grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

[bean123]

I suspect that for the others - MBP nvidia and IMac radeon, there is still a problem when getting out of desktop with CtrlAltF1 to console, getting blank screen or crazy screen.
So may be the same basic problem with common use of the intel_agp and agpgart and similar solution, IDK.

But I have to recheck all this.

Yeah, I believe so. For example, your imac81:

read_dword 0xd0526110
0x10000

You could try changing it to 0.

The problem with intel card is that the driver has needs_scratch_page set, so that it initialize gart in console mode, resulting in the crazy screen. For other cards, the display range is also invalid, but it doesn't touch agp until after X starts. The result is similar to the previous needs_scratch_page quick fix in #485.

[pxwpxw]

Yeah, I believe so. For example, your imac81:

read_dword 0xd0526110
0x10000

You could try changing it to 0.

The problem with intel card is that the driver has needs_scratch_page set, so that it initialize gart in console mode, resulting in the crazy screen. For other cards, the display range is also invalid, but it doesn't touch agp until after X starts. The result is similar to the previous needs_scratch_page quick fix in #485.

IMAC81 - Radeon 2600HD chip -
Tried write_dword 0xd0526110 0 - no good.
Seems to be different with the Radeon 2600HD chip
It seemed to be shifting the space in use by the grub boot screen.
Results might be of interest - referring to attached pics.
-----------
1-write-0.jpg

read_dword 0xd0526110
10000
write_dword 0xd0526110 0
-------------
2-shift-0.jpg writing 0

Immediately at the write, the old boot screen text is shifted to right (about 1/2 screen )
current boot text is still normal on center.
-----------
3-shift-8000.jpg writing 0x8000

The old boot screen text is shifted to right ( 1/4 screen )
current boot text is center normal
------------
4-bootscreen.jpg

after boot from this menuentry there was no text. (with or without noefi)

menuentry "loadbios hd0,4 sda4" {
root=hd0,4
fix_video
loadbios /boot/vbios.bin /boot/int10.bin
sleep 1
root=hd0,4
linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda4 video=vesafb noefi
initrd /initrd.img
}

When the desktop ran, exit from desktop to console was a black screen, same as before.

That was D1GRPH_PRIMARY_SURFACE_ADDRESS = 0x6110,

I looked at the xorg radeon driver rhd_regs.h and tried reading a few others and found all 0 or ffffffff.
I dont know what others might work (have tried your original 3 suggestions).

It would be nice to solve that one, but we can get full console access with alternative menuentry to boot using video=efifb and the xorg Driver "fbdev". Or boot 'single' to root console with video=efifb. Or boot into runlevel 2 without automatic gui login.
I could live with that.

I will try the other suggestions about getting an efi-agp desktop on the MacBookPro for nvida driver.

[bean123]

This new grub.efi add video fix for Intel 945GM, thanks pxwpxw for the testing.

[cyberdork33]

I am not getting anywhere on iMac5,1 (sorry I've been gone).

Trying to load the ivt.bin just gives an error "Invalid int10 dump size"

and no boot (it just hangs)

Also trying to boot how I did before works, but I have a non-working keyboard again. (w/ video=efifb acpi=force noefi)

[bean123]

I am not getting anywhere on iMac5,1 (sorry I've been gone).

Trying to load the ivt.bin just gives an error "Invalid int10 dump size"

and no boot (it just hangs)

Also trying to boot how I did before works, but I have a non-working keyboard again. (w/ video=efifb acpi=force noefi)

The commands usage change a little bit.

First, it doesn't support the whole ivt.bin, only int10.bin. In fact, you don't need to worry about the details if you use grub-dumpbios to generate the files:

sudo grub-dumpbios -o /boot/

And in grub2:

loadbios /boot/vbios.bin /boot/int10.bin

Also, if you have intel graphic card, you could try the new fix_video command and fix the screen distortion problem in console mode.

[pxwpxw]

This new grub.efi add video fix for Intel 945GM, thanks pxwpxw for the testing.

grub32.efi #523 0n MacBook21 booting Ubuntu810 2.6.27 x86.
All goes well, agp with efi boot or pc-bios boot has same performance.

Result is only for ubuntu810 x86
Linux mb21 2.6.27-7-generic #1 SMP Fri Oct 24 06:42:44 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/

lsmod | grep agp
intel_agp 33724 1
agpgart 42184 3 drm,intel_agp

lspci -nn | grep 945
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML
and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub [8086:27a0] (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS,
943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:27a2] (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME,
943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:27a6] (rev 03)
-------------------------
Setting up-

No blacklist.
No fbdev, just the xorg intel driver, with agp enabled.
Not required here - grub-dumpbios (vbios.bin int10.bin) or loadbios
Required - fix_video (fix the console screen to enable agp)
Required - video=efifb to get console screen text.

grub.cfg

menuentry "grub523 sda3" {
 root=hd0,3
 fix_video
 linux  /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 video=efifb
 initrd  /initrd.img
}

#/etc/X11/xorg.conf
# same for grub32.efi and grub-pc boot
Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Driver	"intel"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"

[cyberdork33]

The commands usage change a little bit.

First, it doesn't support the whole ivt.bin, only int10.bin. In fact, you don't need to worry about the details if you use grub-dumpbios to generate the files:

sudo grub-dumpbios -o /boot/

And in grub2:

loadbios /boot/vbios.bin /boot/int10.bin

Also, if you have intel graphic card, you could try the new fix_video command and fix the screen distortion problem in console mode.

OK thanks. I will try to give this a shot today.

I have a Radeon X1600.

[step21]

Hello, just tested the newest *efi.
Grub boot test seems fine, card is reported as Intel 965 GM

Bootup is w/o any output, obviousy, and one has to be sure to drop quite and splash from the default arguments passed to the kernel as before. (or maybe only splash, dunno), but I'm sure you know that already.
At first I thought there were no distortions/glitches at all, then after reading the thread a bit I tried switching to console mode, and it basically just garbles the desktop image, but shows no console whatsoever. switching back works, but afterwards I had a nice black line across my screenshot below.

[pxwpxw]

Hello, just tested the newest *efi.
Grub boot test seems fine, card is reported as Intel 965 GM

Bootup is w/o any output, obviousy, and one has to be sure to drop quite and splash from the default arguments passed to the kernel as before. (or maybe only splash, dunno), but I'm sure you know that already.
At first I thought there were no distortions/glitches at all, then after reading the thread a bit I tried switching to console mode, and it basically just garbles the desktop image, but shows no console whatsoever. switching back works, but afterwards I had a nice black line across my screenshot below.

Did you set video=efifb to get a console? (My post above).

[step21]

yeah, I talked to bean on irc and then I set it and it worked. I think I was just under the impression that if you didn't set efifb but used loadrom etc instead that this would be taken care of, but it seems console video mode and X video mode are much more seperate.