Re: IA64 port

[Robert Millan <rmh@aybabtu.com>]

On Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 06:12:52AM +0100, Tristan Gingold wrote:
> > Have you checked if this trick works on other ports?  Maybe it'd be a good idea
> > to merge this first.
> 
> I don't really understand what do you mean by 'works on other ports'.  It is
> designed to be an optionnal feature used only by ia64.  Nothing IA64 specific
> and other ports may use it.  If we go this way, it would be good to slightly
> improve it.

I suggest you just make sure it'll be usable on other ports in case a need
arises, without going out of your way to support it.

> > > +GRUB_MOD_INIT(linux_normal)
> > > +{
> > > +  (void) mod; /* To stop warning.  */
> > > +  grub_register_command
> > > +    ("linux", grub_normal_linux_command,
> > > +     GRUB_COMMAND_FLAG_BOTH | GRUB_COMMAND_FLAG_NO_ARG_PARSE,
> > > +     "linux FILE [ARGS...]",
> > > +     "Load a linux kernel.", 0);
> > > +  
> > > +  grub_register_command
> > > +    ("initrd", grub_normal_initrd_command,
> > > +     GRUB_COMMAND_FLAG_BOTH | GRUB_COMMAND_FLAG_NO_ARG_PARSE,
> > > +     "initrd FILE",
> > > +     "Load an initrd.", 0);
> > > +
> > > +  grub_register_command
> > > +    ("module", grub_normal_cmd_module,
> > > +     GRUB_COMMAND_FLAG_BOTH | GRUB_COMMAND_FLAG_NO_ARG_PARSE,
> > > +     "module FILE [ARGS...]",
> > > +     "Load a Multiboot module.", 0);
> > 
> > Multiboot module loader in linux_normal.mod ?
> 
> Well, well well.  Long question :-)
> 
> Ia64 doesn't really fit in multiboot: it's a full 64 bits processor,

But there's multiboot2.

> there
> may be no room for an header in the 8KB (or you have to waste a lot of memory
> to keep alignment), no room for EFI pointers in the header and no Ia64 OS
> uses it.  Well this were my conclusion when I read MB specs.

Does this affect only EFI, or ia64 in general (e.g. ia64-coreboot, when that
exists) ?

Also note the string "Load a Multiboot module." is present.

If this is not multiboot, I'd suggest renaming the command to avoid name
collisions (not only if multiboot is added later, but also user confusion).

> > > diff -ruNp -x '*~' -x CVS grub2.orig/util/ia64/efi/elf2pe.c grub2/util/ia64/efi/elf2pe.c
> > > --- grub2.orig/util/ia64/efi/elf2pe.c	1970-01-01 01:00:00.000000000 +0100
> > > +++ grub2/util/ia64/efi/elf2pe.c	2008-01-28 16:29:58.000000000 +0100
> [...]
> > 
> > This utility seems to be usable on i386 too?  In that case, better to put it
> > outside ia64/ dir?
> 
> It should work on i386 too, but not tested.
> I have written this utility for my port of EFI and adapted the style for
> grub.  It may be nice to share this code with i386 but not really required
> now IMHO.

util/i386/efi/grub-mkimage.c already generates PE, right?  Why a different
way to handle this?  Sound like it'd be more consistent to either use elf2pe
on both or share the same grub-mkimage.  What do you think?
 
-- 
Robert Millan

<GPLv2> I know my rights; I want my phone call!
<DRM> What use is a phone call… if you are unable to speak?
(as seen on /.)