Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Robo L]

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Hi All

I have a problem with remove the message "Welcome to GRUB!" in text Mode.
In source 1.96 I remove Welcome text message, when call function
grub_printf().
In gfx mod is all OK, but If I not initialize gfx mode grub steel show
"Welcome to GRUB!" inverted (black on white)

I mean, that Grub print via lowlevel printig (int 0x10) with proprietary
string data.

Please can You tell me what is a reason? How is a solution? Is it a correct
by the licence?

Many thanks

Robo

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Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Michal Suchanek]

On 18 February 2010 11:24, Robo L <robo.om1ld@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi All
> I have a problem with remove the message "Welcome to GRUB!" in text Mode.
> In source 1.96 I remove Welcome text message, when call function
> grub_printf().
> In gfx mod is all OK, but If I not initialize gfx mode grub steel show
> "Welcome to GRUB!" inverted (black on white)
> I mean, that Grub print via lowlevel printig (int 0x10) with proprietary
> string data.

I don't see why you would want to remove this message. It's quite
useful as it shows progress in the early initialization stages of grub
and should grub crash before getting to the menu you would know it was
started at least. It's not possible to configure in a configuration
file because it is not loaded at this point yet.

Still the message is only in one place in the source and if you remove
the printf it is not shown.

It is usually not visible in graphics mode because it is cleared when
grub switches to graphics and it does not stay long enough to be
noticed.

To sum up if you installed a version of grub with this printf removed
you would not see the message. The default grub build would always
show it.

HTH

Michal

Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[richardvoigt]

On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 4:24 AM, Robo L <robo.om1ld@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi All
> I have a problem with remove the message "Welcome to GRUB!" in text Mode.
> In source 1.96 I remove Welcome text message, when call function
> grub_printf().
> In gfx mod is all OK, but If I not initialize gfx mode grub steel show
> "Welcome to GRUB!" inverted (black on white)
> I mean, that Grub print via lowlevel printig (int 0x10) with proprietary
> string data.
> Please can You tell me what is a reason? How is a solution? Is it a correct
> by the licence?

The license does not allow you to install or run GRUB on a computer
without telling the user, if that's what you're after.

The license lets you remove the welcome message, but you still MUST
inform the user of their GPL rights to the copy of GRUB you've given
them (and if you are using a copy of GRUB modified to remove the
welcome message, then you are responsible for meeting the GPL source
code copy requirements yourself, and can't simply direct users to an
official download page).


>
> Many thanks
> Robo
> --
> -----------------------------------------
> E=mc2
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>
>

Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

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Robo L wrote:
>
> I mean, that Grub print via lowlevel printig (int 0x10) with
> proprietary string data.
It's true that most BIOSes are proprietary and we're against non-free
firmware. Unfortunately, however, most motherboards around aren't
supported by any free firmware so we have to cope with what we have. We
encourage you to use motherboards with free firmware. I'm aware of 3
categories of such:
1) Coreboot has made a great job in freeing x86-based mobos. You can
consult their list here: http://www.coreboot.org/Supported_Motherboards
2) Touchbook by always innovating
http://alwaysinnovating.com/home/index.htm claims to use U-Boot and
supply the complete sources. I haven't checked this claim however
3) Yeeloong by Lemote http://www.lemote.com/english/yeeloong.html. It
uses PMON, soon GRUB will work as firmware on it too (big parts are done)
On BIOS grub uses its interrupts by default because this interface
usually supports the hardware user has and on coreimg stage it allows to
shave off few bytes. However we move to using our own drivers since
firmware interface is often buggy and/or incomplete.
>
> Please can You tell me what is a reason? How is a solution? Is it a
> correct by the licence?
GRUB doesn't link with BIOS
>
> Many thanks
>
> Robo
>
> -- 
> -----------------------------------------
> E=mc2
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>   


-- 
Regards
Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko



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Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[richardvoigt]

2010/2/20 Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko <phcoder@gmail.com>:
> Robo L wrote:
>>
>> I mean, that Grub print via lowlevel printig (int 0x10) with
>> proprietary string data.
> It's true that most BIOSes are proprietary and we're against non-free
> firmware. Unfortunately, however, most motherboards around aren't
> supported by any free firmware so we have to cope with what we have. We

How is any of this relevant to the OP's question?  I think it is,
somewhat, but you haven't made the connection.

