[Linux-ia64] gnu-efi-3.0/elilo-3.0 packages available

[Linux-ia64] gnu-efi-3.0/elilo-3.0 packages available

[Stephane Eranian]

Hi,

I have uploaded the new version of the GNU-EFI package.
This version is the first one for which the libaries+include
files are separated from the bootloader (elilo).

As of this version:
	- gnu-efi-3.0.tar.gz: contains the efi library, header files,
                              and crt0s.
	- elilo-3.0.tar.gz  : contains the bootloader

Both packages are available from the HP Labs FTP site:

	ftp://ftp.hpl.hp.com/pub/linux-ia64/gnu-efi-3.0.tar.gz
	ftp://ftp.hpl.hp.com/pub/linux-ia64/elilo-3.0.tar.gz

What's new ?
-----------
	gnu-efi-3.0:
		- split libraries and bootloader.
		- got rid of the W2U() macro, use -fshort-wchar instead.
		- better ia-32 support.

	elilo-3.0:
		- split libraries and bootloader.
		- ext2fs file access.
		- possibility to access files on any (recognized) device.
		- efi/ia32 loader (not fully tested, requires EFI >\x12.36) (Mike Johnston).
		- rewritten wrapper code for gzip loader (Tony Luck).
		- completely rewritten filsystem interface (uses EFI protocol interface).
		- device naming scheme interface.
		- cleanup chooser interface.
		- machine-specific config file when netbooting (based on IP address)
		  (suggestion from Egan Ford).
		- architecture specific options support
		- possibility to specify a particular FPSWA driver file (IA-64 only)
		- many more cleanups and bug fixes (see ChangeLog)
		- more documentation (see all READMEs).
		- EDD3.0 is now forced
			
System Requirements:
--------------------
		- elilo-3.0 will boot any kernel >= 2.4.3
		- both elilo-3.0 and gnu-efi-3.0 require a GNU compiler with -fshort-wchar support (>= 2.96).
		- Stock 2.96 toolchain won't produce valid binaries without BFD specific patches.
		- for both architectures, it is recommended to use gcc-3.0 release which is known to 
		  generate valid binaries. Binary for elilo (elilo.efi) included in package.

		- EFI >= 12.33. Known issues with ext2fs (BlockIO access) and firmware Build103E. Build99, Build83
		  are known to work.

Enjoy,

-- 
-Stephane

Re: [Linux-ia64] gnu-efi-3.0/elilo-3.0 packages available

[Richard Hirst]

Hi
  I'm working on the debian installer for ia64, and have just picked
up elilo-3.0.  I'm trying to use it interactively, with an elilo.conf.
At the fsX: prompt I type 'elilo' and hit return.  It shows me the device
names and a prompt, but any key I press just drops me back to an fsX:
prompt.  Is this a known problem, or is it more likely a local
problem with my config or elilo build?

I'm also interested in having elilo pick up kernel images from an
ext2 partition, but can see the different naming schemes causing me
real pain.  Is anyone working on an elilo naming scheme
that more closely mirrors the kernel scheme?  I havn't experimented much
yet, but say I have sda1 as my EFI partition, sda2 and /, sda3 as /boot,
and I want to pick up kernels from /boot.  It seems to me that the
elilo name for sda3 is going to change, depending on what partitions I
happen to create on, say, sdd.  A new vfat partition on sdd1 would
make the elilo name for sda3 change from, say scsi3 to scsi4, if I have
understood correctly.

Thanks,
  Richard

Re: [Linux-ia64] gnu-efi-3.0/elilo-3.0 packages available

[Stephane Eranian]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 2424 bytes --]

On Thu, Jul 12, 2001 at 10:01:36AM +0100, Richard Hirst wrote:
> Hi
>   I'm working on the debian installer for ia64, and have just picked
> up elilo-3.0.  I'm trying to use it interactively, with an elilo.conf.
> At the fsX: prompt I type 'elilo' and hit return.  It shows me the device
> names and a prompt, but any key I press just drops me back to an fsX:
> prompt.  Is this a known problem, or is it more likely a local
> problem with my config or elilo build?
> 
The correct fix is attached at the end of this mail.

> I'm also interested in having elilo pick up kernel images from an
> ext2 partition, but can see the different naming schemes causing me
> real pain.  Is anyone working on an elilo naming scheme
> that more closely mirrors the kernel scheme?  I havn't experimented much
> yet, but say I have sda1 as my EFI partition, sda2 and /, sda3 as /boot,
> and I want to pick up kernels from /boot.  It seems to me that the
> elilo name for sda3 is going to change, depending on what partitions I
> happen to create on, say, sdd.  A new vfat partition on sdd1 would
> make the elilo name for sda3 change from, say scsi3 to scsi4, if I have
> understood correctly.

Well, that is a tough problem and maybe you looked at the README.devschemes
where I try to explain it. The default scheme in elilo-3.0 does have the
problem you mentioned above. But it is already better than the fsX: provided
by the EFI shell in that is does isolate the floppy/CDROM from the SCSI
disks. Clearly if you add partitions on your SCSI disks  then things
may shift even though the changes were on a different disk.

Now, I believe it is possible to write a device scheme that would mimic the
Linux way of doing things. However it is not a trivial piece of code.
The danger of course is to get small differences it we do not get this right.
And small differences are worse than something we know upfront is different.
Also the other issue is that it would create a new dependency between the
bootloader and the kernel, if anything changes if the way the kernel finds
and names devices, it would have to be propagated back to the boot loader. 
In the bootloader design, we have tried to minimize this as much as possible.

Anyway, if you are interested in building such a module for elilo, I am very
supportive of it and I am willing to help you. I am not sure I'll get the
resources to do this anytime soon...

Thanks.

-- 
-Stephane

[-- Attachment #2: elilo-010723.diff --]
[-- Type: text/plain, Size: 197 bytes --]

--- elilo-3.0/util.c	Mon Jul  2 00:57:29 2001
+++ elilo-3.1/util.c	Mon Jul 23 16:01:34 2001
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@
 
 	BS->CloseEvent(timer);
 
-	return idx ? -1 : 0;
+	return idx ? 1 : 0;
 }
 
 INTN