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[REQUEST] Add kernel and systemd-boot support for mixed-mode EFI (`CONFIG_EFI_MIXED`)

Open jokubasver opened this issue 1 year ago • 3 comments

Currently, Clear Linux does not support x64 devices using 32bit IA32 UEFI.

As discussed previously here, it was considered that support for mixed-mode EFI (CONFIG_EFI_MIXED) would be added when systemd-boot supports mixed-mode EFI. This has been the case for a while now: boot: EFI mixed mode support #22550

For example - Arch Linux uses systemd-boot by default, and it does support mixed-mode EFI fully, see here, here and here.

Please consider enabling CONFIG_EFI_MIXED in Clear Linux kernel and bundling systemd-bootia32.efi/BOOTIA32.EFI by default, as this would be very useful for x64 devices using 32bit IA32 UEFI (such as Intel Baytrail x64 CPU/IA32 EFI based tablets).

jokubasver avatar Nov 15 '24 08:11 jokubasver

Update: I can confirm that this works perfectly. Steps taken:

  1. Installed stock Clear Linux OS using Ventoy on my Toshiba WT8-A tablet (Intel Atom Z3740, x64 CPU with IA32 EFI), which does not boot due to missing systemd-bootia32.efi/BOOTIA32.EFI and CONFIG_EFI_MIXED in kernel
  2. On my main desktop machine running VMware, I installed Clear Linux OS, and did a custom kernel compile with CONFIG_EFI_MIXED=y.
  3. This custom kernel was installed on the VM. From there, I was able to get the new linux image from /EFI/org.clearlinux
  4. Back on the tablet, using the live Clear Linux OS ISO, I applied the new custom linux image with mixed EFI support to /EFI/org.clearlinux
  5. Still on the tablet and live ISO, I copied and renamed systemd-bootia32.efi from Clear Linux's /lib/systemd/boot folder, to /EFI/BOOT/BOOTIA32.EFI
  6. Confirm successful boot and operation, check the attached screenshot: Screenshot From 2024-11-16 19-29-48

Since this is now confirmed to work, could we please get this work done on Clear Linux OS?

jokubasver avatar Nov 16 '24 17:11 jokubasver

We've enabled the option in the kernel. The bootloader install bit however is a little more difficult for us to validate (as we don't any of these systems around). If you don't mind adding the file to the EFI partition we can leave that as is otherwise I'd accept patches to clr-boot-manager to figure out platform detection for when to install that file.

bryteise avatar Nov 21 '24 18:11 bryteise

Thanks!

jokubasver avatar Nov 21 '24 18:11 jokubasver