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Install-NetBSD.md

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Installing NetBSD 10+

  1. Download the NetBSD image (evbarm-aarch64 ISO under 'Release Info') from the repository here:

    Download Portal: https://wiki.netbsd.org/ports/evbarm/
    
  2. Flash the ISO to a USB drive

    dd if=~/Downloads/FreeBSD-*version*-RELEASE-arm64-aarch64-disc1.iso of=/dev/sdX
    

    Alternatively, you can use Gnome Disks, balenaEtcher, or an imaging tool of your choice.

  3. Restart and boot from the USB drive that was created. (See: BIOS Navigation)

  4. Press [1] or wait for installer to start.

  5. Click through first options, installing NetBSD to your drive of choice.

    NOTE: If you get scrolling output on install screen, you may need to unplug extra USB devices.

    WARNING: NetBSD detects the onboard SD Card, you can accidentally overwrite the EDK II/U-Boot loader here.

  6. When asked what distribution you would like, click "Custom Installation" and make sure the following sets are selected if you want an easy DE setup:

    X11 sets
       a. X11 base and clients
       c. X11 configuration
       d. X11 fonts
       e. X11 servers
    Source and debug sets
       b. Base sources
       d. GNU sources
       e. X11 sources
    
  7. Once your distribution sets are selected, continue on and when asked where you'd like to install from, select the following:

    b: HTTP
    

    Enter your hostname and domain name then select:

    x: Get Distribution
    
  8. When the download finishes, enter a root password, then complete the last two options:

    k: Enable xdm
    o: Add user
    
  9. Due to nature of NetBSD, you will need to boot directly from the device path or add a boot entry for NetBSD. Then you may boot into NetBSD.

  10. To login, type your username, press [ENTER], then type your password and press [ENTER]. You should now be in a very minimal X window environment.

  11. Once logged in, we will need to set up our package sources, as well as install and configure sudo. Run the following:

    export PKG_PATH="http://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/pkgsrc/packages/NetBSD/aarch64/10.0/All/"
    su
    echo $PKG_PATH
    pkg_add -v pkgin
    exit
    
  12. Now we need to setup sudo and add user to 'wheel' group.

    su
    pkg_add -v sudo
    visudo
    user mod -G wheel *username*
    exit
    
  13. We can now start installing XFCE and configuring our system to boot into our DE.

    su
    pkgin install xfce4 xfce4-extras
    cp /usr/pkg/share/examples/rc.d/dbus /etc/rc.d  
    echo 'dbus=YES' >> /etc/rc.conf
    /etc/rc.d/dbus start
    touch .xsession
    echo 'exec ck-launch-session xfce4-session' > .xsession
    echo 'DisplayManager*authName: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1' >> /etc/X11/xdm/xdm-config
    echo 'xdm=YES' >> /etc/rc.conf 
    
  14. Reboot. You should now be able to log in to your graphical desktop!

    Lastly, run the following to setup basic home folder directories:

    pkgin install xdg-user-dirs
    xdg-user-dirs-update
    

    You can now choose to install additional packages if you'd like:

    pkgin install vlc zip unzip unrar sudo vim gnumeric abiword papirus-icon-theme epdfview p7zip neofetch wget firefox mpv cmus xcalc xterm
    
## Special thanks to Edgar Rodolfo and his guide: https://bitsymasbitsya.blogspot.com/2021/12/netbsd-92-and-xfce-with-xdm-display.html