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Thread: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

  1. #1
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    grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    Grub2 Ubuntu Wiki
    Good intro to the Grub2 packages current status and testing, common features for grub-pc grub-efi.
    https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Grub2
    https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/Grub2Testing

    Grub wiki howto's for Apple efi
    http://grub.enbug.org/TestingOnMacbook
    http://grub.enbug.org/TestingOnEFI

    grub2 source.
    http://svn.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/t...ub2/?root=grub

    MailingLists - Grub Wiki grub-devel.
    http://grub.enbug.org/MailingLists

    IRC channel #grub


    grub.efi installation booting Xserve
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Xserve2-1
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Xserve1-1

    Ubuntu wiki page for grub.efi
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Ma...FI-Boot-Mactel

    MactelSupportTeam/CommunityHelpPages
    https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MactelSuppor...unityHelpPages
    ------------------------------------
    13 july 2009
    Bean's latest update to support later Apple Macs EFI graphics protocol change from UGA Draw to Graphics UEFI (MBP5.2, 5.3 and others).

    Source Patch at grub-devel thread 'Support graphics output protocol in EFI, Bean' 12july2009, link at post #856
    Beta binary grub.efi , note fakebios --enable-rom at post #849
    Check graphics protocol using' About rEFIt', post #847/8

    23 june 2099 post #772
    grub-efi64.tar.gz at post #772 is a small package with a 64bit binary from the grub-efi_1.96+20090523-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb, plus example grub.cfg for an external boot.

    17 june 2009 (page 77 post #766 )
    Ubuntu karmic alpha has < grub-efi_1.96+20090523-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb >, which is up to SVN grub2 rev 2233 - with all the Apple Intel Mac revs from grub devs Bean and phcoder, you can install this in ubuntu and then run grub-mkimage from linux to build your grub.efi with preloaded modules.

    14 may 2009 post #762
    rev 2202 fat binary posted (for 64 and 32 bit efi).

    24 april 2009
    Xserve2,1 with 10GB RAM booting linux. post #680 patched svn grub2 rev 2121

    11 april 2009
    SVN grub2 rev 2074 has latest patches for Apple efi as debugged on here..

    9 april 2009
    Latest grub.efi binaries at post #523, some later binaries with additional debugging output. Not finalised on grub-devel and SVN yet.

    25 march 2009

    Testing svn rev 2043 starting post #483 with separate patch loadrom.diff for
    imac81 x86_64 with ati radeon 2600HD and ati fglrx driver agp. (all working).

    17 March2009.
    Latest binary grub32 and grub64 efi at post #405
    Not yet on SVN trunk

    =========
    This thread is a record of discussion and debugging about the grub2 grub-efi bootloader on an Apple intel mac. ( Grub2 can also be configured for pc-bios and openfirmware. ) grub.efi can boot external drives and can be installed on OSX or other HFSPlus partitons. Requires kernel version 2.6.26 or later.

    2008 Apple intel macs changed from 32bit to 64 bit firmware.
    So there is grub.efi for 32 bit and 64 bit.

    You can use it without refit, but then it must be blessed which can only be done by Macosx or the Macosx install DVD.

    It is blessed using a terminal in macosx
    Something like this (drag the filenames from the finder widow to the terminal window command line)

    mb:~ pxw$ sudo bless --folder /Volumes/hfsp/efi/ --file /Volumes/hfsp/efi/grub/grub.efi

    Links -
    GNU GRUB Wiki
    http://grub.enbug.org/
    TestingOnEFI
    http://grub.enbug.org/TestingOnEFI
    TestingOnMacbook
    http://grub.enbug.org/TestingOnMacbook
    Browsing the SVN Repository
    http://svn.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/?root=grub
    Last edited by pxwpxw; July 13th, 2009 at 07:30 AM. Reason: Update needed

  2. #2
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    Re: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    Update - 20090409
    Not necessary to blacklist agp for later MBP nvida and IMAC radeon.
    grub efi boot can run agp with ATI fglrx on IMAC81 for ubuntu 810, or xorg radeon driver for ubuntu904, but only xorg fbdev for MBP nvidia.
    For MacBook2,1 a special 'fix_video' hack enabled using intel_agp for intel video chip (945,965) without blacklist.
    -----------

    To work with the efi framebuffer efifb,
    in grub.cfg we have (example)-
    linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 video=efifb agp=off

    In ubuntu we need to disable the agp modules to access the console, and use the fbdev driver for the desktop in X.

    1. blacklist agp
    copy this text to a file named blacklist-agp.
    Code:
    ## /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-agp
    ## blacklist to disable agp for use with efifb framebuffer
    ## agpgart and all agp modules in ubuntu 810 i386 intrepid.
    ## modprobe -l *agp
    ## 20081129 pxw
    ##
    blacklist agpgart
    blacklist amd-k7-agp
    blacklist amd64-agp
    blacklist sworks-agp
    blacklist ati-agp
    blacklist via-agp
    blacklist sis-agp
    blacklist efficeon-agp
    blacklist intel-agp
    blacklist ali-agp
    blacklist nvidia-agp
    ##
    then copy it to the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

    Code:
    $ sudo cp blacklist-agp /etc/modprobe.d/
    To return to agp, remove this file from the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

    2. edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf to use fbdev.
    Save a copy of existing xorg.conf for changing back to existing x configuration.

