submited 24 January 2026

The guide details a workaround for installing FreeBSD on Dell PowerEdge servers like the R530 or R730 equipped with Broadcom/LSI SAS HBA controllers such as the H330. By default, the FreeBSD installer uses the incompatible mfi(4) driver, causing I/O errors during installation, as the correct mrsas(4) driver is not loaded. The solution involves modifying the installation ISO to include a loader.conf.local file with the setting hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1", forcing the installer to use the proper driver. Steps include downloading the ISO, creating the configuration file, and merging it into the ISO using growisofs. After installation, the same setting must be manually added to the system’s /boot/loader.conf.local to ensure proper booting. This method avoids the need to flash the H330 firmware to IT mode and resolves compatibility issues with Dell’s RAID controllers.

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** 24 January 2026

Modifying FreeBSD ISO for Dell PowerEdge H330 RAID compatibility

The guide details a workaround for installing FreeBSD on Dell PowerEdge servers like the R530 or R730 equipped with Broadcom/LSI SAS HBA controllers such as the H330. By default, the FreeBSD installer uses the incompatible mfi(4) driver, causing I/O errors during installation, as the correct mrsas(4) driver is not loaded. The solution involves modifying the installation ISO to include a loader.conf.local file with the setting hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1", forcing the installer to use the proper driver. Steps include downloading the ISO, creating the configuration file, and merging it into the ISO using growisofs. After installation, the same setting must be manually added to the system’s /boot/loader.conf.local to ensure proper booting. This method avoids the need to flash the H330 firmware to IT mode and resolves compatibility issues with Dell’s RAID controllers.

OpenBSD Chromium port gains Widevine DRM support via OpenWV

OpenBSD’s Chromium port now includes support for Google’s Widevine DRM through the integration of OpenWV, an open-source reimplementation of Widevine’s Content Decryption Module (CDM). Developer Robert Nagy added the OpenWV port and enabled its use with Chromium, allowing streaming services to function on OpenBSD systems. However, users must manually provide a Widevine device identity file (.wvd) for authentication, as OpenWV does not include one by default. The implementation serves as a drop-in replacement for Google’s proprietary CDM, handling key retrieval and media decryption.

200 MB RAM FreeBSD desktop setup

The article details a lightweight FreeBSD desktop configuration achieving 206 MB RAM usage with Openbox, Tint2, and Dzen2, replacing Xorg with XLibre due to its active development. The setup uses FreeBSD 15.0-RELEASE with UFS and Soft Updates Journaling for minimal resource overhead, avoiding ZFS to match the Linux-based Vendefoul Wolf distribution’s 217 MB benchmark. Configuration files like /boot/loader.conf, /etc/rc.conf, and /etc/sysctl.conf are optimized for performance, while unnecessary virtual terminals and services are disabled. The author also demonstrates further RAM reduction to 134 MB when constrained to a 220 MB VM, highlighting FreeBSD’s efficiency in low-memory environments.

** 23 January 2026

Installing OpenBSD on an ASUS CX1100CN Chromebook

The ASUS CX1100CN Chromebook, an underpowered but lightweight device, can be repurposed with OpenBSD by first enabling Developer Mode and disabling hardware write protection via battery removal or the SuzyQable method. Using MrChromebox’s firmware utility, the default ChromeOS is replaced with a custom UEFI ROM, allowing OpenBSD to be installed from a live USB with minimal issues. While most hardware functions normally, speaker audio remains non-functional—a known limitation even under Linux. The process requires basic disassembly and terminal commands but avoids complex modifications, making it accessible for users comfortable with technical procedures. The result is a low-cost, portable system running OpenBSD, though its limited specs restrict heavy workloads.

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** 18 January 2026

Upgrading a base package install from 15.0-RELEASE to 16-CURRENT

A short post showing how using base system packages (and a zfs boot environment) makes this complicated upgrade boringly simple. I for one welcome our new base system package overlords.

** 15 January 2026

Debian SBuild for FreeBSD People

The article outlines how to replicate FreeBSD’s Poudriere build environment in Debian using SBuild for isolated package development. It begins by creating a Debian Unstable tarball with essential tools like Qt dependencies, analogous to a Poudriere jail, then extracts it into a persistent chroot directory. The process includes binding external source directories into the chroot for development while maintaining system isolation. The author contrasts this approach with Docker, noting that persistence is critical for their workflow, unlike Docker’s ephemeral containers. The guide emphasizes practical steps for Debian packaging work, particularly for projects like libaccounts, while acknowledging Debian’s inconsistent package naming conventions.

