grub-efi with latest mac mini

grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

I've been trying to get grub-efi to work with the latest mac mini.

To avoid having no way to boot if I cannot get grub-efi to work, I'm booting via rEFIt at the moment.

Grub-1.99 is installed to /mnt/sda2/efi/grub, and I can boot grub-efi via the rEFIt menu, but:

1. I do not get any screen display until the linux os (3.0.21) starts to boot

2. Once booted, neither the usb mouse nor usb keyboard work


Grub-efi was installed with:

$ x86_64-grub-mkimage -O x86_64-efi -d /usr/local/lib/x86_64-grub/x86_64-efi -o grub.efi -p "" part_gpt part_msdos hfsplus fat ext2 normal chain boot configfile linux multiboot pci lspci setpci usb_keyboard efi_gop ohci uhci usb video

I've use the following for the display in grub.cfg:

insmod font
loadfont /efi/grub/unicode.pf2
insmod gfxterm
set gfxmode=auto
set gfxpayload=keep
terminal_output gfxterm

..and since I've used the usb module in grub-mkimage, I would have thought the usb keyboard/mouse would work

Any pointers would be much appreciated.

Regards
John

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Georg Wicherski]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1153 bytes --]

On 06/04/2012 10:12 AM, John Frankish wrote:
> I've been trying to get grub-efi to work with the latest mac mini.

Assuming that you're speaking about the Mid-2011 Mini that I have.

> To avoid having no way to boot if I cannot get grub-efi to work, I'm booting via rEFIt at the moment.

I simply wrote my GRUB to the EFI FAT partition at BOOTX64.EFI . You can
then press the right Alt (Gr) key on your keyboard while powering on the
Mini and select "EFI" from the native boot selection menu, it will then
launch Grub. Once you feel satisfied with your setup, you can probably
bless this as the default loader (never tried, not feeling so save yet).
No need for rEFIt.

My initrd and kernel also reside on the EFI FAT partition, so I don't
need any FS support but FAT in grub (I have HFS+ for supporting OS X at
some point, but currently still using the default loader for OS X).

Building Grub 1.99 from source and invoking mkimage.sh from the build
folder, it'll create my GRUB image with all I need for the Mini. My
config is attached, too. You just need to substitute XXX with the /
partition of your Linux and YYY with your kernel version.


Georg

[-- Attachment #2: grub.cfg --]
[-- Type: text/plain, Size: 349 bytes --]

timeout=1
default=0

insmod efi_gop
insmod gfxterm

if loadfont ${prefix}/unicode.pf2
then
  set gfxmode="1920x1200x32"
  set gfxpayload=keep
#  terminal_output gfxterm
fi

menuentry "Debian Wheezy" {
  linux ${prefix}/vmlinuz-YYY-amd64 root=/dev/XXX ro quiet splash
  initrd ${prefix}/initrd.img-YYY-amd64
  boot
}

menuentry "Reboot" {
  reboot
}

[-- Attachment #3: mkimage.sh --]
[-- Type: application/x-shellscript, Size: 199 bytes --]

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 2015 bytes --]

On 04.06.2012 10:12, John Frankish wrote:

> I've been trying to get grub-efi to work with the latest mac mini.
> 
> To avoid having no way to boot if I cannot get grub-efi to work, I'm booting via rEFIt at the moment.
> 
> Grub-1.99 is installed to /mnt/sda2/efi/grub, and I can boot grub-efi via the rEFIt menu, but:

1.99 is old, especially for EFI. You need to use something newer.

> 
> 1. I do not get any screen display until the linux os (3.0.21) starts to boot
> 

Most likely GRUB 1.99 has autochosen a resolution which is too high for
your screen or you've beet hit by some other EFI bug in 1.99 which,
again, is too old.

> 2. Once booted, neither the usb mouse nor usb keyboard work
> 

What happens after Linux is loaded is outside GRUB control.

> 
> Grub-efi was installed with:
> 
> $ x86_64-grub-mkimage -O x86_64-efi -d /usr/local/lib/x86_64-grub/x86_64-efi -o grub.efi -p "" part_gpt part_msdos hfsplus fat ext2 normal chain boot configfile linux multiboot pci lspci setpci usb_keyboard efi_gop ohci uhci usb video
> 

Use grub-install, not the outdated manual instructions.

> I've use the following for the display in grub.cfg:
> 
> insmod font
> loadfont /efi/grub/unicode.pf2
> insmod gfxterm
> set gfxmode=auto
> set gfxpayload=keep
> terminal_output gfxterm
> 
> ..and since I've used the usb module in grub-mkimage, I would have thought the usb keyboard/mouse would work
> 

USB bus modules without the relevant USB device modules will only
takeover the USB but not make anything useful but it will prevent
firmware keyboard driver to work. Either add usb_keyboard and usbms or
remove USB modules altogether. Better still, use grub-install.

> Any pointers would be much appreciated.
> 
> Regards
> John
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
> .
> 



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


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org [mailto:grub-devel-
> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> Sent: Monday, 04 June, 2012 13:57
> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> 
> On 04.06.2012 10:12, John Frankish wrote:
> 
> > I've been trying to get grub-efi to work with the latest mac mini.
> >
> > To avoid having no way to boot if I cannot get grub-efi to work, I'm booting
> via rEFIt at the moment.
> >
> > Grub-1.99 is installed to /mnt/sda2/efi/grub, and I can boot grub-efi via the
> rEFIt menu, but:
> 
> 1.99 is old, especially for EFI. You need to use something newer.
> 

I guess you mean from bzr - OK, I'll give it a try

> >
> > 1. I do not get any screen display until the linux os (3.0.21) starts
> > to boot
> >
> 
> Most likely GRUB 1.99 has autochosen a resolution which is too high for your
> screen or you've beet hit by some other EFI bug in 1.99 which, again, is too
> old.
> 
> > 2. Once booted, neither the usb mouse nor usb keyboard work
> >
> 
> What happens after Linux is loaded is outside GRUB control.

Everything appears as normal, i.e. boots into X, except there is no keyboard/mouse

> 
> >
> > Grub-efi was installed with:
> >
> > $ x86_64-grub-mkimage -O x86_64-efi -d
> > /usr/local/lib/x86_64-grub/x86_64-efi -o grub.efi -p "" part_gpt
> > part_msdos hfsplus fat ext2 normal chain boot configfile linux
> > multiboot pci lspci setpci usb_keyboard efi_gop ohci uhci usb video
> >
> 
> Use grub-install, not the outdated manual instructions.

OK - is there any documentation for this specific to grub-efi?

> > I've use the following for the display in grub.cfg:
> >
> > insmod font
> > loadfont /efi/grub/unicode.pf2
> > insmod gfxterm
> > set gfxmode=auto
> > set gfxpayload=keep
> > terminal_output gfxterm
> >
> > ..and since I've used the usb module in grub-mkimage, I would have
> > thought the usb keyboard/mouse would work
> >
> 
> USB bus modules without the relevant USB device modules will only
> takeover the USB but not make anything useful but it will prevent firmware
> keyboard driver to work. Either add usb_keyboard and usbms or remove
> USB modules altogether. Better still, use grub-install.

As per above, usb_keyboard was linked via grub-mkimage - the keyboard/mouse do not work with/without any usb modules

FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org 
> [mailto:grub-devel-
> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> Sent: Monday, 04 June, 2012 13:57
> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> 
> On 04.06.2012 10:12, John Frankish wrote:
> 
> > I've been trying to get grub-efi to work with the latest mac mini.
> >
> > To avoid having no way to boot if I cannot get grub-efi to work, I'm 
> > booting
> via rEFIt at the moment.
> >
> > Grub-1.99 is installed to /mnt/sda2/efi/grub, and I can boot 
> > grub-efi via the
> rEFIt menu, but:
> 
> 1.99 is old, especially for EFI. You need to use something newer.
> 

I guess you mean from bzr - OK, I'll give it a try

> >
> > 1. I do not get any screen display until the linux os (3.0.21) 
> > starts to boot
> >
> 
> Most likely GRUB 1.99 has autochosen a resolution which is too high 
> for your screen or you've beet hit by some other EFI bug in 1.99 
> which, again, is too old.
> 
> > 2. Once booted, neither the usb mouse nor usb keyboard work
> >
> 
> What happens after Linux is loaded is outside GRUB control.