    Here is a single Section mini xorg.conf for intrepid xubuntu on a MacBook to use the fbdev driver.

    If you have an xorg.conf with Section "Device", just edit that Section in the Driver line, leave the Identifier line as is.

    /etc/X11/xorg.conf

    Code:
    Section "Device"
    	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
    	Driver 		"fbdev"
    EndSection
    Last edited by pxwpxw; April 9th, 2009 at 09:18 AM.

  3. #3
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    Re: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    Testing on intel mac models.

    It took 3 minutes to download to Macosx desktop extract and install the grub folder in /efi with refit, change the folder name from efi to EFI, restart to refit and boot grub.efi to the grub boot menu, and from the grub menu boot back into Macosx, or reboot.

    That is sufficient to show whether grub.efi runs on the mac model firmware, and should boot an i386 kernel version 2.6.26 or later (internal or external booting), graphics using the efi framebuffer. To complete this to linux text login then requires blacklisting agpgart and the agp module, xserver requires driver fbdev for the desktop.

    (Similar install time without refit, blessing the EFI folder and the grub.efi file.)

    Results so far for different mac models -
    Test results grub-efi bootloader for apple intel mac models.

    1. Mac models (Macosx menu:apple--aboutthismac--more--hardware)

    Works for Mac mini (models unknown)

    Works for MacBook2,1.

    Does not work for MacBook3,1
    Does not work for MacBook4,1

    Untested for other intel mac models.

    2. Kernels (uname -r)

    Works for i386 2.6.26 or later (EFI is enabled in ubuntu generic kernel)

    Does not work for amd64 (loads kernel, but linux initialization fails)
    Last edited by pxwpxw; December 14th, 2008 at 12:52 PM.

  4. #4
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    Re: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    Test reports.

    MacBook2,1 (or earlier?) i386 kernel (pxwpxw)
    http://grub.enbug.org/TestingOnMacbook
    -----------------
    MacBook2,1 amd64 (12021)
    Blessable Boot Partition
    http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=995276

    gub.efi loads its full grub text menu and command line.
    loads the amd64 kernel and initramfs, intscripts run. Then fails to load root, no keyboard, no logs.
    I tried an x86_64 build of grub, refit but apple efi refused to load it.
    Could still be used for another i386 internal or external system on the same mac.
    --------------------
    Intel Mac mini - model? i386 kernel
    http://grub.enbug.org/TestingOnEFI

    Intel Mac mini c2d
    Finally a solution to USB-booting ubuntu on a mac (Nosferax)
    http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=869324
    -----------------
    MacBook3,1 i386 kernel. (MackTracker)
    Installing Ubuntu on Portable Hard Drive???
    http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=999892

    Mac3,1 firmware will not load grub.efi. refit says unsupported.
    --------------
    MacBook4,1 (shadowdude1794)
    Unsupported while loading grub.efi
    http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...38&postcount=8
    --------------
    Last edited by pxwpxw; December 14th, 2008 at 12:58 PM. Reason: update

  5. #5
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    Re: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    I think the MacBook 4,1 should be added as unable to load grub.efi.

  6. #6
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    Re: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    Quote Originally Posted by shadowdude1794 View Post
    I think the MacBook 4,1 should be added as unable to load grub.efi.
    Thanks for reporting, sorry it did not work (I take it you tried it and got nothing).

  7. #7
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    Re: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    No need to be sorry, and I did. All I get is this:
    Code:
    Unsupported while loading grub.efi
    However, I am using the rEFIt CD instead of installing it, but I don't think that would effect it. I have heard (but I'm not sure) that the 3,1 and 4,1 are similar, so they both might be effected by the same problem.

    Hope this helps!

  8. #8
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    Re: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    Yes, thats the kiss of death. refit cd should be ok if it was going to work. It helps.

  9. #9
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    Re: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    Do you know of anything that might work instead? I have frantically been trying to get my MacBook to boot from the 8gb USB stick I bought, and nothing seems to work.
    Last edited by shadowdude1794; January 21st, 2009 at 11:06 PM.

  10. #10
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    Re: grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

    Quote Originally Posted by shadowdude1794 View Post
    Do you know of anything that might work instead? I have been franticly been trying to get my MacBook to boot from the 8gb USB stick I bought, and nothing seems to work.
    No, I have not seen any alternative to grub2-efi for external booting, but there may be. There was elilo for efi but I have no info on that. The Santa Rosa 3,1 4,1 apparently have different firmware which does not accept the current grub.efi. No one has tried the later mac models versions so far. Possibly grub2 development may solve that, but coud be a while before that happens.
    We could swap macbooks, I have an 8gb stick booting intrepid on the MacBook2,1.

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