Invalid ISO and IMG on OS X

[brocknessmonsta]

I've been trying tirelessly to get the x86 version of FreeNAS to work on my PowerPC G4 Mac Mini off a USB flash drive.

I followed the instructions provided by FreeNAS and succeeded in extracting the .xz file using Keka and everything worked in Terminal according to the instructions except when I go to operate the dd command--it just sits there and nothing ever finishes. I tried using Disk Utility to restore the flash drive with the .img file, but Disk Utility says "Restore Failure Could not validate source - invalid argument" If I try to mount the .img the mounter says it can't be mounted, no mountable file systems. I've tried using a 4 GB flash drive and a 16 GB flash drive with one GUID partition.

Since that method wouldn't work, I decided to try a CD. I downloaded the .iso file and checked the hash to confirm it, everything appears to be fine. Disk Utility will burn the .iso to a CD, but when I put it in my Mac Mini to boot it doesn't work. System Preferences doesn't list it as a bootable CD in the Startup Disk settings. If I try to mount the .iso file to my Mac mini it does mount.

I have tried following FreeNAS's instructions multiple times both on my MacMini and my MacBook Pro (which is x64, but gives me the same issues, even if I try using the x64 version on the MacBook pro to install FreeNAS on it).

In summary, neither the .img or .iso for x86 or x64 will work for me on my MacBook Pro or Macmini using a 4 GB flash drive or a 16 GB flash drive--I've tried every combination more than once. And yes, I've checked the hash on everything to make sure it's uncorrupted.

I've read a couple of posts where people had similar issues, but none of the solutions seemed relevant to my situation. I also tried the IRC, but no one seemed able to help me.

Any help would be extremely appreciated!

 

[pirateghost]

I've been trying tirelessly to get the x86 version of FreeNAS to work on my PowerPC G4 Mac Mini off a USB flash drive.

I completely stopped reading that wall of text after that first sentence. perhaps you should google x86 vs PPC ..... I will let you find out for yourself that they are not compatible architectures...

 

[brocknessmonsta]

perhaps you should google x86 vs PPC ..... I will let you find out for yourself that they are not compatible architectures...

Well, you don't have to be so curt about it, but thanks for clarifying that I guess.

You should have read that wall of text though, because it explains that I also tried installing the x64 version on my Intel MacBook Pro and had identical issues. It wasn't working because I was trying to use software for the wrong architecture, it wasn't working because something else is wrong.

 

[JaimieV]

* The Mini will never boot FreeNAS, as it's not an Intel-compatible cpu.
* The MBP will not boot the FreeNAS CD or USB either, for Apple EFI boot restriction reasons. You may be able to work around this by installing rEFInd.
* If the dd never finishes, you have an issue with either your dd command (ie the wrong if= or of=), or your USB key is knackered.
* Disk Utility won't image the .img to a USB stick, it's a bit crap like that.