have to reconfigure the network

Not if you don't boot/configure FreeNAS on the install-only system.

 

[Mirfster]

Not if you don't boot/configure FreeNAS on the install-only system.

Good point

 

[13Gauge]

So, IIUC, once you boot it for the first time, it cannot then be used on a different system ?
IOW, it won't reconfigure itself to the new system ?

So it stores unique info on the Thumbdrive about the system that it is installed on, it is not just a Read Only booting device ?
Can it then be wiped of the unique info and used on a different system ?

 

[Mirfster]

So, IIUC, once you boot it for the first time, it cannot then be used on a different system ?
IOW, it won't reconfigure itself to the new system ?

No, it can be used on a different system and will configure to new hardware (if supported). The only thing that may need changing is the NIC settings.

So it stores unique info on the Thumbdrive about the system that it is installed on, it is not just a Read Only booting device ?

I was speaking about if I had a USB and gave it to you; then you put it on your computer... Yes it would work, but you would have to change things (password, host name, etc...).

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

IOW, it won't reconfigure itself to the new system ?

This isn't Windows, it's FreeBSD, which is a flavor of Unix. Unix and Linux detect hardware and load drivers at boot time, not at install time. Only the configuration settings set up by you, the administrator, are unique.

Can it then be wiped of the unique info and used on a different system ?

Yes, even if you were to take a boot device from @Mirfster with all his unique configuration settings, you could reset it to factory defaults using the console menu.

 

[13Gauge]

That was as clear as the space between a Republican candidate's ears.
Thanks so much. That cleared up my confusion perfectly. Now, if we could just clear up theirs.