# Is it safe to skip lib32 on distribution sets?



## badbrain (Aug 4, 2019)

What is lib32 on the Distribution Sets section of FreeBSD installer? Do I need it? If I don't install it does it has any effect on my installed system? I also use binary package only, does it safe to skip the ports tree from installation?


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## badbrain (Aug 4, 2019)

It's strange. Even if I skip lib32 installation when boot up dmesg still show something about 32 bit compatibility it's just disappear too quick so I can't see it fully. On the next boot it's gone.


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## getopt (Aug 4, 2019)

blackdog said:


> What is lib32 on the Distribution Sets section of FreeBSD installer? Do I need it? If I don't install it does it has any effect on my installed system? I also use binary package only, does it safe to skip the ports tree from installation?


As it is an install option it's your choice. It is only needed if you want to run 32bit apps/libs on 64bit hosts. A 64bit installation does not need it for running. The lib32 _offers_ compatibility where needed.


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## getopt (Aug 4, 2019)

blackdog said:


> dmesg still show something ... it's just disappear too quick so I can't see it fully.


Use dmesg(8) for looking at it.


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## badbrain (Aug 4, 2019)

getopt said:


> As it is an install option it's your choice. It is only needed if you want to run 32bit apps/libs on 64bit hosts. A 64bit installation does not need it for running. The lib32 _offers_ compatibility where needed.


If I use Wine is lib32 mandatory?


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## getopt (Aug 4, 2019)

blackdog said:


> If I use Wine is lib32 mandatory?


From emulators/wine


> Use this port for 32-bit Windows binaries in an i386 environment or 64-bit Windows binaries in an amd64 environment; use emulators/i386-wine for 32-bit Windows binaries in an amd64 environment.


*i386-wine* is a32-bit Microsoft Windows compatibility environment for 64-bit FreeBSD. See: https://wiki.freebsd.org/i386-Wine


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