GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Chip Panarchy]

Hello

I've been working out, with Djn (another member of the forum) how to
install, then subsequently boot to Logical Partitions running FreeBSD.

http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=3194&page=2

He has so far worked out that he can add FreeBSD 32-bit to the GRUB
menu, but he can't seem to add 64-bit FreeBSD to GRUB.

Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD.

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Bean]

On Wed, Apr 8, 2009 at 12:08 PM, Chip Panarchy <forumanarchy@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello
>
> I've been working out, with Djn (another member of the forum) how to
> install, then subsequently boot to Logical Partitions running FreeBSD.
>
> http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=3194&page=2
>
> He has so far worked out that he can add FreeBSD 32-bit to the GRUB
> menu, but he can't seem to add 64-bit FreeBSD to GRUB.
>
> Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD.

Hi,

grub2 can also load the 4th btx loader, perhaps that's 32-bit ?

-- 
Bean

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[phcoder]

Hello, could you do a research and tell me which binary format does 
bsd64 use, the handoff CPU and the arguments on the stack?
Chip Panarchy wrote:
> Hello
> 
> I've been working out, with Djn (another member of the forum) how to
> install, then subsequently boot to Logical Partitions running FreeBSD.
> 
> http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=3194&page=2
> 
> He has so far worked out that he can add FreeBSD 32-bit to the GRUB
> menu, but he can't seem to add 64-bit FreeBSD to GRUB.
> 
> Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Panarchy
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel


-- 

Regards
Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Joey Korkames]

 phcoder writes:

> Hello, could you do a research and tell me which binary format does 
> bsd64 use, the handoff CPU and the arguments on the stack?

*planes fly over my head*

Does this help?
http://svn.freebsd.org/viewvc/base?view=revision&revision=114379

I got that from looking over the svn log for FBSD-HEAD:/boot/loader:
http://svn.freebsd.org/viewvc/base/head/sys/boot/i386/loader/main.c?view=log 

Gosh, I wish there was a git mirror of freebsd-base...

-joey

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[phcoder]

You can use git with svn backend.
Your info helps, I'll have a look at the issue. Depending on how much 
work is needed it may be desirable to copy the code from bsd loader. as 
it's under bsd-licence it's gpl-compatible. Could just the maintainers 
confirm that it's ok to include some chunks of this code? Alternatively 
it may be that actually it needs only minor adjustments to the load code
Joey Korkames wrote:
> phcoder writes:
> 
>> Hello, could you do a research and tell me which binary format does 
>> bsd64 use, the handoff CPU and the arguments on the stack?
> 
> *planes fly over my head*
> 
> Does this help?
> http://svn.freebsd.org/viewvc/base?view=revision&revision=114379
> 
> I got that from looking over the svn log for FBSD-HEAD:/boot/loader:
> http://svn.freebsd.org/viewvc/base/head/sys/boot/i386/loader/main.c?view=log 
> 
> Gosh, I wish there was a git mirror of freebsd-base...
> 
> -joey
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel


-- 

Regards
Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Joey Korkames]

I can test any patches with FBSD6/7/i386/amd64/pxe/xen/etc. I don't have a 
grub-gdb setup yet, but I probably should build one anyways.

Building a git-svn mirror of fbsd-base would be resource intensive to say 
the least ;-) (It has been done on a few private systems)

joey

  phcoder writes:

> You can use git with svn backend.
> Your info helps, I'll have a look at the issue. Depending on how much 
> work is needed it may be desirable to copy the code from bsd loader. as 
> it's under bsd-licence it's gpl-compatible. Could just the maintainers 
> confirm that it's ok to include some chunks of this code? Alternatively 
> it may be that actually it needs only minor adjustments to the load code
> Joey Korkames wrote:
>> phcoder writes:
>> 
>>> Hello, could you do a research and tell me which binary format does 
>>> bsd64 use, the handoff CPU and the arguments on the stack?
>> 
>> *planes fly over my head*
>> 
>> Does this help?
>> http://svn.freebsd.org/viewvc/base?view=revision&revision=114379
>> 
>> I got that from looking over the svn log for FBSD-HEAD:/boot/loader:
>> http://svn.freebsd.org/viewvc/base/head/sys/boot/i386/loader/main.c?view=log 
>> 
>> Gosh, I wish there was a git mirror of freebsd-base...
>> 

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Yoshinori K. Okuji]

On Friday 10 April 2009 08:20:26 phcoder wrote:
> Your info helps, I'll have a look at the issue. Depending on how much
> work is needed it may be desirable to copy the code from bsd loader. as
> it's under bsd-licence it's gpl-compatible. Could just the maintainers
> confirm that it's ok to include some chunks of this code?

