[syslinux] PXELINUX [BIOS] 6.02 - Upgrade to 6.02 from 4.07 introduces local boot regression

[Ady]

> upgraded from version 4.07 to version 6.02 and, without making any edits to
> my default menu, immediately noticed a regression. I use vesamenu.c32 to
> present a menu to the user which starts with something like this:
> 
> default vesamenu.c32
>     prompt 0
> 
>     menu title Host Provisioning Tool
>     menu INCLUDE pxelinux.cfg/graphics.conf
>     MENU AUTOBOOT Starting Local System in # seconds
>     MENU BACKGROUND splash.jpg
> 
>     label bootlocal
>       menu label ^Boot This Host
>       menu default
>       localboot 0
>       timeout 80
> 
> Prior to upgrading to pxelinux 6.02 If you did nothing for 8 seconds the
> system would boot from the local disk. Now the system will hang after the
> timeout. The only visual difference I can discern is that when the system
> properly boots I see a message briefly indicating the PXE boot rom had
> exited properly. Now with version 6.02 It hangs just before that.
> 
> Another datapoint, I reverted back to version 6.01 and the problem seems to
> be resolved.
> Final datapoint, if you hit "enter" instead of waiting for the timeout
> (using version 6.02) it will boot properly
> 
> My basic question is what is right place to report this issue to the
> project?
 
I would say that this mailing list is a good starting point to report 
the issue :).

Although there seems to be some kind of regression, I'd like to 
suggest some potential workarounds, at least for testing purposes.

First, please be sure you are using all C32 modules from the exact 
same Syslinux version, including ldlinux.c32 and all lib*.c32 library 
modules, all located somewhere under the "./bios/" directory path of 
Syslinux 6.02.

Regarding Syslinux 6.02; is that from kernel.org or from other 
source? Are you using built-in official upstream binary files, or are 
you rebuilding them from source?

After the official release of Syslinux 6.02, there were some patches. 
I would suggest trying the current Syslinux package from Arch Linux, 
which includes some of those recent patches already. The patches were 
not specifically related to LOCALBOOT, but I'd think it's worth a 
test anyway.

Instead of 'LOCALBOOT 0', have you tried the localboot.c32 module?

I would also suggest testing a slight change in your default 
configuration file. Instead of:
 default vesamenu.c32
I would suggest using:
 UI vesamenu.c32
 DEFAULT bootlocal
 # where 'bootlocal' is your LABEL for 'LOCALBOOT'.

Reporting the results for each potential workaround might help narrow 
down the problem.

TIA,
Ady.