gnu-efi-3.0/elilo-3.0 packages available

Hi,

I have uploaded the new version of the GNU-EFI package. This version is the first one for which the libaries+include files are separated from the bootloader (elilo).

As of this version:
- gnu-efi-3.0.tar.gz: contains the efi library, header files, and crt0s.
- elilo-3.0.tar.gz : contains the bootloader

Both packages are available from the HP Labs FTP site:

	ftp://ftp.hpl.hp.com/pub/linux-ia64/gnu-efi-3.0.tar.gz
	ftp://ftp.hpl.hp.com/pub/linux-ia64/elilo-3.0.tar.gz

What's new ?
-----------
gnu-efi-3.0:
- split libraries and bootloader.
- got rid of the W2U() macro, use -fshort-wchar instead.
- better ia-32 support.

elilo-3.0:
- split libraries and bootloader.
- ext2fs file access.
- possibility to access files on any (recognized) device.
- efi/ia32 loader (not fully tested, requires EFI >.36) (Mike Johnston).
- rewritten wrapper code for gzip loader (Tony Luck).
- completely rewritten filsystem interface (uses EFI protocol interface).
- device naming scheme interface.
- cleanup chooser interface.
- machine-specific config file when netbooting (based on IP address) (suggestion from Egan Ford).
- architecture specific options support
- possibility to specify a particular FPSWA driver file (IA-64 only)
- many more cleanups and bug fixes (see ChangeLog)
- more documentation (see all READMEs).
- EDD3.0 is now forced

System Requirements:
--------------------
- elilo-3.0 will boot any kernel >= 2.4.3
- both elilo-3.0 and gnu-efi-3.0 require a GNU compiler with -fshort-wchar support (>= 2.96).
- Stock 2.96 toolchain won't produce valid binaries without BFD specific patches.
- for both architectures, it is recommended to use gcc-3.0 release which is known to generate valid binaries. Binary for elilo (elilo.efi) included in package.

- EFI >= 12.33. Known issues with ext2fs (BlockIO access) and firmware Build103E. Build99, Build83 are known to work.

Enjoy,

-Stephane

Hi
I'm working on the debian installer for ia64, and have just picked
up elilo-3.0. I'm trying to use it interactively, with an elilo.conf. At the fsX: prompt I type 'elilo' and hit return. It shows me the device names and a prompt, but any key I press just drops me back to an fsX:
prompt. Is this a known problem, or is it more likely a local problem with my config or elilo build?

I'm also interested in having elilo pick up kernel images from an ext2 partition, but can see the different naming schemes causing me real pain. Is anyone working on an elilo naming scheme
that more closely mirrors the kernel scheme? I havn't experimented much yet, but say I have sda1 as my EFI partition, sda2 and /, sda3 as /boot, and I want to pick up kernels from /boot. It seems to me that the elilo name for sda3 is going to change, depending on what partitions I happen to create on, say, sdd. A new vfat partition on sdd1 would make the elilo name for sda3 change from, say scsi3 to scsi4, if I have understood correctly.

Thanks,
Richard

The correct fix is attached at the end of this mail.

Well, that is a tough problem and maybe you looked at the README.devschemes where I try to explain it. The default scheme in elilo-3.0 does have the problem you mentioned above. But it is already better than the fsX: provided by the EFI shell in that is does isolate the floppy/CDROM from the SCSI disks. Clearly if you add partitions on your SCSI disks then things may shift even though the changes were on a different disk.

Now, I believe it is possible to write a device scheme that would mimic the Linux way of doing things. However it is not a trivial piece of code. The danger of course is to get small differences it we do not get this right. And small differences are worse than something we know upfront is different. Also the other issue is that it would create a new dependency between the bootloader and the kernel, if anything changes if the way the kernel finds and names devices, it would have to be propagated back to the boot loader. In the bootloader design, we have tried to minimize this as much as possible.

Anyway, if you are interested in building such a module for elilo, I am very supportive of it and I am willing to help you. I am not sure I'll get the resources to do this anytime soon...

Thanks.

-Stephane

@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@
 
 	BS->CloseEvent(timer);
 
-	return idx ? -1 : 0;
+	return idx ? 1 : 0;
 }
 
 INTN