Everything appears as normal, i.e. boots into X, except there is no keyboard/mouse

> 
> >
> > Grub-efi was installed with:
> >
> > $ x86_64-grub-mkimage -O x86_64-efi -d 
> > /usr/local/lib/x86_64-grub/x86_64-efi -o grub.efi -p "" part_gpt 
> > part_msdos hfsplus fat ext2 normal chain boot configfile linux 
> > multiboot pci lspci setpci usb_keyboard efi_gop ohci uhci usb video
> >
> 
> Use grub-install, not the outdated manual instructions.

OK - is there any documentation for this specific to grub-efi?

> > I've use the following for the display in grub.cfg:
> >
> > insmod font
> > loadfont /efi/grub/unicode.pf2
> > insmod gfxterm
> > set gfxmode=auto
> > set gfxpayload=keep
> > terminal_output gfxterm
> >
> > ..and since I've used the usb module in grub-mkimage, I would have 
> > thought the usb keyboard/mouse would work
> >
> 
> USB bus modules without the relevant USB device modules will only 
> takeover the USB but not make anything useful but it will prevent 
> firmware keyboard driver to work. Either add usb_keyboard and usbms or 
> remove USB modules altogether. Better still, use grub-install.

As per above, usb_keyboard was linked via grub-mkimage - the keyboard/mouse do not work with/without any usb modules
--------------------------------------
I compiled grub from bzr a couple of days back.

I didn't use grub-install as I'm nervous about writing to the mbr and not being able to boot the mac mini at all.

Anyway, I can still boot using both hfs+ partition /efi/grub/grub.efi and fat partition /EFI/BOOT/ BOOTX64.EFI, but the result is the same - no usb keyboard and no usb mouse.

Note that I also do not get graphics, but it boots "blind" without problems.

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Georg Wicherski]

On 06/08/2012 02:58 PM, John Frankish wrote:
> Note that I also do not get graphics, but it boots "blind" without problems.

How about trying my working configuration that I posted earlier? ;)

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org [mailto:grub-devel-
> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Georg Wicherski
> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 17:47
> To: The development of GNU GRUB
> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> 
> On 06/08/2012 02:58 PM, John Frankish wrote:
> > Note that I also do not get graphics, but it boots "blind" without problems.
> 
> How about trying my working configuration that I posted earlier? ;)
> 
That's more or less what I did :(

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 950 bytes --]


> As per above, usb_keyboard was linked via grub-mkimage - the keyboard/mouse do not work with/without any usb modules
> --------------------------------------
> I compiled grub from bzr a couple of days back.
> 
> I didn't use grub-install as I'm nervous about writing to the mbr and not being able to boot the mac mini at all.

If you don't supply any direct argument and explicitly add
--target=x86_64-efi then you can be sure it won't overwrite any MBR

> 
> Anyway, I can still boot using both hfs+ partition /efi/grub/grub.efi and fat partition /EFI/BOOT/ BOOTX64.EFI, but the result is the same - no usb keyboard and no usb mouse.
> 

Aa I said before: lack of USB keyboard/mouse in Linux can't be of any
GRUB wrongdoing since Linux uses its own USB driver.

> Note that I also do not get graphics, but it boots "blind" without problems.
> 

Does videotest work?

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


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org [mailto:grub-devel-
> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> 
> 
> > As per above, usb_keyboard was linked via grub-mkimage - the
> > keyboard/mouse do not work with/without any usb modules
> > --------------------------------------
> > I compiled grub from bzr a couple of days back.
> >
> > I didn't use grub-install as I'm nervous about writing to the mbr and not
> being able to boot the mac mini at all.
> 
> If you don't supply any direct argument and explicitly add --target=x86_64-efi
> then you can be sure it won't overwrite any MBR

I tried "grub-install --target= x86_64-efi", but got an error that grub couldn't write to /boot/grub

If I try "grub-install --target= x86_64-efi /dev/sda", then I believe it will write a new mbr

> >
> > Anyway, I can still boot using both hfs+ partition /efi/grub/grub.efi and fat
> partition /EFI/BOOT/ BOOTX64.EFI, but the result is the same - no usb
> keyboard and no usb mouse.
> >
> 
> Aa I said before: lack of USB keyboard/mouse in Linux can't be of any GRUB
> wrongdoing since Linux uses its own USB driver.
> 
> > Note that I also do not get graphics, but it boots "blind" without problems.
> >
> 
> Does videotest work?
> 
I get command not found?

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1683 bytes --]

On 08.06.2012 19:35, John Frankish wrote:

>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org [mailto:grub-devel-
>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
>>
>>
>>> As per above, usb_keyboard was linked via grub-mkimage - the
>>> keyboard/mouse do not work with/without any usb modules
>>> --------------------------------------
>>> I compiled grub from bzr a couple of days back.
>>>
>>> I didn't use grub-install as I'm nervous about writing to the mbr and not
>> being able to boot the mac mini at all.
>>
>> If you don't supply any direct argument and explicitly add --target=x86_64-efi
>> then you can be sure it won't overwrite any MBR
> 
> I tried "grub-install --target= x86_64-efi", but got an error that grub couldn't write to /boot/grub
> 

First: no space after --target. Second: are you at latest bzr? Third: if
you paraphrase errors, I can't give you any good answer.

>>>
>>> Anyway, I can still boot using both hfs+ partition /efi/grub/grub.efi and fat
>> partition /EFI/BOOT/ BOOTX64.EFI, but the result is the same - no usb
>> keyboard and no usb mouse.
>>>
>>
>> Aa I said before: lack of USB keyboard/mouse in Linux can't be of any GRUB
>> wrongdoing since Linux uses its own USB driver.
>>
>>> Note that I also do not get graphics, but it boots "blind" without problems.
>>>
>>
>> Does videotest work?
>>
> I get command not found?

As I said: use grub-install
-- 
Regards
Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
> >> [mailto:grub-devel-
> >> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> >> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> >> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
> >> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> >> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> >>
> >>
> >>> As per above, usb_keyboard was linked via grub-mkimage - the
> >>> keyboard/mouse do not work with/without any usb modules
> >>> --------------------------------------
> >>> I compiled grub from bzr a couple of days back.
> >>>
> >>> I didn't use grub-install as I'm nervous about writing to the mbr
> >>> and not
> >> being able to boot the mac mini at all.
> >>
> >> If you don't supply any direct argument and explicitly add
> >> --target=x86_64-efi then you can be sure it won't overwrite any MBR
> >
> > I tried "grub-install --target= x86_64-efi", but got an error that
> > grub couldn't write to /boot/grub
> >
> 
> First: no space after --target. Second: are you at latest bzr? Third: if you
> paraphrase errors, I can't give you any good answer.

Sorry, there was no space and I used bzr from a couple of days ago, I get:

Path /boot/grub is not readable by grub on boot. Installation is impossible. Aborting

I also get this if I use --boot-directory=/efi/boot

> >>>
> >>> Anyway, I can still boot using both hfs+ partition
> >>> /efi/grub/grub.efi and fat
> >> partition /EFI/BOOT/ BOOTX64.EFI, but the result is the same - no usb
> >> keyboard and no usb mouse.
> >>>
> >>
> >> Aa I said before: lack of USB keyboard/mouse in Linux can't be of any
> >> GRUB wrongdoing since Linux uses its own USB driver.
> >>
> >>> Note that I also do not get graphics, but it boots "blind" without
> problems.
> >>>
> >>
> >> Does videotest work?
> >>
> > I get command not found?
> 
The insmod command must have been wrong, I get:

No suitable video modes found

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 2274 bytes --]

On 08.06.2012 19:57, John Frankish wrote:

>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
>>>> [mailto:grub-devel-
>>>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
>>>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>>>> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
>>>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
>>>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> As per above, usb_keyboard was linked via grub-mkimage - the
>>>>> keyboard/mouse do not work with/without any usb modules
>>>>> --------------------------------------
>>>>> I compiled grub from bzr a couple of days back.
>>>>>
>>>>> I didn't use grub-install as I'm nervous about writing to the mbr
>>>>> and not
>>>> being able to boot the mac mini at all.
>>>>
>>>> If you don't supply any direct argument and explicitly add
>>>> --target=x86_64-efi then you can be sure it won't overwrite any MBR
>>>
>>> I tried "grub-install --target= x86_64-efi", but got an error that
>>> grub couldn't write to /boot/grub
>>>
>>
>> First: no space after --target. Second: are you at latest bzr? Third: if you
>> paraphrase errors, I can't give you any good answer.
> 
> Sorry, there was no space and I used bzr from a couple of days ago, I get:
> 
> Path /boot/grub is not readable by grub on boot. Installation is impossible. Aborting
> 
> I also get this if I use --boot-directory=/efi/boot
> 

What does grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub say
Do you run everything as root?

