One of the most fundamental yet little-known features of FreeBSD is its ability to be used in read-only mode very easily. By installing the system on a UFS file system, you just need to modify the fstab file, change "rw" to "ro," and reboot. On the next boot, the system will automatically create mount points in RAM for the main directories (/tmp, log, etc.), and it will run perfectly.
This was the main reason why, many years ago, I chose FreeBSD for almost all my embedded systems. Even today, on my Raspberry Pies, I keep the SD cards in read-only mode and use external storage in read-write mode. This ensures that, in case of an unexpected poweroff, the system will come back up, and there will be no wear on the memory card.
I have been following Pallav Aggarwal's blog since I noticed his posts on the #ch32v003. But I have really enjoyed seeing all the other content on there as well! This week, Pallav joined me on The Amp Hour to talk about #embeddedsystems and consulting on a variety of different projects. It's clear that his passion for technology and sharing his progress has carried him to the point he's at today, and we all get to follow along on his journey!
I'm once again teaching our Defensive Embedded Automotive Systems Security Training with GRIMM! Dive deep into the tech that drives our cars and learn to safeguard them from threats. 🛠️
📅 April 15-19, 2024
📍 Cedar Springs, MI
✈️ Nearest Airport: GRR
🔒 Master CANbus, encryption, and more in hands-on sessions led by industry experts. Spots are limited – secure yours now!