Not quite preferrable, but still acceptable. If feasible, please steal only 
ideas.

Regards,
Okuji

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Chip Panarchy]

Hello

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I know for a fact that FreeBSD 32-bit can work with GRUB2
(http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=3194&page=2).

I have asked Djn (I'd created a topic asking how to install FreeBSD
onto Logical Partitions, and he had worked out how to do so... with
32-bit, but couldn't work out 64-bit, which is why I am here) to reply
to this mailing list, either through me, or personally.

In the meantime, hopefully that forum topic will answer some of your questions.

I will investigate the FreeBSD bootloader, and see what sections may
be ported to GRUB2.

Thanks for all antecedent & subsequent replies,

Chip D. Panarchy

On Fri, Apr 10, 2009 at 9:39 AM, Yoshinori K. Okuji <okuji@enbug.org> wrote:
> On Friday 10 April 2009 08:20:26 phcoder wrote:
>> Your info helps, I'll have a look at the issue. Depending on how much
>> work is needed it may be desirable to copy the code from bsd loader. as
>> it's under bsd-licence it's gpl-compatible. Could just the maintainers
>> confirm that it's ok to include some chunks of this code?
>
> Not quite preferrable, but still acceptable. If feasible, please steal only
> ideas.
>
> Regards,
> Okuji
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Bean]

On Fri, Apr 10, 2009 at 8:51 AM, Chip Panarchy <forumanarchy@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello
>
> Thanks everyone for your replies.
>
> I know for a fact that FreeBSD 32-bit can work with GRUB2
> (http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=3194&page=2).
>
> I have asked Djn (I'd created a topic asking how to install FreeBSD
> onto Logical Partitions, and he had worked out how to do so... with
> 32-bit, but couldn't work out 64-bit, which is why I am here) to reply
> to this mailing list, either through me, or personally.
>
> In the meantime, hopefully that forum topic will answer some of your questions.
>
> I will investigate the FreeBSD bootloader, and see what sections may
> be ported to GRUB2.
>
> Thanks for all antecedent & subsequent replies,
>
> Chip D. Panarchy

Hi,

Please try the btx loader in /boot/loader, which I believe to be
32-bit even in amd64 freebsd. The btx loader is an a.out executable,
grurb2 has supported for it already.

-- 
Bean

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Daniel Nebdal]

Bean wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Please try the btx loader in /boot/loader, which I believe to be
> 32-bit even in amd64 freebsd. The btx loader is an a.out executable,
> grurb2 has supported for it already.

Ah, just noticed I replied to this before subscribing, so the copy to
the list bounced.
Let's try again.

The BTX loader starts, yes - but the reason I'm using GRUB2 in the
first place is to skip it,
since it doesn't seem to support logical partitions.

-- 
Daniel Nebdal

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Bean]

On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 5:54 AM, Daniel Nebdal <dnebdal@gmail.com> wrote:
> Bean wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Please try the btx loader in /boot/loader, which I believe to be
>> 32-bit even in amd64 freebsd. The btx loader is an a.out executable,
>> grurb2 has supported for it already.
>
> Ah, just noticed I replied to this before subscribing, so the copy to
> the list bounced.
> Let's try again.
>
> The BTX loader starts, yes - but the reason I'm using GRUB2 in the
> first place is to skip it,
> since it doesn't seem to support logical partitions.

Hi,

Oh, thanks for the information. The 32-bit bsd kernel is basically an
elf image that needs a little address translation:

physical address = virtual address & 0xFFFFFF

I think the principle can be applied to 64-bit kernel as well, it
shouldn't be difficult to add support for it.

-- 
Bean

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Chip Panarchy]

Hello

Great, I can't wait!