>>>>>
>>>>> Anyway, I can still boot using both hfs+ partition
>>>>> /efi/grub/grub.efi and fat
>>>> partition /EFI/BOOT/ BOOTX64.EFI, but the result is the same - no usb
>>>> keyboard and no usb mouse.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Aa I said before: lack of USB keyboard/mouse in Linux can't be of any
>>>> GRUB wrongdoing since Linux uses its own USB driver.
>>>>
>>>>> Note that I also do not get graphics, but it boots "blind" without
>> problems.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Does videotest work?
>>>>
>>> I get command not found?
>>
> The insmod command must have been wrong, I get:
> 
> No suitable video modes found

If you need insmod for commands your install is broken.
You need insmod efi_gop in any case though.

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


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> >>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
> >>>> [mailto:grub-devel-
> >>>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> >>>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> >>>> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
> >>>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> >>>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> >>>>
> 
> What does grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub say Do you run everything as root?

$ sudo grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub
Error: failed to get canonical path of /boot/grub
$ sudo grub-probe -t fs /efi/boot
Error: failed to get canonical path of /efi/boot

$ sudo grub-probe -d /dev/sda1
Fat
$ sudo grub-probe -d /dev/sda2
Hfsplus

$ sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --boot-directory=/mnt/sda1/efi/boot
Runs without errors

..but creates /mnt/sda1/efi/boot/grub/grub.efi, which is not recognized on booting the mac with <alt gr> pressed.

Copying/renaming grub.efi -> /mnt/sda1/efi/boot/BOOTX64.EFI boots, but no usb keyboard/mouse

Grub.cfg:

menuentry "core64" {
  set root=(hd1,gpt4)
  linux /boot/vmlinuz64 quiet noswap tce=sda4 tz=GMT-4 host=macminitc syslog blacklist=bcma blacklist=ssb blacklist=b43 text
  initrd /boot/core64.gz
}
 
> If you need insmod for commands your install is broken.
> You need insmod efi_gop in any case though.
> 
> --
Even with grub-install insmod is required, but anyway:

Insmod videotest
Insmod efi_gop
Videotest
[drops down a line, but no further output]
<ctrl c>
Color 0: ff000000
Color 1: ffa80000
...
Color 15: fffefefe

Note that the video is output via hdmi -> dvi adapter that came with the mac mini

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 2251 bytes --]

On 09.06.2012 09:35, John Frankish wrote:

>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
>>>>>> [mailto:grub-devel-
>>>>>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
>>>>>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>>>>>> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
>>>>>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
>>>>>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
>>>>>>
>>
>> What does grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub say Do you run everything as root?
> 
> $ sudo grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub
> Error: failed to get canonical path of /boot/grub
> $ sudo grub-probe -t fs /efi/boot
> Error: failed to get canonical path of /efi/boot
> 

Do you have those directories?

> $ sudo grub-probe -d /dev/sda1
> Fat
> $ sudo grub-probe -d /dev/sda2
> Hfsplus
> 

Please don't capitalise first letter: it does change the meaning

> $ sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --boot-directory=/mnt/sda1/efi/boot
> Runs without errors
> 
> ..but creates /mnt/sda1/efi/boot/grub/grub.efi, which is not recognized on booting the mac with <alt gr> pressed.
> 
> Copying/renaming grub.efi -> /mnt/sda1/efi/boot/BOOTX64.EFI boots, but no usb keyboard/mouse
> 

Use --removable.

> Grub.cfg:
> 
> menuentry "core64" {
>   set root=(hd1,gpt4)
>   linux /boot/vmlinuz64 quiet noswap tce=sda4 tz=GMT-4 host=macminitc syslog blacklist=bcma blacklist=ssb blacklist=b43 text
>   initrd /boot/core64.gz
> }
>  
>> If you need insmod for commands your install is broken.
>> You need insmod efi_gop in any case though.
>>
>> --
> Even with grub-install insmod is required, but anyway:
> 
> Insmod videotest
> Insmod efi_gop
> Videotest
> [drops down a line, but no further output]
> <ctrl c>
> Color 0: ff000000
> Color 1: ffa80000
> ...
> Color 15: fffefefe
> 
> Note that the video is output via hdmi -> dvi adapter that came with the mac mini

What does "videoinfo" say? Does "videotext" work if you set
gfxmode="800x600" explicitly? (try other resolutions as well)

> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
> 



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


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> >>>>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>>>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
> >>>>>> [mailto:grub-devel-
> >>>>>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> >>>>>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> >>>>>> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
> >>>>>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> >>>>>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> >>>>>>
> >>
> >> What does grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub say Do you run everything as
> root?
> >
> > $ sudo grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub
> > Error: failed to get canonical path of /boot/grub $ sudo grub-probe -t
> > fs /efi/boot
> > Error: failed to get canonical path of /efi/boot
> >
> 
> Do you have those directories?

Yes:
/mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT (fat)
/mnt/sda2/boot/grub (hfs+)

> > $ sudo grub-probe -d /dev/sda1
> > Fat
> > $ sudo grub-probe -d /dev/sda2
> > Hfsplus
> >
> >
> > Insmod videotest
> > Insmod efi_gop
> > Videotest
> > [drops down a line, but no further output] <ctrl c> Color 0: ff000000
> > Color 1: ffa80000 ...
> > Color 15: fffefefe
> >
> > Note that the video is output via hdmi -> dvi adapter that came with
> > the mac mini
> 
> What does "videoinfo" say? Does "videotext" work if you set
> gfxmode="800x600" explicitly? (try other resolutions as well)
> 
videoinfo
List of supported video modes:
Legend: mask/position = red/green/blue/reserved
Adapter: `EFI GOP driver`:
0x000 1280 x 1024 x 32 direct color, mask 8/8/8/8 pos: 16/8/0/24

gfxmode=1280x1024x32

[boot ]
Booting a command list
[boots, but no usb keyboard/mouse]

I see "ls" reports (hd0,gpt1-4) and (hd1,gpt1-4), but there is only one hd (actually a sdd)?!

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1966 bytes --]

On 09.06.2012 10:57, John Frankish wrote:

>>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
>>>>>>>> [mailto:grub-devel-
>>>>>>>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
>>>>>>>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
>>>>>>>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
>>>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> What does grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub say Do you run everything as
>> root?
>>>
>>> $ sudo grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub
>>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /boot/grub $ sudo grub-probe -t
>>> fs /efi/boot
>>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /efi/boot
>>>
>>
>> Do you have those directories?
> 
> Yes:
> /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT (fat)
> /mnt/sda2/boot/grub (hfs+)

/mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT isn't /efi/boot.

> 
>>> $ sudo grub-probe -d /dev/sda1
>>> Fat
>>> $ sudo grub-probe -d /dev/sda2
>>> Hfsplus
>>>
>>>
>>> Insmod videotest
>>> Insmod efi_gop
>>> Videotest
>>> [drops down a line, but no further output] <ctrl c> Color 0: ff000000
>>> Color 1: ffa80000 ...
>>> Color 15: fffefefe
>>>
>>> Note that the video is output via hdmi -> dvi adapter that came with
>>> the mac mini
>>
>> What does "videoinfo" say? Does "videotext" work if you set
>> gfxmode="800x600" explicitly? (try other resolutions as well)
>>
> videoinfo
> List of supported video modes:
> Legend: mask/position = red/green/blue/reserved
> Adapter: `EFI GOP driver`:
> 0x000 1280 x 1024 x 32 direct color, mask 8/8/8/8 pos: 16/8/0/24
> 
> gfxmode=1280x1024x32
> 

But does it make videotest work?

> [boot ]
> Booting a command list
> [boots, but no usb keyboard/mouse]
> 

USB problem is on Linux side.

> I see "ls" reports (hd0,gpt1-4) and (hd1,gpt1-4), but there is only one hd (actually a sdd)?!

