SlackwareThis Forum is for the discussion of Slackware Linux.
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
I have noticed that - but reading the docs, rEFInd does not include a boot loader, only a boot manager. So it would still be the question of using rEFInd with eLilo or Grub2 (or perhaps the Kernel stub loader).
rEFInd, eLiLo and GRUB2 all provide an EFI image (PE/COFF executable) that is an application acting both as a boot manager (allowing to choose the kernel and optionally initrd to load) and a boot loader (actually loading the kernel and optionally the initrd chosen). But the kernel EFI stub acts only as a boot loader (it loads itself). As an aside, the proper naming is not boot loader, rather OS loader.
Last edited by Didier Spaier; 12-14-2018 at 04:58 AM.
I have noticed that - but reading the docs, rEFInd does not include a boot loader, only a boot manager. So it would still be the question of using rEFInd with eLilo or Grub2 (or perhaps the Kernel stub loader).
The linux kernel provided by slackware is compiled with CONFIG_EFI_STUB set, so it will load fine with refind without the need for elilo or grub. I use refind myself (64-bit EFI though).
Edit: this is with slackware current. You would need to ask someone else whether the slackware-14.2 kernel is also compiled with CONFIG_EFI_STUB set, but I would be very surprised if it wasn't.
Last edited by chrisVV; 12-14-2018 at 05:25 AM.
Reason: Refer to slackware-current
Enabling this feature allows a 64-bit kernel to be booted
on a 32-bit firmware, provided that your CPU supports 64-bit
mode.
Note that it is not possible to boot a mixed-mode enabled
kernel via the EFI boot stub - a bootloader that supports
the EFI handover protocol must be used
So, you are out of luck for the EFI stub, and probably also for eLiLo (old code, that probably does not handle the EFI handover protocol), although you still may try.
A recent GRUB2 (version 2.02) could probably do it, and also rEFInd.
Last edited by Didier Spaier; 12-14-2018 at 05:38 AM.
More info about the EFI stub:
So, you are out of luck for the EFI stub, and probably also for eLiLo (old code, that probably does not handle the EFI handover protocol), although you still may try.
A recent GRUB2 (version 2.02) could probably do it, and also rEFInd.
Thank you - things are finally becoming a bit clearer.
I have noticed that - but reading the docs, rEFInd does not include a boot loader, only a boot manager. So it would still be the question of using rEFInd with eLilo or Grub2 (or perhaps the Kernel stub loader).
Since the computer you have bought seems to have only 4GB of memory, I suspect you will get better performance with a 32-bit kernel with PAE (which the 32-bit slackware kernel provides). I have an old 64-bit capable Sandybridge desktop with 4GB memory and it works better with a 32-bit OS, particularly when compiling stuff. You then don't have to bother with booting in mixed mode. But your mileage might vary.
Also, it seems many of these mini pc's with Atom inside have the 32bit UEFI installed - according to the article below to save costs - but I'm not sure I follow completely the gist of the article:
I have a mini-PC quite similar with this Beelink box:
Minisforum Z83-F with Atom x5-Z8350, 4GB RAM DDR3 1066MHz and 64GB eMMC.
Its original software is Windows 10 Pro 64bit, I am pretty sure that it have 64bit UEFI and it runs perfectly Slackware64 -current from a SD-card formatted F2FS.
rEFInd is much more easier and better for configuration for me than grub2. I have use rEFInd since I discover it. It could boot linux kernel (with EFI stub compiled in) without problem. IMHO, grub2 is over engineered and hard to use.
If you want to fine tune your installation there's indeed a lot to learn to master GRUB, really a lot. Is that what you mean?
On the other hand, most often you have at most two commands to type as root:
grub-install <target drive>
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
The first command when you install the system, the second before rebooting when you have installed a new kernel/initrd
Do you want full automation or do it yourself? You choice, but doing it yourself needs learning, there's nothing we can do about it. Then, in addition to "info grub" you may want to read the documentation on ArchWiki.
Last edited by Didier Spaier; 02-06-2021 at 11:04 AM.
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.
