Project Trident used to be a FreeBSD desktop operating system based on TrueOS but recently the decision was to move it to Void Linux. More details can be found at the following URL: Project Trident on Void Linux. Since I would like to continue using FreeBSD as my desktop workstation, here is a few simple steps needed to rebase the existing Project Trident installation (prior to Void Linux migration) to GhostBSD. GhostBSD is another alternative of FreeBSD desktop operation system based on TrueOS where the default desktop environment is Mate. More information about GhostBSD can be found at the following URL: GhostBSD.

Back up current Trident installation

  • sudo beadm create GhostBSD
  • sudo beadm activate GhostBSD
  • sudo reboot

Switch package repository from Project Trident to GhostBSD

  • Disable current Trident package repository in the following existing file /etc/pkg/Train.conf:
 Trident-release: {
  url: "https://pkg.project-trident.org/pkg/release",
  signature_type: "pubkey",
  pubkey: "/usr/share/keys/train-pkg.key",
  enabled: no
  • Enable latest GhostBSD package repository in the following newly created file /etc/pkg/GhostBSD.conf or /usr/local/etc/pkg/repos/GhostBSD.conf:
GhostBSD_PKG: {
  url: "http://pkg.us.ghostbsd.org/stable/${ABI}/latest",
  enabled: yes
}

Update packages from latest GhostBSD package repository

  • sudo pkg update
  • sudo pkg upgrade
  • sudo pkg install mate lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter
  • sudo pkg install -g ghostbsd

Clean up Lumina and Trident packages to avoid conflicts

  • pkill PCDM
  • sudo pkg remove trident-core lumina pcdm

If a machine is equipped with Nvidia graphics card the following modules need to be loaded

  • sudo kldload nvidia
  • sudo kldload nvidia-modeset

Enable dbus and lightdm services

dbus was disabled in one of Project Trident updates but it is prerequisite for lightdm to work

  • sudo rc-update add dbus
  • sudo rc-update add lightdm

Reboot to ensure changes take effect as expected

  • sudo reboot

Notes:

  • User account may lose sudoer’s privileges. So it is suggested to back up the sudoers configuration file from Trident located at the following path: /usr/local/etc/sudoers.d/trident in order to be able to restore the privileges.