# Old iMac cannot boot FreeBSD 11.1 install CD



## outpaddling (Jan 8, 2018)

I have an old Core 2 Duo iMac that has been running FreeBSD beautifully for years.

It just hangs when trying to boot an 11.1-RELEASE install CD.  10.4 boots fine.

Same situation on some older MacBooks.

What's changed in the ISO image that might cause this?

Thanks,

    Jason


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## aragats (Jan 8, 2018)

How old is your iMac?
I found that 2012 iMac won't boot. The problem is that it has 32-bit EFI.
For example, Debian provides a special installer for Macs.


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## outpaddling (Jan 8, 2018)

Probably 2008.  So 10.4 supports 32-bit EFI and 11.1 does not?

Is it feasible (with reasonable effort) to generate an 11.1 ISO with 32-bit EFI support?


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## SirDice (Jan 8, 2018)

outpaddling said:


> So 10.4 supports 32-bit EFI and 11.1 does not?


This is not as weird as it sounds if you realize that 10.4 was released _after_ 11.1.


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## outpaddling (Jan 9, 2018)

I don't think it's weird.  If they intentionally dropped support for 32-bit EFI, it probably happened at the 11.0 branch.  Still looking for information on this...


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## aragats (Jan 9, 2018)

There is not much info on this, the wiki page is outdated, back in 2016 this topic was discussed on the freebsd-current mailing list with a "not possible" verdict.
Linux had/has issues with this too: Debian and Arch for example.
Maybe you better email this to a mailing list, namely "How to boot/install FreeBSD on an _amd64_ PC with 32-bit UEFI?"


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## SirDice (Jan 9, 2018)

outpaddling said:


> If they intentionally dropped support for 32-bit EFI, it probably happened at the 11.0 branch.


I haven't looked too deep into this but it's more likely the other way around. New features are developed and test on -CURRENT. Once it's ready it's MFC'ed (Merge From Current) to 10-STABLE and 11-STABLE but this likely happened _after_ 11.1-RELEASE and _before_ 10.4-RELEASE.

You may want to try a recent snapshot of 11.1-STABLE.


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