Also, the OP doesn't appear to be looking for a better way to print
the welcome message, or to understand why the welcome message is
printing via int 0x10, but actually to remove the welcome message.

About the only legitimate case I can think of is if the BIOS is
redirecting output to a serial port and the presence of a welcome
message confuses an automated system on the other end of the serial
link that isn't expecting it.


> encourage you to use motherboards with free firmware. I'm aware of 3
> categories of such:
> 1) Coreboot has made a great job in freeing x86-based mobos. You can
> consult their list here: http://www.coreboot.org/Supported_Motherboards
> 2) Touchbook by always innovating
> http://alwaysinnovating.com/home/index.htm claims to use U-Boot and
> supply the complete sources. I haven't checked this claim however
> 3) Yeeloong by Lemote http://www.lemote.com/english/yeeloong.html. It
> uses PMON, soon GRUB will work as firmware on it too (big parts are done)
> On BIOS grub uses its interrupts by default because this interface
> usually supports the hardware user has and on coreimg stage it allows to
> shave off few bytes. However we move to using our own drivers since
> firmware interface is often buggy and/or incomplete.
>>
>> Please can You tell me what is a reason? How is a solution? Is it a
>> correct by the licence?
> GRUB doesn't link with BIOS
>>
>> Many thanks
>>
>> Robo
>>
>> --
>> -----------------------------------------
>> E=mc2
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Grub-devel mailing list
>> Grub-devel@gnu.org
>> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>>
>
>
> --
> Regards
> Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>
>

Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Robo L]

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Hi all,

Firstly I would like to thank everyone for the reply and Your time.

I would like to clarify the issue.
First I need to hide the very first Welcom message because I need to hide
GRUB for other users of MS Windows on my PC. I need it only for myself.
Richard: redirection is not good idea for me, becouse II need classical
console. I wrote a module with hidden password (secret process - no response
on console - silent) If match then redirect to boot linux. The nature of the
process is that another user on my PC not venture a guess that there is a
GRUB and secound linux OS!

As a second I would like to understand how it works with the printing,
because I spent much time reversed analysis and still I can not understand
who, where and when print the first inverted message "Welcome to GRUB!".

Who, where and how much bothers me more than the original problem.

btw: for test I remove all Welcome message from binary (search for full
disk, MBR too) files and message is still printing :-)

Robo
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Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Colin Watson]

On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 11:00:57AM +0100, Robo L wrote:
> As a second I would like to understand how it works with the printing,
> because I spent much time reversed analysis and still I can not understand
> who, where and when print the first inverted message "Welcome to GRUB!".

grep should have found it ... it's in kern/main.c, in the grub_main
function.

> btw: for test I remove all Welcome message from binary (search for full
> disk, MBR too) files and message is still printing :-)

This is free software.  Rebuild the source, don't edit the binary :-)

-- 
Colin Watson                                       [cjwatson@ubuntu.com]

Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Robo L]

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Hi Colins,

I found this function and make comment long ago
After compilations welcome text not exist in binaries and GRUB still printed
Welcome.
Must be other function. I search in asm code, but still unsuccessfully.

Rebuild or reedit binaries is like a last kick of dead :-)

btw: This function do not print Inverted.

Robo

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Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Colin Watson]

On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 08:56:15PM +0100, Robo L wrote:
> I found this function and make comment long ago
> After compilations welcome text not exist in binaries and GRUB still printed
> Welcome.
> Must be other function. I search in asm code, but still unsuccessfully.

No, that's the only place it comes from.  If you're still seeing it,
then you haven't properly reinstalled the rebuilt version, somehow.
Perhaps you didn't run grub-install, or perhaps you ran it with the
wrong destination.