Understanding ZFS Scrubs and Data Integrity

ZFS scrubs are a critical maintenance process that verifies data integrity by comparing every block in a storage pool against its stored checksum, ensuring corruption is detected and repaired before it causes data loss. Unlike traditional filesystem checks, ZFS scrubs validate both metadata and user data, leveraging redundancy to automatically correct errors when possible. The process relies on ZFS’s Merkle tree structure, where each block’s checksum is stored in its parent pointer, allowing end-to-end validation of the entire dataset. Regular scrubs help prevent silent data corruption—common in modern high-capacity drives—by identifying and repairing bit rot, hardware inconsistencies, or media decay before they accumulate. Monitoring tools like zpool status provide insights into scrub progress, repair counts, and device health, enabling administrators to proactively address hardware issues and maintain long-term storage reliability.

** 14 January 2026

OpenBSD Errata: January 14, 2026 (rpki)

OpenBSD has issued errata patches for the rpki-client utility affecting versions 7.7 and 7.8, addressing unspecified vulnerabilities or bugs. Binary updates are available for amd64, arm64, and i386 architectures through the syspatch tool, while source code patches can be obtained from the official errata pages for each release.

** 13 January 2026

OpenBSD removes LACP support from trunk(4) driver

The OpenBSD project has deprecated LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol) functionality in the trunk(4) network driver, as announced by developer David Gwynne. The decision stems from the availability of a more robust implementation in aggr(4), which already handles LACP with improved performance and maintainability. The removal also addresses technical debt, as trunk(4)’s LACP code relied on the outdated netlock mechanism in the Ethernet stack, complicating future optimizations. While other trunking protocols like failover and load balancing remain in trunk(4), the project encourages users to migrate to aggr(4), with migration guidance provided in the FAQ. The change reflects ongoing efforts to modernize OpenBSD’s networking infrastructure.

** 12 January 2026

Valuable News – 2026/01/12

The Valuable News weekly roundup curates notable updates, articles, and resources primarily focused on UNIX/BSD/Linux ecosystems, with occasional broader tech and life topics. This edition highlights FreeBSD advancements, including guides on NFSv4 with Linux clients, Restic backups, and Mandatory Access Control (MAC) frameworks like portacl and biba, alongside tools such as the ZFS management GUI ZfDash and the lightweight Dovecot brute-force blocker doveguard.

(Video) A Quick Look at the WC Command in GhostBSD or FreeBSD

The wc command in FreeBSD is used to count lines, words, characters, and bytes in a file or from input you provide. Whether you’re analysing logs, reading large datasets, or just checking the size of your scripts, wc gives a quick summary.

Adding a Port to FreeBSD Ports

This guide outlines the process of adding new software to the FreeBSD Ports collection, replacing the deprecated shar(1) tool with a git(1)-based workflow. It begins with creating a port directory containing essential files like Makefile, distinfo, and pkg-descr, then demonstrates how to test the port locally before submission. Common issues such as checksum and size mismatches are addressed, along with troubleshooting steps. The guide also covers generating a git diff for submission via the FreeBSD Bugzilla system, including screenshots of the submission form. Additionally, it briefly discusses updating existing ports and critiques the trend of vendor-specific variables in port configurations. The author notes past frustrations with contributing to official documentation but emphasizes the practicality of sharing knowledge through personal platforms.

** 09 January 2026

BSD Now 645 covers Oracle Solaris 11.4 SRU 87 and Perl’s cultural decline

This episode of BSD Now highlights the release of Oracle Solaris 11.4 SRU 87, detailing its latest updates and improvements. It also examines the cultural factors behind Perl’s decline, contrasting them with technical limitations. Additional topics include a user’s transition from Linux to FreeBSD for simplicity, a 2025 overview of mixed DNS server deployments, and updates from HardenedBSD. The episode further explores FreeBSD’s integration of JSON support in its base system, ongoing development efforts, and community feedback on projects like Flua.