Please give it a go (that is, modifying the 32-bit GRUB2 module for
FreeBSD to support 64-bit as well... or creating a separate module
based on that)

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 5:37 PM, Bean <bean123ch@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 5:54 AM, Daniel Nebdal <dnebdal@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Bean wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Please try the btx loader in /boot/loader, which I believe to be
>>> 32-bit even in amd64 freebsd. The btx loader is an a.out executable,
>>> grurb2 has supported for it already.
>>
>> Ah, just noticed I replied to this before subscribing, so the copy to
>> the list bounced.
>> Let's try again.
>>
>> The BTX loader starts, yes - but the reason I'm using GRUB2 in the
>> first place is to skip it,
>> since it doesn't seem to support logical partitions.
>
> Hi,
>
> Oh, thanks for the information. The 32-bit bsd kernel is basically an
> elf image that needs a little address translation:
>
> physical address = virtual address & 0xFFFFFF
>
> I think the principle can be applied to 64-bit kernel as well, it
> shouldn't be difficult to add support for it.
>
> --
> Bean
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[phcoder]

I haven't looked in depth yet, but it's a bit more. the loader switches 
to amd64 and sets preliminary page translation
Bean wrote:
> On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 5:54 AM, Daniel Nebdal <dnebdal@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Bean wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Please try the btx loader in /boot/loader, which I believe to be
>>> 32-bit even in amd64 freebsd. The btx loader is an a.out executable,
>>> grurb2 has supported for it already.
>> Ah, just noticed I replied to this before subscribing, so the copy to
>> the list bounced.
>> Let's try again.
>>
>> The BTX loader starts, yes - but the reason I'm using GRUB2 in the
>> first place is to skip it,
>> since it doesn't seem to support logical partitions.
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Oh, thanks for the information. The 32-bit bsd kernel is basically an
> elf image that needs a little address translation:
> 
> physical address = virtual address & 0xFFFFFF
> 
> I think the principle can be applied to 64-bit kernel as well, it
> shouldn't be difficult to add support for it.
> 


-- 

Regards
Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[Chip Panarchy]

Hello

Okay, well I'm not really that well versed to understand what you are saying.

However, I'd be eternally grateful if you were able to 'port' 32-bit
FreeBSD for GRUB to 64-bit FreeBSD (for GRUB).

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 9:50 PM, phcoder <phcoder@gmail.com> wrote:
> I haven't looked in depth yet, but it's a bit more. the loader switches to
> amd64 and sets preliminary page translation
> Bean wrote:
>>
>> On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 5:54 AM, Daniel Nebdal <dnebdal@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Bean wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Please try the btx loader in /boot/loader, which I believe to be
>>>> 32-bit even in amd64 freebsd. The btx loader is an a.out executable,
>>>> grurb2 has supported for it already.
>>>
>>> Ah, just noticed I replied to this before subscribing, so the copy to
>>> the list bounced.
>>> Let's try again.
>>>
>>> The BTX loader starts, yes - but the reason I'm using GRUB2 in the
>>> first place is to skip it,
>>> since it doesn't seem to support logical partitions.
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Oh, thanks for the information. The 32-bit bsd kernel is basically an
>> elf image that needs a little address translation:
>>
>> physical address = virtual address & 0xFFFFFF
>>
>> I think the principle can be applied to 64-bit kernel as well, it
>> shouldn't be difficult to add support for it.
>>
>
>
> --
>
> Regards
> Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>

Re: GRUB2 - Please add support for 64-bit FreeBSD

[phcoder]

I have looked in it and isolated the files which changes are needed:
1) switching to x86_64 mode and setting the paging up
2) elf64 parser
3) different boot parameters
I'm quite optimistic and think I should have working freebsd64 soon. 
Another good piece of news is that it seems that in freebsd64 all BIOS 
calls are moved to bootloader. It's a very wise decision which also 
allows FreeBSD64 to boot on EFI or coreboot
phcoder wrote:
> I haven't looked in depth yet, but it's a bit more. the loader switches 
> to amd64 and sets preliminary page translation
> Bean wrote:
>> On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 5:54 AM, Daniel Nebdal <dnebdal@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Bean wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Please try the btx loader in /boot/loader, which I believe to be
>>>> 32-bit even in amd64 freebsd. The btx loader is an a.out executable,
>>>> grurb2 has supported for it already.
>>> Ah, just noticed I replied to this before subscribing, so the copy to
>>> the list bounced.
>>> Let's try again.
>>>
>>> The BTX loader starts, yes - but the reason I'm using GRUB2 in the
>>> first place is to skip it,
>>> since it doesn't seem to support logical partitions.
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Oh, thanks for the information. The 32-bit bsd kernel is basically an
>> elf image that needs a little address translation:
>>
>> physical address = virtual address & 0xFFFFFF
>>
>> I think the principle can be applied to 64-bit kernel as well, it
>> shouldn't be difficult to add support for it.
>>
> 
> 


-- 

Regards
Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko