# I've griped before, but I have a question that (MAYBE?) breaks the rules



## rtobiasr (Jan 23, 2022)

What I want to know is this: What is different about the bootloader such that FreeBSD won't even get to the boot options screen (just blackness) whilst GhostBSD installs perfectly? This is neither gripe nor complaint nor criticism. I just wonder why I can press "1" for normal boot (to install the OS) on GhostBSD, but can't even get that far with FreeBSD. I REALLY REALLY REALLY do not want to create controversy. I am just wondering what could be different about the bootloader on a USB stick. FYI: Hardware is an ancient iMac that I'm trying to restore. No Linux OS or other BSD works. Only GhostBSD.

I am just asking. Don't get all up in arms. I just want to know why or how the bootloader might be different. Other than GhostBSD (or El Capitan) zero OS installers give me anything other than a black screen. I wonder why.


----------



## grahamperrin@ (Jan 23, 2022)

Thanks for asking.

Which installer? Maybe quickest and simplest to let us know the exact name of the FreeBSD-provided file from which you wrote the stick.

Can you identify the iMac? 

_Something like_ (for example) *iMac12,1* <https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=iMac12,1> where the ID alone will allow us to know much about the hardware, including graphics, without asking too many questions.


----------



## kpedersen (Jan 23, 2022)

Which image are you putting on the USB stick? i.e

FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-<ARCH>-memstick.img
FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-<ARCH>-disc1.iso
FreeBSD-13.0-RELEASE-<ARCH>-dvd1.iso
I ask because I don't believe the .iso images are multiboot (unlike some other platforms) and so you need to use the memstick image (.img) when dealing with a memory stick.


----------

