grub2 EFI boot loader internal/external booting

[bean123]

Trying now.

Meanwhile heres something -

This is the MBP41 2GB syslog but from grub-pc-bios boot, so dont know what relevance to efifb - and cannot boot fully from grub.efi just yet.
Nothing in Xorg.0.log, I think the Nvidia driver takes over.

[    1.486410] Write protecting the kernel read-only data: 936k
[    1.529073] vesafb: framebuffer at 0x91000000, mapped to 0xf8880000, using 1536k, total 14336k
[    1.529081] vesafb: mode is 1024x768x8, linelength=1024, pages=3
[    1.529084] vesafb: scrolling: redraw
[    1.529087] vesafb: Pseudocolor: size=8:8:8:8, shift=0:0:0:0
[    1.529219] Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 128x48
[    1.541977] fb0: VESA VGA frame buffer device

That's it, 0x91000000 is the magic number, this version should be working now.

[pxwpxw]

That's it, 0x91000000 is the magic number, this version should be working now.

Tried both, still not there, both similar result -

Video mode 1920x1200 - 32@0
i: 40000
Can't find f b.....

That 32@0 again.

I should recheck and confirm the MBP manual 0x80000000 setting with the patches, not done so far. Unless you have another one to try now, I will recheck first thing tomorrow, its late here, could be making errors.

[bean123]

Tried both, still not there, both similar result -

Video mode 1920x1200 - 32@0
i: 40000
Can't find f b.....

That 32@0 again.

I should recheck and confirm the MBP manual 0x80000000 setting with the patches, not done so far. Unless you have another one to try now, I will recheck first thing tomorrow, its late here, could be making errors.

OMG, I found a silly typo, 0x910000000. This one should really work.

[pxwpxw]

OMG, I found a silly typo, 0x910000000. This one should really work.

Not yet. Still 'Can't find .... '
I added debug=linux, see picture.

The earlier grub.efi were showing correctly -
Video mode: 1920x1200 - 32 @60
then it went to 32@0

I am reviewing previous MBP results with manual setting video_base , and will try get some debugging from the iteration, and with rev 1996 + efi.diff - lot of changes there, noted that some differ for MBP v/s IMAC.

Previously MBP wanted line_length left at 8192.

If the VFB is at 0x91000000 then it would have to be virtual and/or in VRAM when there is only 2GB RAM - I don't know how that works.

Also need to check the IMAC81 with 2GB RAM.

Will post when I have something useful.

[bean123]

Not yet. Still 'Can't find .... '
I added debug=linux, see picture.

The earlier grub.efi were showing correctly -
Video mode: 1920x1200 - 32 @60
then it went to 32@0

I am reviewing previous MBP results with manual setting video_base , and will try get some debugging from the iteration, and with rev 1996 + efi.diff - lot of changes there, noted that some differ for MBP v/s IMAC.

Previously MBP wanted line_length left at 8192.

If the VFB is at 0x91000000 then it would have to be virtual and/or in VRAM when there is only 2GB RAM - I don't know how that works.

Also need to check the IMAC81 with 2GB RAM.

Will post when I have something useful.

Frame buffer can be mapped to any address inside 4G, it's not related to the available memory. In fact, it's usually mapped to address above the physical memory limit to avoid conflict.

Perhaps you can try to set the address manually and see when the video is displayed correctly, here is a list:

0x80000000, 0x80010000, 0x80100000, 0x81000000,
0x90000000, 0x90010000, 0x90100000, 0x91000000

[pxwpxw]

Frame buffer can be mapped to any address inside 4G, it's not related to the available memory. In fact, it's usually mapped to address above the physical memory limit to avoid conflict.

Perhaps you can try to set the address manually and see when the video is displayed correctly, here is a list:

0x80000000, 0x80010000, 0x80100000, 0x81000000,
0x90000000, 0x90010000, 0x90100000, 0x91000000

Yes, I have rev 1996 (unpatched) running, iteration finds 0x90000000,
that gives undecoded video, overriding video_base to 0x80000000 gives linux full screen good text. Just about to check some other numbers as you suggest. (MBP41 2GB)

[bean123]

Yes, I have rev 1996 (unpatched) running, iteration finds 0x90000000,
that gives undecoded video, overriding video_base to 0x80000000 gives linux full screen good text. Just about to check some other numbers as you suggest. (MBP41 2GB)

This grub.efi adds it to the scan list, hopefully it will detect the frame buffer.

[pxwpxw]

This grub.efi adds it to the scan list, hopefully it will detect the frame buffer.

Try that now, heres result for some others -

checked for linux startup text on mbp41 with 2GB ram grub2 rev1996

correct text display
80000000, 80010000

scrambled text (dots) in full screen
90000000, 90010000

nothing (black)
c0010000

[pxwpxw]

This grub.efi adds it to the scan list, hopefully it will detect the frame buffer.

No, still Cant find---

I note that my grub2 r 1996 is now returning
Video mode 1920x1200 - 32@0

Does this mean there is bug in efi_call_5 (.... &rate) ?

static int
grub_linux_setup_video (struct linux_kernel_params *params)
{
  grub_efi_uga_draw_protocol_t *c;
  grub_uint32_t width, height, depth, rate;

  c = grub_efi_locate_protocol (&uga_draw_guid, 0);
  if (! c)
    return 1;

  if (efi_call_5 (c->get_mode, c, &width, &height, &depth, &rate))
    return 1;

  grub_printf ("Video mode: %ux%u-%u@%u\n", width, height, depth, rate);

[bean123]

No, still Cant find---

I note that my grub2 r 1996 is now returning
Video mode 1920x1200 - 32@0

Does this mean there is bug in efi_call_5 (.... &rate) ?

static int
grub_linux_setup_video (struct linux_kernel_params *params)
{
  grub_efi_uga_draw_protocol_t *c;
  grub_uint32_t width, height, depth, rate;

  c = grub_efi_locate_protocol (&uga_draw_guid, 0);
  if (! c)
    return 1;

  if (efi_call_5 (c->get_mode, c, &width, &height, &depth, &rate))
    return 1;

  grub_printf ("Video mode: %ux%u-%u@%u\n", width, height, depth, rate);

efi_call_5 seems ok, however, I do find issue in efi_call_6. After fixing it, grub.efi can now chainloader osx without error. What a catch !