> btw: This function do not print Inverted.

It's called as follows:

  grub_setcolorstate (GRUB_TERM_COLOR_HIGHLIGHT);
  grub_printf ("Welcome to GRUB!\n\n");
  grub_setcolorstate (GRUB_TERM_COLOR_STANDARD);

The grub_setcolorstate calls are what causes the message to be printed
in inverse video.

-- 
Colin Watson                                       [cjwatson@ubuntu.com]

Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[richardvoigt]

On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 4:00 AM, Robo L <robo.om1ld@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> Firstly I would like to thank everyone for the reply and Your time.
>
> I would like to clarify the issue.
> First I need to hide the very first Welcom message because I need to hide
> GRUB for other users of MS Windows on my PC. I need it only for myself.

I'm not entirely certain, but:

(1) I think GRUB is licensed under GPLv3 or higher only
(2) GPLv3 covers what were considered to be loopholes in GPLv2
(firmware enforced signature, software-as-a-service)
therefore
(3) Your use of GRUB (copying it into the boot record) requires you to
provide your users with notice of their GPL rights to your version of
GRUB.

So one can hardly say that "another user on my PC not venture a guess
that there is a GRUB" if you are required to tell them that GRUB is
there and offer them the source code.

> Richard: redirection is not good idea for me, becouse II need classical
> console. I wrote a module with hidden password (secret process - no response
> on console - silent) If match then redirect to boot linux. The nature of the
> process is that another user on my PC not venture a guess that there is a
> GRUB and secound linux OS!

Security through obscurity is never a good idea and especially not
when you have to give away the source code.

Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Robo L]

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Hi all
Thanks for reply.
Colins:
It is a possible, I must check it. I tell You soon.
Richard,
I see, that I must stop it. Licence is Licence, but for my experience I
check it what is a solution.

btw: my way isn't security through obscurity, although it might seem so.
Thanks all for,

Robo

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Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

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Robo L wrote:
> Hi all
> Thanks for reply.
> Colins:
> It is a possible, I must check it. I tell You soon.
> Richard,
> I see, that I must stop it. Licence is Licence, but for my experience
> I check it what is a solution.
>
> btw: my way isn't security through obscurity, although it might seem so.
It is. And pretty lousy one actually. It's enough to compare capacity of
device as mentioned in device manager to total size of partitions to see
that there is something more. And knowing that there is something else
it's enough to boot from grub on external storage or launch any disk utility
> Thanks all for,
>
> Robo
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
>   


-- 
Regards
Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko



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Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[edgar.soldin]

On 22.02.2010 20:45, Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko wrote:
> Robo L wrote:
>> Hi all
>> Thanks for reply.
>> Colins:
>> It is a possible, I must check it. I tell You soon.
>> Richard,
>> I see, that I must stop it. Licence is Licence, but for my experience
>> I check it what is a solution.

You do not have to stop nothing. Free software means exactly that you 
can do whatever you want to/with it. Only if you distribute it you will 
have to obey several rules.

>>
>> btw: my way isn't security through obscurity, although it might seem so.
> It is. And pretty lousy one actually. It's enough to compare capacity of
> device as mentioned in device manager to total size of partitions to see
> that there is something more. And knowing that there is something else
> it's enough to boot from grub on external storage or launch any disk utility

He never stated why he wanted it exactly. Maybe he just want's not to 
confuse an everyday user.


regards ede

Re: Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Carles Pina i Estany]

Hi,

On Feb/23/2010, edgar.soldin@web.de wrote:

> He never stated why he wanted it exactly. Maybe he just want's not to
> confuse an everyday user.

or just for fun :-)

-- 
Carles Pina i Estany
	http://pinux.info

Lead-up message 'Welcome to GRUB!' inverted text printed lowlevel via BIOS ?!?

[Robo L]

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Ede, Isac, and all - thank you
The world is complicated and fortunately we have differing vision on the
same thing :-)

Robo
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