FreeBSD on intel Mac

[Sven Braun]

>  > Is it the case that I can install and boot freebsd on an intel mac
>  > (uses EFI, not BIOS) currently (without using Boot Camp), or do I
>  > have to wait until FreeBSD 7 for this functionality?

Yes and no.
On my MacBook I am currently running Current, otherwise I had to use a
closed-source network driver for my network card. This is not a real
problem, but I think it is nicer.
And some other features like WiFi will be possible.

If you wan't to install only FreeBSD with rEFIt, you have to:

Boot from the Mac OS X Install Disc 1,
seletc Disk Utility and Partition the following way:

MBR-Table
512 MB JHFS+
whatyouneedforyourbasesystem GB UFS
andprobablythe/usr/home GB UFS

you reboot into a freebsd installation,
select custom -> partition -> and change the types of your non-jhfs+
partitions to 165 and you don't want to touch the mbr!
reboot over again into yout freebsd installation, select custom -> label
and create your labels and install it the normal way.
you reboot into mac os x and copy refit from a usbstick onto the jhfs+
refit partition,
with the in the enable-always.sh "bless -..." command you set it
bootable and enjoy your freebsd with refit.

if you want to keep os x, deal this way:

> Now, if I hold down the option key as the machine powers up, I'm
> offered the choice of booting my "real" os x install on a different
> disk or refit (oddly, it asks me about booting windows, I've never
> tried it).  When I choose refit, it gives me a couple of things to
> boot from, including either of the mac installs or my freebsd system.
>

> I think that if I run refit's enable-always shell script, I can avoid
> the option key trick and possibly just boot into freebsd by default,
> but I haven't explored that option.

This will only work, when you install refit recent.

-- 
Sven Braun