installing FreeBSD on an old MacBook (c. 2008)

[cyranno]

Hi, I'm trying to install FreeBSD from a memory stick. The following images are pictures of what I see on the monitor. The EFI firmware is recognized but the computer hangs early in the boot process. Thanks in advance.

 

[Cath O'Deray]

The symptom matches FreeBSD bug 255073 – boot (UEFI): loader: copy_staging: no progress beyond EFI framebuffer information, although it might be unusual to find the same underlying cause with a relatively old computer.

The easiest way to tell will be an attempt to boot from the installer for FreeBSD 14.0-CURRENT.

 

[cyranno]

Thanks Graham. Do you have an idea when version 14.0 will be available?

 

[Cath O'Deray]

Solved - FreeBSD 14.0 planning

… Do you have an idea when version 14.0 will be available? 14.0-RELEASE some time in 2023, I guess. {link removed ? link provider grahamperrin is dead} {link removed} {link removed}

forums.freebsd.org

You might equally attempt to boot from the installer for 13.0-STABLE, <https://download.freebsd.org/ftp/snapshots/amd64/amd64/ISO-IMAGES/13.0/>.

Solely to help tell the cause of the problem in your case.

(Neither 14.0-CURRENT, nor 13.0-STABLE, can be updated as easily as 13.0-RELEASE.)

 

[cyranno]

I'll probably just trash the MacBook. I don't have the expertise to solve this and the battery is toast. Thanks anyway!

 

[Cath O'Deray]

… the battery is toast. …

Ha ha … for a long time my occasional 'side computer' was an old MacBook Pro minus its battery. With two cats dancing around the whole caboodle, I'm amazed that it didn't lose power more often.

The expertise can be simplified, but I can't argue with the decision to dispose of a 2008 MacBook. Thanks!