Definitely leaving NomadBsd

Off-Topic
1

I have been using Nomad, as a computer enthusiast, for about three years, but I am going to stop using it due to the errors shown in the latest versions.
As already reported in the posts Neither ZFS nor UFS, NomadBSD 140R: Upgrade of perl5 from 5.34.1_3 to 5.34.3_3 not working, NomadBSD 14.0-RELEASE FreeBSD 14.0-RELEASE #0 and in Fail to create hardlink NomadBSD version 132R-20231013, the error in the Perl update has not been corrected and it is impossible to update some packages.
Today I reinstalled NomadBSD 140R on a 64GB USB and tried to update the system, but it showed the error with Perl again as shown in the attached screen.

Captura de pantalla_2024-01-16_12-01-10
Captura de pantalla_2024-01-16_12-01-10825×550 64.2 KB

It is the same error already reported, so only by blocking Perl you can use Nomad, but it does not seem like the correct solution.
To summarize, neither with OpenIndiana, nor with Manjaro, nor with Haiku, even with Windows there are these problems, therefore I will not use Nomad again.

2

in this post seems to me that Gulliver had confirmed how to solve this issue in his last reply, then maybe you have also tried unsuccessfully

NomadBSD 140R: Upgrade of perl5 from 5.34.1_3 to 5.34.3_3 not working - Help Section - NomadBSD Forum

3

Hello Mauro.
The problem with hardlinks comes from version 132R (October 23) and it seems that they were resolved with 140R (November 23), but that was not the case.
Today I downloaded the 140R and copied it to a clean USB with Balena Etcher from Windows and then I ran the installation on the USB itself, apparently completing well.
Once the USB was restarted, I ran OctoPkg to update the system and the error with Perl reappeared.
Gulliver’s solution could work, but it doesn’t seem to make much sense to make a “bridge” with another USB to solve the error.
I know that Nomad is not a rolling release, but I think it doesn’t make much sense to have to completely reinstall the system for each new version or fix problems with some packages, as is the case with Perl.

4

The solution described earlier definitely works for me.
Today there was a major 140R upgrade of more than 400 packages, including perl5, from 5.34.3_3 to 5.36.3_1. The update of the packages on the ‘settler’ USB stick created with the NomadBSD installer went absolutely smoothly.

Perl5_2024-01-17_21-19-42

5

That’s because you’re using the original image. Use the installer included, I think it’s under the system submenu and install it on another USB or another physical drive and your problem is solved.

6

That’s right. The problem is in the original image, since it does not make any sense that a system defined as “NomadBSD is a persistent live system for USB flash drives, based on FreeBSD®” forces, to avoid the reported error, to install it on another USB or HDD.

Until version 131R (December '22) this error did not occur, and the system could be updated on the USB itself without problems. It was from version 132R (October '23), when hardlink errors began to appear and version 140R (November '23, only 43 days after!) was created, in my opinion hastily.

Today I installed NomadBSD on an HDD with Settler as the user and it worked well, according to Mauro. However, once installed and completely updated (about 400 packages), I tried to create a new user and apparently it did well, but then it did not allow me to start the system from this new user, even though I had the same permissions and accesses as Settler, unable to log in reporting an “xterm definition error”.

These are the user definition screens

Captura de pantalla_2024-01-19_11-54-23

Captura de pantalla_2024-01-19_11-53-14
Captura de pantalla_2024-01-19_11-53-14728×179 18.6 KB

The error that appears when trying to start NomadBSD with this user is: “There is no user-session or usable default with xterm”.

As I said before, until version 131R I was able to use NomadBSD normally, and it was from 132R onwards that it stopped working as expected, so in view of the errors and in my opinion poor configuration or compilation of version 140R, I will not use NomadBSD again.
As they say, it was nice while it lasted.
Greetings to all users.

1 Like
7

Well, when I did it I didn’t accept the default user ‘settler’ and change it to ‘ecerejo’ but I haven’t created any other user. I never had any problems except the installation did not install the lib32 libraries and wine gave me problems until I figured out that those libraries were missing.

1 Like
8

Hi idude 0407, just to know, have you then solved this? Just because I’ve also tried the installation of wine by the available packages, but win32 software can’t start due to 32 bit supporting software missing, and appearently there is no separate package available to install for this purpose.
Also opened another topic about it
How to provide Wine 32 bit in NomadBSD 14.0 - Help Section - NomadBSD Forum.
a-bateman -who here I thank again- had posted a solution which I found a bit “tricky” to try.

