grub2 and fat efi files on latest Apples

grub2 and fat efi files on latest Apples

[James Jarvis]

Newbie post but hopefully I will be providing some useful data rather 
than merely questions...

I have been using the svn trunk over the last few days with some success 
compiling 32 and 64 bit EFI grub and creating a dual architecture 
grub.efi from the results that seems to work on hard disk on newer and 
older Apple Intel Macs. I use the fatglue.py python script from refit to 
make the fat grub.efi. Not sure if anyone else is doing anything similar...

I have observed that fat modules don't work - need to use grub-mkimage 
to insert all the required modules.

Another interesting observation (not really grub but maybe worth 
comment) is that using a Linux 2.6.29.2 kernel and initrd on the newer 
macs in efi mode boot (uses framebuffer console) works up until the 
insertion of modules. It appears that some modules do insert and other 
don't. The same kernel and initrd booted in "legacy mode" (after a call 
to fakebios) boots fine.

Finally, the reboot call from linux on the iMac 9,1 hangs - possibly an 
issue with fakebios??? If the output of grub-dumpbios is any use let me 
know...

Models tested (all intel)

macmini
iMac 4,1 requires ia32 or "fat"  grub.efi
iMac 8,1 requires x86_64 or "fat"  grub.efi
iMac 9,1 requires x86_64 or "fat"  grub.efi

James








-- 
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

Re: grub2 and fat efi files on latest Apples

[Peter Cros]

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Hi,

Thanks for the idea, here fat grub.efi tested ok on imac8,1 (64) and
MacBook2,1 (32), using working grub32.efi and grub64.efi with their
preloaded modules.

 ./fatglue.py grub2202f.efi grub2202-32.efi grub2202-64.efi

compile and fatglue were all done in OSX10.5.6.

Debian sid 2.6.29.1-amd64 boots for me on imac8,1 using

menuentry "sid amd64 fbdev sda9" {
fakebios
root=hd0,9
linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda9 video=efifb noefi
initrd /initrd.img
}


On Thu, May 14, 2009 at 1:35 AM, James Jarvis <James.Jarvis@ed.ac.uk> wrote:

> Newbie post but hopefully I will be providing some useful data rather than
> merely questions...
>
> I have been using the svn trunk over the last few days with some success
> compiling 32 and 64 bit EFI grub and creating a dual architecture grub.efi
> from the results that seems to work on hard disk on newer and older Apple
> Intel Macs. I use the fatglue.py python script from refit to make the fat
> grub.efi. Not sure if anyone else is doing anything similar...
>
> I have observed that fat modules don't work - need to use grub-mkimage to
> insert all the required modules.
>
> Another interesting observation (not really grub but maybe worth comment)
> is that using a Linux 2.6.29.2 kernel and initrd on the newer macs in efi
> mode boot (uses framebuffer console) works up until the insertion of
> modules. It appears that some modules do insert and other don't. The same
> kernel and initrd booted in "legacy mode" (after a call to fakebios) boots
> fine.
>
> Finally, the reboot call from linux on the iMac 9,1 hangs - possibly an
> issue with fakebios??? If the output of grub-dumpbios is any use let me
> know...
>
> Models tested (all intel)
>
> macmini
> iMac 4,1 requires ia32 or "fat"  grub.efi
> iMac 8,1 requires x86_64 or "fat"  grub.efi
> iMac 9,1 requires x86_64 or "fat"  grub.efi
>
> James
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
> Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>



-- 
Cros (pxw)

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Re: grub2 and fat efi files on latest Apples

[James Jarvis]

Good to hear it is not just me finding it useful - certainly handy for 
portable rescue media.

I take it there is no workaround (on Macs) for having a blessed hfsplus 
filesystem with a blessed grub.efi - that is, on removable media 
(usb/cd) for booting in efi mode (I know isolinux works fine in legacy 
boot mode).

James

Peter Cros wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for the idea, here fat grub.efi tested ok on imac8,1 (64) and 
> MacBook2,1 (32), using working grub32.efi and grub64.efi with their 
> preloaded modules.
>
>  ./fatglue.py grub2202f.efi grub2202-32.efi grub2202-64.efi
>
> compile and fatglue were all done in OSX10.5.6.
>
> Debian sid 2.6.29.1-amd64 boots for me on imac8,1 using
>
> menuentry "sid amd64 fbdev sda9" {
> fakebios
> root=hd0,9
> linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda9 video=efifb noefi
> initrd /initrd.img
> }
>
>
> On Thu, May 14, 2009 at 1:35 AM, James Jarvis <James.Jarvis@ed.ac.uk 
> <mailto:James.Jarvis@ed.ac.uk>> wrote:
>
>     Newbie post but hopefully I will be providing some useful data
>     rather than merely questions...
>
>     I have been using the svn trunk over the last few days with some
>     success compiling 32 and 64 bit EFI grub and creating a dual
>     architecture grub.efi from the results that seems to work on hard
>     disk on newer and older Apple Intel Macs. I use the fatglue.py
>     python script from refit to make the fat grub.efi. Not sure if
>     anyone else is doing anything similar...
>
>     I have observed that fat modules don't work - need to use
>     grub-mkimage to insert all the required modules.
>
>     Another interesting observation (not really grub but maybe worth
>     comment) is that using a Linux 2.6.29.2 kernel and initrd on the
>     newer macs in efi mode boot (uses framebuffer console) works up
>     until the insertion of modules. It appears that some modules do
>     insert and other don't. The same kernel and initrd booted in
>     "legacy mode" (after a call to fakebios) boots fine.
>
>     Finally, the reboot call from linux on the iMac 9,1 hangs -
>     possibly an issue with fakebios??? If the output of grub-dumpbios
>     is any use let me know...
>
>     Models tested (all intel)
>
>     macmini
>     iMac 4,1 requires ia32 or "fat"  grub.efi
>     iMac 8,1 requires x86_64 or "fat"  grub.efi
>     iMac 9,1 requires x86_64 or "fat"  grub.efi
>
>     James
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>     -- 
>     The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
>     Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
>
>
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     Grub-devel mailing list
>     Grub-devel@gnu.org <mailto:Grub-devel@gnu.org>
>     http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Cros (pxw)
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>   


-- 
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.