I'm running(read: trying to run) freebsd 5.2.1 mini-install. I cant' install in default or in acpi disable mode, but I can install in safe mode just fine. This is no big deal.

After installing I reboot and I'm forced to choose which mode to boot into:
Default
ACPI Disable
Safe Mode
Single User Mode
Verbose

The only one that works is Safe Mode. All the others hang during bootup. Is there a way force it to boot into safe mode only?

In your boot loader setup, I'm sure that you can make Safe Mode your default. The difference between the current default and Safe Mode may be in the boot parameters added. You might try to find out which parameter does the trick. Others may be overkill, such as turning off DMA.

Hopefully you can resolve what exactly the problem is so that you don't need to use the safe mode.

On Mandrake, the 'mkrescue --iso' command will produce a rescue cd .iso image. If you can get ahold of such a disk somehow, it has a diagnostic section which will analyze your system and recommend particular boot and kernel options. Perhaps these recommendations would hold true for BSD also, or at least point you in the right direction.


( note: The boot from HD option will not work on a computer that didn't produce the rescue.iso file, but you can use the diagnostic option, without having to install M.L. )