9

Sorry for the delay. Yes I solved it. You have to have the lib32 files for freebsd. Unfortunately nomadbsd doesn’t give you an option to install them so you have to download them from the freebsd site. After that just extract it into your /usr directory. You might have the directory in there already but it’s empty.

Easiest way is to download it into your download directory and than just run:
tar -C / -xpf lib32.txz

10

thank you much

11

Make sure you run winecfg first. It it asks to install mono just click yes.

12

wow…!
It worked.
Thank you a lot :slightly_smiling_face:

13

Great! From now on every time you use:
#pkg upgrade -y

You must also run (as a regular user)
/usr/local/share/pkg32.sh upgrade -y

14

Every upgrade I think that (Definitely leaving NomadBsd)
Since my need my daily driver PC I am forced to learn how to fix stuff…
Cunning Foxes :wink:

15

@PacoFdezSimon I feel your pain.

NomadBSD is a gateway-drug (just like TrueNAS and pfSense) and a nifty tool.
My understanding is, it’s a labor of love made by less than 10 persons - adjust you expectations accordingly…
Of-course (and unfortunately) it can not compete with the distributions you mention - just look at the available man-power!

In my experience users of NomadBSD are mainly new to FreeBSD or accept the limitations of a small distribution because it fits the basic needs.

If that’s not you. It’s okay - you can probably find something that fits your needs.

…or if NomadBSD is beginning to feel limiting - it might be time to install your own GUI/DE on top of vanilla FreeBSD - and make it exactly like you want it :wink:
It is not that hard - just look at one of Robonuggie’s videoes, where he installs and boot a DE
…or go full bore and follow Vermaden’s blog about installing a desktop to your liking. :smiley:

wish you a meaningful journey :+1:

BSDregards
Ludensen

PS.
An option not mentioned is to get involved in the development of NomadBSD.
But the skill-level of most forum-users range from novice to “know enough to be dangerous”-level - not developer-level. So instead we try to help each other here in the forum.

16

Hello Ludesen.

I’m sorry that my comment may have seemed negative about NomadBSD as a project, but it was only negative about the latest versions 132R and 140R.

I have been using Nomad since 2021, maybe before, and I have always understood that it is a lightweight system designed for not very high-performance equipment, like the one I use, a Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E530 Intel i3 3120M 16GB.

As I already mentioned in the thread, until the 131R there were no problems with the updates, the hardlink error appearing on the 132R. In my search for possible causes of this error, it seemed that it was based on compiling the packages for the base version 140 of FreeBSD instead of the 132 on which NomadBSD 132R was based, so it seemed that when this was updated to the FreeBSD 140 the problem would go away, which it didn’t.

Since I started using NomadBSD I have been very comfortable because it brought together the features that I need and use daily. I don’t know what skill level I have, I’m not a developer nor do I have programming knowledge, although maybe I’m close to “knowing enough to be dangerous”, since I managed to activate the sound on the laptop jack, not recognized in any of the initial installations of Nomad, and some other configuration, such as the desktop with Tint2 or OpenBox.

My mention of other operating systems (Windows, OpenSuse, Manjaro, OpenIndiana, Haiku) is because on the aforementioned computer I use all of them, by changing the disk or via USB, so I can compare compatibility, performance, capacity and other characteristics that make a system interesting or not.

I have seen that there is a new version 140R-20240126. I’m going to give it another chance, see if there’s any luck and I can use NomadBSD again.

Regards.

1 Like
17

Hello @PacoFdezSimon
maybe I read too much into your title… :slightly_smiling_face:
Sounds like you fit my loose definition of a NomadBSD-user :smiley:

One of those is laying next to my desk with screen-problems (red and green speckles probably due to a loose cable caused by my dads rough handling …) I like that model - except the numeric-keypad that shifts the finger-position on the keyboard off-center.

Maybe you’ve seen my problems with the latest versions - that’s why I feel your pain :wink:

Hope to see you around in this forum :+1:

BSD-regards
Tom Ludensen

18

Sorry if i come to this thread. Its about 3 days i try to install any kind of freebsd, and only nomad load my videocard on x11. I have a noob question… is possible install nomad in the same usb i used for live?

19

If you are using version 140R-20240126 of NomadBSD you do not need to install it on the USB, it is already prepared for use and you can install the packages you may need (libreoffice, gimp and others)

20

Hello 24 Ludensen

I have tried the 140R-20240126 and now all run right as the issue on hardlinks have been solved by the errata of this release, so the 132R-20231013 and 140R-20231121 relesases must be forgoten for failed.

1 Like