efi platform and multiboot kernel

efi platform and multiboot kernel

[David Holloway]

I've just edumacated myself about how the platforms are defined.

Let me get this straight, the efi platform does not yet support loading 
a multiboot kernel?

I'm working with embedded kernels here, not just Linux.

Re: efi platform and multiboot kernel

[Bean]

On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 4:32 AM, David Holloway <daveh@dholloway.com> wrote:
> I've just edumacated myself about how the platforms are defined.
>
> Let me get this straight, the efi platform does not yet support loading a
> multiboot kernel?
>
> I'm working with embedded kernels here, not just Linux.

Hi,

It's not difficult to add multiboot support, but the question is, can
they support efi ? In linux, we can pass the efi system table using
boot parameter, but there is no such thing in multiboot, so the kernel
need to be able to access hardware directly after taking over.

-- 
Bean

Re: efi platform and multiboot kernel

[Andrei E. Warkentin]

Well, the mbi struct could have had a firmware type and firmware  
context pointer defined or something of the sort. This would also play  
nice with Multiboot on OF environments, without resorting to ugly  
hacks like always passing the OF entry in a GPR on entry.


18.06.2008, в 1:27, Bean написал(а):

> On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 4:32 AM, David Holloway  
> <daveh@dholloway.com> wrote:
>> I've just edumacated myself about how the platforms are defined.
>>
>> Let me get this straight, the efi platform does not yet support  
>> loading a
>> multiboot kernel?
>>
>> I'm working with embedded kernels here, not just Linux.
>
> Hi,
>
> It's not difficult to add multiboot support, but the question is, can
> they support efi ? In linux, we can pass the efi system table using
> boot parameter, but there is no such thing in multiboot, so the kernel
> need to be able to access hardware directly after taking over.
>
> -- 
> Bean
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel

Re: efi platform and multiboot kernel

[Bean]

2008/6/18 Andrei E. Warkentin <andrey.warkentin@gmail.com>:
> Well, the mbi struct could have had a firmware type and firmware context
> pointer defined or something of the sort. This would also play nice with
> Multiboot on OF environments, without resorting to ugly hacks like always
> passing the OF entry in a GPR on entry.

Hi,

Multiboot is an established protocol, we can't add stuff freely,
otherwise it could break other system. BTW, the multiboot loader in
grub2 haven't implemented all the feature yet, for example, the mmap
information is not there.

-- 
Bean

Re: efi platform and multiboot kernel

[Yoshinori K. Okuji]

On Wednesday 18 June 2008 08:27:09 Bean wrote:
> On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 4:32 AM, David Holloway <daveh@dholloway.com> wrote:
> > I've just edumacated myself about how the platforms are defined.
> >
> > Let me get this straight, the efi platform does not yet support loading a
> > multiboot kernel?
> >
> > I'm working with embedded kernels here, not just Linux.
>
> Hi,
>
> It's not difficult to add multiboot support, but the question is, can
> they support efi ? In linux, we can pass the efi system table using
> boot parameter, but there is no such thing in multiboot, so the kernel
> need to be able to access hardware directly after taking over.

Note that the Multiboot Specificatin 2 is designed to be capable of supporting 
a wide range of platforms. All you must do is define the spec for EFI (and 
implement it).

Okuji

Re: efi platform and multiboot kernel

[Robert Millan]

On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 07:59:22PM +0200, Yoshinori K. Okuji wrote:
> On Wednesday 18 June 2008 08:27:09 Bean wrote:
> > On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 4:32 AM, David Holloway <daveh@dholloway.com> wrote:
> > > I've just edumacated myself about how the platforms are defined.
> > >
> > > Let me get this straight, the efi platform does not yet support loading a
> > > multiboot kernel?
> > >
> > > I'm working with embedded kernels here, not just Linux.
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > It's not difficult to add multiboot support, but the question is, can
> > they support efi ? In linux, we can pass the efi system table using
> > boot parameter, but there is no such thing in multiboot, so the kernel
> > need to be able to access hardware directly after taking over.
> 
> Note that the Multiboot Specificatin 2 is designed to be capable of supporting 
> a wide range of platforms. All you must do is define the spec for EFI (and 
> implement it).

Wouldn't it be better to make it firmware-agnostic?  Then loadees can choose
to either be firmware-specific or (better, IMHO) use standalone drivers like
Linux and most kernels do.

-- 
Robert Millan

<GPLv2> I know my rights; I want my phone call!
<DRM> What good is a phone call… if you are unable to speak?
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