[syslinux] efi config hang

[Carl Karsten]

On Tue, Dec 11, 2018 at 9:19 PM Ady Ady via Syslinux <syslinux at zytor.com> wrote:
>
>
> > >
> > > You should be able to see the effects of the DISPLAY directive when
> > > testing the floppy image I sent you, because it starts with the boot
> > > prompt, not with a menu.
> >
> > I see the effects, both good and bad.  I'm having trouble knowing how
> > bad the bad is.
>
>
> How about comparing it with the current behaviour in BIOS mode?

Everything in current BIOS mode works perfectly as far as I can tell.
We know things are different with efi, but that alone isn't a blocker.

I don't have a efi config that is similar enough to the bios version
to be able to do any sort of 1:1 comparison.

Creating this similar config is what I am trying to do now.   details
at the end of this post.

>
>
> > I'm not really worried about text displaying correctly (or at all) as
> > long as it doesn't seem to be hung.
>
>
> This suggestion was made in order to distinguish a potential "apparent
> hang" vs. "it really hang". It was not really about "text clarity".
>

I'll look at this again, but I've lost track of where it is.
syslx64debian604displayfiles?

>
> > > BTW, Debian's prompt.cfg has one line INCLUDEing another cfg file,
> > > 'exithelp.cfg'. Although I mentioned this "exithelp.cfg" file in my "15
> > > steps" in a previous email, I did not mention that this 'exithelp.cfg'
> > > file is incorrect, because I didn't want to add complexity to the
> > > instructions (and considering that your intention was/is to send a
> > > patch to Debian).
> >
> > Now might be a good time to fix this.  I have someones ear that will
> > likely accept simple patches.
>
>
> Good, because the current "exithelp.cfg" in boot.img:
>
> label menu
>         kernel vesamenu.c32
>         config syslinux.cfg
>
>
> is incorrect, and the corresponding file for Debian's ISO images:
>
> label menu
>         kernel vesamenu.c32
>         config isolinux.cfg
>
> is incorrect too.
>
> Depending on what exactly Debian actually want(ed) to achieve with this
> "exithelp.cfg" file, either:
>
> _ there is a need for some additional cfg file (and correct this one);
> or
>
> _ at least one of the directives is misused; or
>
> _ at least one of the directives should not be there.
>
>
> Whichever the change, it would need thorough testing of all cases /
> scenarios before the next freeze / release.

the end of the help screens show:
"Press F2 through F10 for details, or ENTER to boot:"
it doesn't bother to say: "type menu to get back to the menu."  which
is what this seems to provide.

I'd go with the simplest change, which I';m hoping is
> _ at least one of the directives is misused; or

or, ss long as it isn't causing problems with efi, I'm happy to leave it alone.


>
>
> > My current plan is to put together an hd-media/boot.img that one would
> > expect to work based on the docs.
> > I think I need to move all the legacy binaries into boot/syslinux
> > leave the config files in /
> > and have a boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg that links to /menu.cfg
> >
> > and see if legacy still works
> >
> > breaking legacy boot is a blocker.
>
>
> Well, we basically already tested this concept, with the 15 steps I
> posted (and that you followed) in a prior email, plus the later
> amendment in order to workaround a known bug in the PATH directive.

moving the binaries into boot/syslinux
and changing the path in /syslinux.cfg

path /boot/syslinux

doesn't break anything...

target/
├── adgtk.cfg
├── adspkgtk.cfg
├── adtxt.cfg
├── boot
│   └── syslinux
│       ├── libcom32.c32
│       ├── libutil.c32
│       └── vesamenu.c32
├── disk.lbl
├── exithelp.cfg
├── f10.txt
├── f1.txt
├── f2.txt
├── f3.txt
├── f4.txt
├── f5.txt
├── f6.txt
├── f7.txt
├── f8.txt
├── f9.txt
├── g2ldr
├── g2ldr.mbr
├── gtk.cfg
├── initrdg.gz
├── initrd.gz
├── ldlinux.c32
├── ldlinux.sys
├── linux
├── menu.cfg
├── NvVars
├── prompt.cfg
├── rqgtk.cfg
├── rqspkgtk.cfg
├── rqtxt.cfg
├── setup.exe
├── spkgtk.cfg
├── splash.png
├── stdmenu.cfg
├── syslinux.cfg
├── txt.cfg
└── win32-loader.ini

except that PATH into the bios files is a problem for efi,  so I'm
trying to move syslinux.cfg
into target/boot/syslinux but I can't figure out how to do it.

this file gives me a boot: prompt

# target/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg
# path /
default /boot/syslinux/vesamenu.c32
CONFIG ../../menu.cfg ../../
prompt 0
timeout 0





-- 
Carl K