This was fixed today (hit it on itanium)
-- 
Regards
Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> >>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>>>>>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
> >>>>>>>> [mailto:grub-devel-
> >>>>>>>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> >>>>>>>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> >>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
> >>>>>>>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> >>>>>>>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> What does grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub say Do you run everything as
> >> root?
> >>>
> >>> $ sudo grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub
> >>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /boot/grub $ sudo grub-probe
> >>> -t fs /efi/boot
> >>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /efi/boot
> >>>
> >>
> >> Do you have those directories?
> >
> > Yes:
> > /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT (fat)
> > /mnt/sda2/boot/grub (hfs+)
> 
> /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT isn't /efi/boot.

Agreed, but it didn't find /mnt/sda2/boot/grub either...

> >>> Insmod videotest
> >>> Insmod efi_gop
> >>> Videotest
> >>> [drops down a line, but no further output] <ctrl c> Color 0:
> >>> ff000000 Color 1: ffa80000 ...
> >>> Color 15: fffefefe
> >>>
> >>> Note that the video is output via hdmi -> dvi adapter that came with
> >>> the mac mini
> >>
> >> What does "videoinfo" say? Does "videotext" work if you set
> >> gfxmode="800x600" explicitly? (try other resolutions as well)
> >>
> > videoinfo
> > List of supported video modes:
> > Legend: mask/position = red/green/blue/reserved
> > Adapter: `EFI GOP driver`:
> > 0x000 1280 x 1024 x 32 direct color, mask 8/8/8/8 pos: 16/8/0/24
> >
> > gfxmode=1280x1024x32
> >
> 
> But does it make videotest work?

No, same thing - after <ctrl c> I get color 0, etc

> USB problem is on Linux side.

A combination of rEFIt/grub classic on the 4th (ext3) partition boots the same vmlinuz/initrd without problems.

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 2393 bytes --]

On 09.06.2012 12:29, John Frankish wrote:

>>>>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>>>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
>>>>>>>>>> [mailto:grub-devel-
>>>>>>>>>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
>>>>>>>>>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>>>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, 08 June, 2012 19:29
>>>>>>>>>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
>>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What does grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub say Do you run everything as
>>>> root?
>>>>>
>>>>> $ sudo grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub
>>>>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /boot/grub $ sudo grub-probe
>>>>> -t fs /efi/boot
>>>>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /efi/boot
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Do you have those directories?
>>>
>>> Yes:
>>> /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT (fat)
>>> /mnt/sda2/boot/grub (hfs+)
>>
>> /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT isn't /efi/boot.
> 
> Agreed, but it didn't find /mnt/sda2/boot/grub either...
> 

I don't have the exact output for those. Do you still have any problem
with grub-install.

>>>>> Insmod videotest
>>>>> Insmod efi_gop
>>>>> Videotest
>>>>> [drops down a line, but no further output] <ctrl c> Color 0:
>>>>> ff000000 Color 1: ffa80000 ...
>>>>> Color 15: fffefefe
>>>>>
>>>>> Note that the video is output via hdmi -> dvi adapter that came with
>>>>> the mac mini
>>>>
>>>> What does "videoinfo" say? Does "videotext" work if you set
>>>> gfxmode="800x600" explicitly? (try other resolutions as well)
>>>>
>>> videoinfo
>>> List of supported video modes:
>>> Legend: mask/position = red/green/blue/reserved
>>> Adapter: `EFI GOP driver`:
>>> 0x000 1280 x 1024 x 32 direct color, mask 8/8/8/8 pos: 16/8/0/24
>>>
>>> gfxmode=1280x1024x32
>>>
>>
>> But does it make videotest work?
> 
> No, same thing - after <ctrl c> I get color 0, etc
> 

Hm, sounds like there is a firmware bug in GOP. What a surprise.

>> USB problem is on Linux side.
> 
> A combination of rEFIt/grub classic on the 4th (ext3) partition boots the same vmlinuz/initrd without problems.

You probably boot in BIOS mode with GRUB Legacy which results in
completely different hardware init and presence of BIOS tables in
0xa0000-0x100000 range. This probably makes difference but the issue is
either Linux or Apple hardware init.

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


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org [mailto:grub-devel-
> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> Sent: Saturday, 09 June, 2012 14:50
> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> >>>>>> What does grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub say Do you run everything
> >>>>>> as
> >>>> root?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> $ sudo grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub
> >>>>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /boot/grub $ sudo
> >>>>> grub-probe -t fs /efi/boot
> >>>>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /efi/boot
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Do you have those directories?
> >>>
> >>> Yes:
> >>> /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT (fat)
> >>> /mnt/sda2/boot/grub (hfs+)
> >>
> >> /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT isn't /efi/boot.
> >
> > Agreed, but it didn't find /mnt/sda2/boot/grub either...
> >
> 
> I don't have the exact output for those. Do you still have any problem with
> grub-install.

I didn't try it again - I note that it did not create /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT/grub/fonts, nor copy unicode.pf2 into /fonts

> >>>>> Insmod videotest
> >>>>> Insmod efi_gop
> >>>>> Videotest
> >>>>> [drops down a line, but no further output] <ctrl c> Color 0:
> >>>>> ff000000 Color 1: ffa80000 ...
> >>>>> Color 15: fffefefe
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Note that the video is output via hdmi -> dvi adapter that came
> >>>>> with the mac mini
> >>>>
> >>>> What does "videoinfo" say? Does "videotext" work if you set
> >>>> gfxmode="800x600" explicitly? (try other resolutions as well)
> >>>>
> >>> videoinfo
> >>> List of supported video modes:
> >>> Legend: mask/position = red/green/blue/reserved
> >>> Adapter: `EFI GOP driver`:
> >>> 0x000 1280 x 1024 x 32 direct color, mask 8/8/8/8 pos: 16/8/0/24
> >>>
> >>> gfxmode=1280x1024x32
> >>>
> >>
> >> But does it make videotest work?
> >
> > No, same thing - after <ctrl c> I get color 0, etc
> >
> 
> Hm, sounds like there is a firmware bug in GOP. What a surprise.

insmod font
loadfont unicode
set debug=video
videotest
video/efi_gop.c 388: GOP: keeping mode 0
video/efi_gop.c 496: GOP: initializing FB @ 0x91000000 1280x1024x32
video/efi_gop.c 521: GOP: success
<ctrl c>
color 0...

> >> USB problem is on Linux side.
> >
> > A combination of rEFIt/grub classic on the 4th (ext3) partition boots the
> same vmlinuz/initrd without problems.
> 
> You probably boot in BIOS mode with GRUB Legacy which results in
> completely different hardware init and presence of BIOS tables in
> 0xa0000-0x100000 range. This probably makes difference but the issue is
> either Linux or Apple hardware init.
> 
I note the hd controller does not start in ahci mode with grub legacy, but otherwise OK.

Should the fakebios command help with grub2-efi?

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 3179 bytes --]

On 09.06.2012 13:16, John Frankish wrote:

>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org [mailto:grub-devel-
>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>> Sent: Saturday, 09 June, 2012 14:50
>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
>>>>>>>> What does grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub say Do you run everything
>>>>>>>> as
>>>>>> root?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> $ sudo grub-probe -t fs /boot/grub
>>>>>>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /boot/grub $ sudo
>>>>>>> grub-probe -t fs /efi/boot
>>>>>>> Error: failed to get canonical path of /efi/boot
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Do you have those directories?
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes:
>>>>> /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT (fat)
>>>>> /mnt/sda2/boot/grub (hfs+)
>>>>
>>>> /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT isn't /efi/boot.
>>>
>>> Agreed, but it didn't find /mnt/sda2/boot/grub either...
>>>
>>
>> I don't have the exact output for those. Do you still have any problem with
>> grub-install.
> 
> I didn't try it again - I note that it did not create /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT/grub/fonts, nor copy unicode.pf2 into /fonts
> 

Do you have /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ?

>>>>>>> Insmod videotest
>>>>>>> Insmod efi_gop
>>>>>>> Videotest
>>>>>>> [drops down a line, but no further output] <ctrl c> Color 0:
>>>>>>> ff000000 Color 1: ffa80000 ...
>>>>>>> Color 15: fffefefe
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Note that the video is output via hdmi -> dvi adapter that came
>>>>>>> with the mac mini
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What does "videoinfo" say? Does "videotext" work if you set
>>>>>> gfxmode="800x600" explicitly? (try other resolutions as well)
>>>>>>
>>>>> videoinfo
>>>>> List of supported video modes:
>>>>> Legend: mask/position = red/green/blue/reserved
>>>>> Adapter: `EFI GOP driver`:
>>>>> 0x000 1280 x 1024 x 32 direct color, mask 8/8/8/8 pos: 16/8/0/24
>>>>>
>>>>> gfxmode=1280x1024x32
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> But does it make videotest work?
>>>
>>> No, same thing - after <ctrl c> I get color 0, etc
>>>
>>
>> Hm, sounds like there is a firmware bug in GOP. What a surprise.
> 
> insmod font
> loadfont unicode
> set debug=video
> videotest
> video/efi_gop.c 388: GOP: keeping mode 0
> video/efi_gop.c 496: GOP: initializing FB @ 0x91000000 1280x1024x32
> video/efi_gop.c 521: GOP: success
> <ctrl c>
> color 0...


