[syslinux] efi config hang

[Carl Karsten]

On Wed, Dec 12, 2018 at 4:00 PM Carl Karsten <carl at personnelware.com> wrote:
>
> 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,

or is it?

I just realized maybe efi can avoid that file, and so path to bios
files is fine.


> 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



-- 
Carl K