Could you try reverting r4365 ? How many graphics cards and how many
outputs do you have?

> 
>>>> USB problem is on Linux side.
>>>
>>> A combination of rEFIt/grub classic on the 4th (ext3) partition boots the
>> same vmlinuz/initrd without problems.
>>
>> You probably boot in BIOS mode with GRUB Legacy which results in
>> completely different hardware init and presence of BIOS tables in
>> 0xa0000-0x100000 range. This probably makes difference but the issue is
>> either Linux or Apple hardware init.
>>
> I note the hd controller does not start in ahci mode with grub legacy, but otherwise OK.
> 

It's just another indication of what I told.

> Should the fakebios command help with grub2-efi?

Probably not.
-- 
Regards
Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
> >> [mailto:grub-devel-
> >> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> >> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> >> Sent: Saturday, 09 June, 2012 14:50
> >> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> >> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> >
> > I didn't try it again - I note that it did not create
> > /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT/grub/fonts, nor copy unicode.pf2 into /fonts
> >
> 
> Do you have /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ?

No, I had to take unicode.pf2 from a deb

> >> Hm, sounds like there is a firmware bug in GOP. What a surprise.
> >
> > insmod font
> > loadfont unicode
> > set debug=video
> > videotest
> > video/efi_gop.c 388: GOP: keeping mode 0 video/efi_gop.c 496: GOP:
> > initializing FB @ 0x91000000 1280x1024x32 video/efi_gop.c 521: GOP:
> > success <ctrl c> color 0...
> 
> 
> Could you try reverting r4365 ? How many graphics cards and how many
> outputs do you have?
> 

Sorry, but what is meant by "reverting r4365"?

This is a mid-2011 mac mini server.

There's one graphics output (hdmi) unless you count the thunderbolt(?) connector

There's one graphics card, an Intel HD3000:

lspci
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0116] (rev 09

Xorg.0.log
[    17.023] (II) intel(0): Integrated Graphics Chipset: Intel(R) Sandybridge Mobile (GT2)

> >>>> USB problem is on Linux side.
> >>>
> >>> A combination of rEFIt/grub classic on the 4th (ext3) partition
> >>> boots the
> >> same vmlinuz/initrd without problems.
> >>
> >> You probably boot in BIOS mode with GRUB Legacy which results in
> >> completely different hardware init and presence of BIOS tables in
> >> 0xa0000-0x100000 range. This probably makes difference but the issue
> >> is either Linux or Apple hardware init.
> >>
> > I note the hd controller does not start in ahci mode with grub legacy, but
> otherwise OK.
> >
> 
> It's just another indication of what I told.
> 
> > Should the fakebios command help with grub2-efi?
> 
> Probably not.

So we're saying that I cannot boot the mac mini into linux using grub2-efi/linux-3.0.21 as things stand today?

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1444 bytes --]

On 09.06.2012 13:42, John Frankish wrote:

>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
>>>> [mailto:grub-devel-
>>>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
>>>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>>>> Sent: Saturday, 09 June, 2012 14:50
>>>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
>>>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
>>>
>>> I didn't try it again - I note that it did not create
>>> /mnt/sda1/EFI/BOOT/grub/fonts, nor copy unicode.pf2 into /fonts
>>>
>>
>> Do you have /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ?
> 
> No, I had to take unicode.pf2 from a deb
> 

That explains why it wasn't copied.

> 
> Sorry, but what is meant by "reverting r4365"?
> 

bzr diff -r 4365..4364 | bzr patch

> This is a mid-2011 mac mini server.
> 
> There's one graphics output (hdmi) unless you count the thunderbolt(?) connector

Is it possible to have different outputs on thunderbolt and hdmi?

> 
> So we're saying that I cannot boot the mac mini into linux using grub2-efi/linux-3.0.21 as things stand today?

Do you really expect to run somewhat old kernel (3.0.21) on the hardware
featuring newest bugs? I'd recommend using 3.3 at least.

> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel
> 



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


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org [mailto:grub-devel-
> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> Sent: Saturday, 09 June, 2012 16:00
> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> 
> On 09.06.2012 13:42, John Frankish wrote:
> 
> 
> >
> > Sorry, but what is meant by "reverting r4365"?
> >
> 
> bzr diff -r 4365..4364 | bzr patch

Ah - OK, I think we're reaching the point where this is becoming too much like hard work.

> > This is a mid-2011 mac mini server.
> >
> > There's one graphics output (hdmi) unless you count the thunderbolt(?)
> > connector
> 
> Is it possible to have different outputs on thunderbolt and hdmi?

I'm afraid I don't know - I don't have any thunderbolt hardware and I have not seen anything in the apple docs on the subject.
I mostly use the mac mini with linux

> >
> > So we're saying that I cannot boot the mac mini into linux using grub2-
> efi/linux-3.0.21 as things stand today?
> 
> Do you really expect to run somewhat old kernel (3.0.21) on the hardware
> featuring newest bugs? I'd recommend using 3.3 at least.
> 
Well 3.0.21 is more recent than the hardware, but OK.

Thanks for your help on this, I think I'll leave this where we are for the moment.

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Chris Murphy]

On Jun 9, 2012, at 6:09 AM, John Frankish wrote:
>> 
> Well 3.0.21 is more recent than the hardware, but OK.

Means nothing, sorry. I'm running 3.3.7 and it still does not properly deal with MacbookPro 8,2 Radeon video when booting in EFI mode, even though that model is over 1 year old. And it was only recently with a 3.3.0 kernel that I could EFI boot a Macbook Pro 4,1 due to memory/VBIOS corruption for Nvidia graphics. That hardware is, what, four years old?

Chris Murphy

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 107 bytes --]

Can you give as exact reference about your mac?

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


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org [mailto:grub-devel-
> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> Sent: Monday, 11 June, 2012 01:39
> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> 
> Can you give as exact reference about your mac?
> 
> --
> Regards
> Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko

From dmesg: 

DMI 2.4 present.
DMI: Apple Inc. Macmini5,3/Mac-7BA5B2794B2CDB12, BIOS MM51.88Z.0075.B00.1106271442 06/27/2011
Mac mini server - quad-core i7 - 8gb ram - single 250gb ssd

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
> > [mailto:grub-devel-
> > bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> > coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> > Sent: Monday, 11 June, 2012 01:39
> > To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> > Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> >
> > Can you give as exact reference about your mac?
> >
> > --
> > Regards
> > Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> 
> From dmesg:
> 
> DMI 2.4 present.
> DMI: Apple Inc. Macmini5,3/Mac-7BA5B2794B2CDB12, BIOS
> MM51.88Z.0075.B00.1106271442 06/27/2011 Mac mini server - quad-core i7 -
> 8gb ram - single 250gb ssd

For some reason, I don't seem to be able to leave this alone...

Some more testing:

1. I can boot from a usb stick on a dell latitude e6220 using uefi without problems. If I take the same usb stick
and try to boot on the mac mini using efi from power-on <alt gr>, it boots to X, but the usb keyboard/mouse do not work. 

2. Using the same version of grub2.00~beta6, installed in the same way, on the first (gpt) partition of the mac mini hd (ssd),
it appears to start booting, but the screen remains blank.

3. With both usb stick/hd (ssd) boot on the mac mini, the grub-efi command line works and the following switches video mode:

insmod font
loadfont unicode
insmod efi_gop
insmod gfxterm
set gfxterm=auto
terminal_output gfxterm

With the usb stick boot, nothing is echoed to the screen after boot from the grub prompt until the kernel kmode driver loads,
with the hd (ssd) boot nothing is echoed to the screen at all.

What I have difficulty understanding is that the usb stick boot fails in one way and the hd (ssd) boot fails in a different way on
the same machine. Note that grub.cgf was copied from the usb stick to the hd (ssd) and the only change made was the
location of the kernel/initrd - (hd2,gpt2) -> (hd1,gpt4)

Any ideas?

Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 2302 bytes --]

On 20.06.2012 07:48, John Frankish wrote:

>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
>>> [mailto:grub-devel-
>>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
>>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>>> Sent: Monday, 11 June, 2012 01:39
>>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
>>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
>>>
>>> Can you give as exact reference about your mac?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Regards
>>> Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
>>
>> From dmesg:
>>
>> DMI 2.4 present.
>> DMI: Apple Inc. Macmini5,3/Mac-7BA5B2794B2CDB12, BIOS
>> MM51.88Z.0075.B00.1106271442 06/27/2011 Mac mini server - quad-core i7 -
>> 8gb ram - single 250gb ssd
> 
> For some reason, I don't seem to be able to leave this alone...
> 
> Some more testing:
> 
> 1. I can boot from a usb stick on a dell latitude e6220 using uefi without problems. If I take the same usb stick
> and try to boot on the mac mini using efi from power-on <alt gr>, it boots to X, but the usb keyboard/mouse do not work. 
> 
> 2. Using the same version of grub2.00~beta6, installed in the same way, on the first (gpt) partition of the mac mini hd (ssd),
> it appears to start booting, but the screen remains blank.
> 
> 3. With both usb stick/hd (ssd) boot on the mac mini, the grub-efi command line works and the following switches video mode:
> 
> insmod font
> loadfont unicode
> insmod efi_gop
> insmod gfxterm
> set gfxterm=auto
> terminal_output gfxterm
> 
> With the usb stick boot, nothing is echoed to the screen after boot from the grub prompt until the kernel kmode driver loads,
> with the hd (ssd) boot nothing is echoed to the screen at all.
> 
> What I have difficulty understanding is that the usb stick boot fails in one way and the hd (ssd) boot fails in a different way on
> the same machine. Note that grub.cgf was copied from the usb stick to the hd (ssd) and the only change made was the
> location of the kernel/initrd - (hd2,gpt2) -> (hd1,gpt4)
> 
> Any ideas?
> 

Did you modify the UUIDs in grub.cfg?

_______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel



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


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
> >>> [mailto:grub-devel-
> >>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> >>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> >>> Sent: Monday, 11 June, 2012 01:39
> >>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> >>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> >>>
> >>> Can you give as exact reference about your mac?
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Regards
> >>> Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> >>
> >> From dmesg:
> >>
> >> DMI 2.4 present.
> >> DMI: Apple Inc. Macmini5,3/Mac-7BA5B2794B2CDB12, BIOS
> >> MM51.88Z.0075.B00.1106271442 06/27/2011 Mac mini server - quad-core
> >> i7 - 8gb ram - single 250gb ssd
> >
> > For some reason, I don't seem to be able to leave this alone...
> >
> > Some more testing:
> >
> > 1. I can boot from a usb stick on a dell latitude e6220 using uefi
> > without problems. If I take the same usb stick and try to boot on the mac
> mini using efi from power-on <alt gr>, it boots to X, but the usb
> keyboard/mouse do not work.
> >
> > 2. Using the same version of grub2.00~beta6, installed in the same
> > way, on the first (gpt) partition of the mac mini hd (ssd), it appears to start
> booting, but the screen remains blank.
> >
> > 3. With both usb stick/hd (ssd) boot on the mac mini, the grub-efi
> command line works and the following switches video mode:
> >
> > insmod font
> > loadfont unicode
> > insmod efi_gop
> > insmod gfxterm
> > set gfxterm=auto
> > terminal_output gfxterm
> >
> > With the usb stick boot, nothing is echoed to the screen after boot
> > from the grub prompt until the kernel kmode driver loads, with the hd
> (ssd) boot nothing is echoed to the screen at all.
> >
> > What I have difficulty understanding is that the usb stick boot fails
> > in one way and the hd (ssd) boot fails in a different way on the same
> > machine. Note that grub.cgf was copied from the usb stick to the hd
> > (ssd) and the only change made was the location of the kernel/initrd -
> > (hd2,gpt2) -> (hd1,gpt4)
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> 
> Did you modify the UUIDs in grub.cfg?
> 
Sorry, but what do you mean by that - I've tried referencing the usb stick UUID in the kernel boot line on the usb stick,
(it didn't change anything) but not on the hd (ssd) boot.

..Perhaps you mean something else?

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> > >>> -----Original Message-----
> > >>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
> > >>> [mailto:grub-devel-
> > >>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> > >>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> > >>> Sent: Monday, 11 June, 2012 01:39
> > >>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> > >>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> > >>>
> > >>> Can you give as exact reference about your mac?
> > >>>
> > >>> --
> > >>> Regards
> > >>> Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> > >>
> > >> From dmesg:
> > >>
> > >> DMI 2.4 present.
> > >> DMI: Apple Inc. Macmini5,3/Mac-7BA5B2794B2CDB12, BIOS
> > >> MM51.88Z.0075.B00.1106271442 06/27/2011 Mac mini server - quad-
> core
> > >> i7 - 8gb ram - single 250gb ssd
> > >
> > > For some reason, I don't seem to be able to leave this alone...
> > >
> > > Some more testing:
> > >
> > > 1. I can boot from a usb stick on a dell latitude e6220 using uefi
> > > without problems. If I take the same usb stick and try to boot on
> > > the mac
> > mini using efi from power-on <alt gr>, it boots to X, but the usb
> > keyboard/mouse do not work.
> > >
> > > 2. Using the same version of grub2.00~beta6, installed in the same
> > > way, on the first (gpt) partition of the mac mini hd (ssd), it
> > > appears to start
> > booting, but the screen remains blank.
> > >
> > > 3. With both usb stick/hd (ssd) boot on the mac mini, the grub-efi
> > command line works and the following switches video mode:
> > >
> > > insmod font
> > > loadfont unicode
> > > insmod efi_gop
> > > insmod gfxterm
> > > set gfxterm=auto
> > > terminal_output gfxterm
> > >
> > > With the usb stick boot, nothing is echoed to the screen after boot
> > > from the grub prompt until the kernel kmode driver loads, with the
> > > hd
> > (ssd) boot nothing is echoed to the screen at all.
> > >
> > > What I have difficulty understanding is that the usb stick boot
> > > fails in one way and the hd (ssd) boot fails in a different way on
> > > the same machine. Note that grub.cgf was copied from the usb stick
> > > to the hd
> > > (ssd) and the only change made was the location of the kernel/initrd
> > > -
> > > (hd2,gpt2) -> (hd1,gpt4)
> > >
> > > Any ideas?
> > >
> >
> > Did you modify the UUIDs in grub.cfg?
> >
> Sorry, but what do you mean by that - I've tried referencing the usb stick
> UUID in the kernel boot line on the usb stick, (it didn't change anything) but
> not on the hd (ssd) boot.
> 
> ..Perhaps you mean something else?

Ah - I presume you meant something like this:

search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e94de7a3-149b-4554-bc02-6129467534a9

menuentry "core" {
  linux /boot/vmlinuz quiet noswap
  initrd /boot/core.gz
}

..where the uuid refers to the 2nd, ext2, partition on the usb stick.

This makes the usb stick "portable" between dell laptop and mac mini, but doesn't solve the problem of the mac mini not booting

RE: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[John Frankish]

> > > >>> -----Original Message-----
> > > >>> From: grub-devel-bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org
> > > >>> [mailto:grub-devel-
> > > >>> bounces+j-frankish=slb.com@gnu.org] On Behalf Of Vladimir 'f-
> > > >>> coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> > > >>> Sent: Monday, 11 June, 2012 01:39
> > > >>> To: grub-devel@gnu.org
> > > >>> Subject: Re: FW: grub-efi with latest mac mini
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Can you give as exact reference about your mac?
> > > >>>
> > > >>> --
> > > >>> Regards
> > > >>> Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko
> > > >>
> > > >> From dmesg:
> > > >>
> > > >> DMI 2.4 present.
> > > >> DMI: Apple Inc. Macmini5,3/Mac-7BA5B2794B2CDB12, BIOS
> > > >> MM51.88Z.0075.B00.1106271442 06/27/2011 Mac mini server - quad-
> > core
> > > >> i7 - 8gb ram - single 250gb ssd
> > > >
> > > > For some reason, I don't seem to be able to leave this alone...
> > > >
> > > > Some more testing:
> > > >
> > > > 1. I can boot from a usb stick on a dell latitude e6220 using uefi
> > > > without problems. If I take the same usb stick and try to boot on
> > > > the mac
> > > mini using efi from power-on <alt gr>, it boots to X, but the usb
> > > keyboard/mouse do not work.
> > > >
> > > > 2. Using the same version of grub2.00~beta6, installed in the same
> > > > way, on the first (gpt) partition of the mac mini hd (ssd), it
> > > > appears to start
> > > booting, but the screen remains blank.
> > > >
> > > > 3. With both usb stick/hd (ssd) boot on the mac mini, the grub-efi
> > > command line works and the following switches video mode:
> > > >
> > > > insmod font
> > > > loadfont unicode
> > > > insmod efi_gop
> > > > insmod gfxterm
> > > > set gfxterm=auto
> > > > terminal_output gfxterm
> > > >
> > > > With the usb stick boot, nothing is echoed to the screen after
> > > > boot from the grub prompt until the kernel kmode driver loads,
> > > > with the hd
> > > (ssd) boot nothing is echoed to the screen at all.
> > > >
> > > > What I have difficulty understanding is that the usb stick boot
> > > > fails in one way and the hd (ssd) boot fails in a different way on
> > > > the same machine. Note that grub.cgf was copied from the usb stick
> > > > to the hd
> > > > (ssd) and the only change made was the location of the
> > > > kernel/initrd
> > > > -
> > > > (hd2,gpt2) -> (hd1,gpt4)
> > > >
> > > > Any ideas?
> > > >
> > >
> > > Did you modify the UUIDs in grub.cfg?
> > >
> > Sorry, but what do you mean by that - I've tried referencing the usb
> > stick UUID in the kernel boot line on the usb stick, (it didn't change
> > anything) but not on the hd (ssd) boot.
> >
> > ..Perhaps you mean something else?
> 
> Ah - I presume you meant something like this:
> 
> search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e94de7a3-149b-4554-bc02-
> 6129467534a9
> 
> menuentry "core" {
>   linux /boot/vmlinuz quiet noswap
>   initrd /boot/core.gz
> }
> 
> ..where the uuid refers to the 2nd, ext2, partition on the usb stick.
> 
> This makes the usb stick "portable" between dell laptop and mac mini, but
> doesn't solve the problem of the mac mini not booting

As I could boot without problems from a usb stick on a dell laptop in uefi boot mode,
I hadn't thought of recompiling the kernel.

Recompiling the 3.0.21 kernel with:

CONFIG_EFI=y
CONFIG_FB_EFI=y
CONFIG_EFI_VARS=y
CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION=y

..the mac mini will now boot from hd and usb stick in efi boot mode.

Thanks for the help and pointers.

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[irrational John]

On Fri, Jun 8, 2012 at 1:35 PM, John Frankish <j-frankish@slb.com> wrote:
>
> If I try "grub-install --target= x86_64-efi /dev/sda", then I believe it will write a new mbr
>

At the risk of diverging from the actual subject of this thread, I
couldn't help asking if you have created a backup of either your
current Mac Mini installation or even just of the (protective or
hybrid?) MBR itself?

You seem to be very worried about what would happen if your MBR was
accidentally over-written. So I would expect that being able to
restore (it) from a backup would be one of the first bullets on your
project checklist. No?

But I guess what especially confuses me is my understanding is that
the MBR is *not* used and is irrelevant when EFI and GPT are used. I
would not expect GRUB to overwrite an MBR in the context of EFI
because it would not accomplish anything. Would it?

-irrational (and confused) john

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Chris Murphy]

a.) Mac Mini's EFI implementation can use either MBR or GPT schemes for booting.

b.) If this is a dual boot situation, Mac OS X is EFI only, effectively requires GPT and an EFI System partition. Your particular Linux distribution support of Apple's unique EFI, which is not UEFI, determines whether you will boot Linux or Windows or whatever you're booting, either in EFI mode, or CSM (BIOS emulation) mode.

c.) If CSM is required for the foreign OS, and this particular Mac mini, then GRUB2 EFI is inapplicable. You'd use GRUB2. And it necessarily means the nasty situation of hybrid MBR (disk appears to be MBR to the foreign OS, and appears to be GPT to Mac OS).

d.) The only distributions I know that reliably support EFI booting some Mac models is Fedora 17 and Ubuntu 12. But it's hit or miss on which models will work and which ones won't.


Chris Murphy

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1198 bytes --]

On 08.06.2012 20:34, Chris Murphy wrote:

> a.) Mac Mini's EFI implementation can use either MBR or GPT schemes for booting.
> 
> b.) If this is a dual boot situation, Mac OS X is EFI only, effectively requires GPT and an EFI System partition. Your particular Linux distribution support of Apple's unique EFI, which is not UEFI, determines whether you will boot Linux or Windows or whatever you're booting, either in EFI mode, or CSM (BIOS emulation) mode.
> 

Wrong. EFI doesn't require GPT or other round. Mac OS X installer will
refuse to install on GPT but if you force it, Mac OS X will be able to
boot alright. Also Mac OS doesn't use EFI system partition other than
for firmware updates.

> c.) If CSM is required for the foreign OS, and this particular Mac mini, then GRUB2 EFI is inapplicable. You'd use GRUB2.

> And it necessarily means the nasty situation of hybrid MBR (disk appears to be MBR to the foreign OS, and appears to be GPT to Mac OS).
> 

You mix again 2 things: you can boot in BIOS mode (CSM) on pure GPT as
well. Windows is an exception since Microsoft pretends that possible is
impossible.


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


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Seth Goldberg]

> You mix again 2 things: you can boot in BIOS mode (CSM) on pure GPT as
> well. Windows is an exception since Microsoft pretends that possible is
> impossible.

   Unless you have a stupid BIOS that doesn't boot from the disk if your DOS 
partition table has no entries (i.e. the GPT PMBR) marked active.

  --S

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Chris Murphy]

On Jun 8, 2012, at 12:57 PM, Seth Goldberg wrote:

> 
>> You mix again 2 things: you can boot in BIOS mode (CSM) on pure GPT as
>> well. Windows is an exception since Microsoft pretends that possible is
>> impossible.
> 
>  Unless you have a stupid BIOS that doesn't boot from the disk if your DOS partition table has no entries (i.e. the GPT PMBR) marked active.

If the MBR contains two entries, and the PMBR is the entry with active flag set, Apple's CSM will not activate.

Only MBR entries 2, 3 or 4 can be activated to cause the CSM to activate.


Chris Murphy

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Seth Goldberg]

Quoting Chris Murphy, who wrote the following on Fri, 8 Jun 2012:

>
> On Jun 8, 2012, at 12:57 PM, Seth Goldberg wrote:
>
>>
>>> You mix again 2 things: you can boot in BIOS mode (CSM) on pure GPT as
>>> well. Windows is an exception since Microsoft pretends that possible is
>>> impossible.
>>
>>  Unless you have a stupid BIOS that doesn't boot from the disk if your DOS partition table has no entries (i.e. the GPT PMBR) marked active.
>
> If the MBR contains two entries, and the PMBR is the entry with active flag set, Apple's CSM will not activate.
>
> Only MBR entries 2, 3 or 4 can be activated to cause the CSM to activate.

   That makes sense, since setting the PMBR as active is a violation of the 
UEFI spec.

  --S

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Chris Murphy]

On Jun 8, 2012, at 12:50 PM, Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko wrote:

> On 08.06.2012 20:34, Chris Murphy wrote:
> 
>> a.) Mac Mini's EFI implementation can use either MBR or GPT schemes for booting.
>> 
>> b.) If this is a dual boot situation, Mac OS X is EFI only, effectively requires GPT and an EFI System partition. Your particular Linux distribution support of Apple's unique EFI, which is not UEFI, determines whether you will boot Linux or Windows or whatever you're booting, either in EFI mode, or CSM (BIOS emulation) mode.
>> 
> 
> Wrong. EFI doesn't require GPT or other round.

I never said it did.

> Mac OS X installer will
> refuse to install on GPT but if you force it, Mac OS X will be able to
> boot alright.

As I said, in effect, Mac OS X is EFI only and requires GPT. The number of people who will either hack the installer, or convert from GPT to MBR or APM is perhaps in the dozens,  or <0.1% of Apple hardware owners.


> Also Mac OS doesn't use EFI system partition other than
> for firmware updates.

Unclear. All Apple computers with Mac OS X running, have an identical Firmware.scap file installed to the EFI System partition. The file is placed there after system installation, but before software updates, and without user permission - unlike firmware updates. I don't know what it is used for.

In any event, present usage of this partition type isn't an indicator of future usage. At any time Apple could start using it, e.g. with Boot Camp to support Windows 8 EFI booting.

> You mix again 2 things: you can boot in BIOS mode (CSM) on pure GPT as
> well. Windows is an exception since Microsoft pretends that possible is
> impossible.

False. Apple's CSM will not activate unless the following three things are true:

1. MBR is present, with more than one entry.
2. At least one MBR entry must have the active flag set.
3. The first 440 bytes of the MBR can't be zeros. i.e. there needs to be something that looks like a boot loader might be present.

If any one of those three things is not true, the CSM will not activate on any of the 1/2 dozen hardware models I've tested this on. It appears to be by design.


Chris Murphy

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1051 bytes --]


>> Mac OS X installer will
>> refuse to install on GPT but if you force it, Mac OS X will be able to
>> boot alright.
> 
> As I said, in effect, Mac OS X is EFI only and requires GPT. The number of people who will either hack the installer, or convert from GPT to MBR or APM is perhaps in the dozens,  or <0.1% of Apple hardware owners.
> 

It doesn't mean that it's forced, more of unpopular.

> 
>> Also Mac OS doesn't use EFI system partition other than
>> for firmware updates.
> 
> Unclear. All Apple computers with Mac OS X running, have an identical Firmware.scap file installed to the EFI System partition.

Ok, idk what this file is for.

>> You mix again 2 things: you can boot in BIOS mode (CSM) on pure GPT as
>> well. Windows is an exception since Microsoft pretends that possible is
>> impossible.
> 
> False. Apple's CSM will not activate unless the following three things are true:

Have you tried to forcibly activate it with appleloader GRUB command?
-- 
Regards
Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko


[-- Attachment #2: OpenPGP digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 294 bytes --]

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Chris Murphy]

On Jun 8, 2012, at 1:18 PM, Vladimir 'φ-coder/phcoder' Serbinenko wrote:

> It doesn't mean that it's forced, more of unpopular.

It's forced if you want firmware updates.


> 
>> 
>>> Also Mac OS doesn't use EFI system partition other than
>>> for firmware updates.
>> 
>> Unclear. All Apple computers with Mac OS X running, have an identical Firmware.scap file installed to the EFI System partition.
> 
> Ok, idk what this file is for.

I'm thinking it's CSM related because it contains references to BIOS.


> 
>>> You mix again 2 things: you can boot in BIOS mode (CSM) on pure GPT as
>>> well. Windows is an exception since Microsoft pretends that possible is
>>> impossible.
>> 
>> False. Apple's CSM will not activate unless the following three things are true:
> 
> Have you tried to forcibly activate it with appleloader GRUB command?

You mean from GRUB2-EFI? No. If you mean GRUB2 (for BIOS), I get nowhere near GRUB if any of those three things are not true. Apple's EFI simply fails to see the disk as valid for anything other than Mac OS X, or totally invalid if there is no Mac OS X.

It seems the sequence is Apple's EFI scans the disk for those three things, and only then activates the CSM, which then executes the first 440 bytes of the MBR. I don't know if the CSM has a dependency on an active flag or not, or if it just blindly executes those 440 bytes.

Chris Murphy

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Georg Wicherski]

On 06/08/2012 08:34 PM, Chris Murphy wrote:
> d.) The only distributions I know that reliably support EFI booting some Mac models is Fedora 17 and Ubuntu 12. But it's hit or miss on which models will work and which ones won't.

After doing grub manually myself, Debian wheezy works like a charm.

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Chris Murphy]

On Jun 8, 2012, at 2:01 PM, Georg Wicherski wrote:

> On 06/08/2012 08:34 PM, Chris Murphy wrote:
>> d.) The only distributions I know that reliably support EFI booting some Mac models is Fedora 17 and Ubuntu 12. But it's hit or miss on which models will work and which ones won't.
> 
> After doing grub manually myself, Debian wheezy works like a charm.

What hardware model? You're absolutely sure it's booting EFI and not with the CSM? What happens if you type efibootmgr -v in terminal?

Chris Murphy

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Georg Wicherski]

On 06/09/2012 02:58 AM, Chris Murphy wrote:
> What hardware model? You're absolutely sure it's booting EFI and not with the CSM?

Yes, I've only installed the grub EFI binary on the EFI FAT boot partition.

> What happens if you type efibootmgr -v in terminal?

Don't have such a binary, what is that supposed to be part of?

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Chris Murphy]

On Jun 9, 2012, at 6:07 AM, Georg Wicherski wrote:

> On 06/09/2012 02:58 AM, Chris Murphy wrote:
>> What hardware model? You're absolutely sure it's booting EFI and not with the CSM?
> 
> Yes, I've only installed the grub EFI binary on the EFI FAT boot partition.
> 
>> What happens if you type efibootmgr -v in terminal?
> 
> Don't have such a binary, what is that supposed to be part of?

That is what sets NVRAM content used for EFI booting. If you don't have it, I'm skeptical that this is an EFI installation.

What do you get from:

dmesg | grep -i efi

and/or

ls -l /sys/firmware


Chris Murphy

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Georg Wicherski]

Haters gonna hate! ;)

On 06/09/2012 08:02 PM, Chris Murphy wrote:
> dmesg | grep -i efi

$ dmegs | egrep 'EFI|debian' | head -n5
[    0.000000] Linux version ???-amd64 (Debian ???)
(debian-kernel@lists.debian.org) (gcc version 4.6.3 (Debian 4.6.3-1) )
#1 SMP Fri Apr 6 05:01:55 UTC 2012
[    0.000000] Command line:
BOOT_IMAGE=(hd0,gpt1)/EFI/BOOT/vmlinuz-???-amd64
root=/dev/mapper/ssda-root ro quiet splash
[    0.000000] EFI v1.10 by Apple
[    0.000000] Kernel-defined memdesc doesn't match the one from EFI!
[    0.000000] EFI: mem00: type=7, attr=0x80000000000000f,
range=[0x0000000000000000-0x000000000008e000) (0MB)

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Chris Murphy]

On Jun 9, 2012, at 12:42 PM, Georg Wicherski wrote:

> Haters gonna hate! ;)
> 
> On 06/09/2012 08:02 PM, Chris Murphy wrote:
>> dmesg | grep -i efi
> 
> $ dmegs | egrep 'EFI|debian' | head -n5
> [    0.000000] Linux version ???-amd64 (Debian ???)
> (debian-kernel@lists.debian.org) (gcc version 4.6.3 (Debian 4.6.3-1) )
> #1 SMP Fri Apr 6 05:01:55 UTC 2012
> [    0.000000] Command line:
> BOOT_IMAGE=(hd0,gpt1)/EFI/BOOT/vmlinuz-???-amd64
> root=/dev/mapper/ssda-root ro quiet splash
> [    0.000000] EFI v1.10 by Apple
> [    0.000000] Kernel-defined memdesc doesn't match the one from EFI!
> [    0.000000] EFI: mem00: type=7, attr=0x80000000000000f,
> range=[0x0000000000000000-0x000000000008e000) (0MB)

Usually there's a ton of EFI related stuff with an EFI boot. Dozens of lines. But that the kernel memdesc doesn't match EFI's is a pretty good sign it's an EFI boot. What about:

ls -l /sys/firmware

And what model hardware is this? And what Linux kernel version?


Chris Murphy

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Georg Wicherski]

On 06/09/2012 09:19 PM, Chris Murphy wrote:
> Usually there's a ton of EFI related stuff with an EFI boot. Dozens of lines. But that the kernel memdesc doesn't match EFI's is a pretty good sign it's an EFI boot.

I guess that's related to `head -n5`. ;)

> And what model hardware is this? And what Linux kernel version?

Why does it matter? It works. :)

Re: grub-efi with latest mac mini

[Chris Murphy]

On Jun 9, 2012, at 2:52 PM, Georg Wicherski wrote:
> 
> 
>> And what model hardware is this? And what Linux kernel version?
> 
> Why does it matter? It works. :)

It's irritating when people answer simple questions with irrelevant questions.

It matters because usually it does not work. Only until recently have Macs been EFI booting instead of depending on the CSM, like when booting Windows. So it's nice to know what machines can do this and which one's can't. It's not universally working. 

Chris Murphy