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-<!DOCTYPE html>
-<html>
-<head>
- <meta charset="utf-8">
- <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
-
- <style type="text/css">
- @import url('../css/main.css');
- </style>
-
- <title>How to replace the default GRUB configuration file on a libreboot system</title>
-</head>
-
-<body>
- <div class="section">
- <h1 id="pagetop">How to replace the default GRUB configuration file on a libreboot system</h1>
- <p>
- Libreboot on x86 uses the GRUB <a href="http://www.coreboot.org/Payloads#GRUB_2">payload</a>
- by default, which means that the GRUB configuration file
- (where your GRUB menu comes from) is stored directly alongside libreboot
- and its GRUB payload executable, inside
- the flash chip. In context, this means that installing distributions and managing them
- is handled slightly differently compared to traditional BIOS systems.
- </p>
- <p>
- A libreboot (or coreboot) ROM image is not simply &quot;flat&quot;; there is an actual
- filesystem inside called CBFS (coreboot filesystem). A utility called 'cbfstool'
- allows you to change the contents of the ROM image. In this case, libreboot is configured
- such that the 'grub.cfg' and 'grubtest.cfg' files exist directly inside CBFS instead of
- inside the GRUB payload 'memdisk' (which is itself stored in CBFS).
- </p>
- <p>
- You can either modify
- the GRUB configuration stored in the flash chip, or you can modify a GRUB configuration
- file on the main storage which the libreboot GRUB payload will automatically search for.
- </p>
- <p>
- Here is an excellent writeup about CBFS (coreboot filesystem):
- <a href="http://lennartb.home.xs4all.nl/coreboot/col5.html">http://lennartb.home.xs4all.nl/coreboot/col5.html</a>.
- </p>
- <p>
- <b>This guide is *only* for the GRUB payload. If you use the depthcharge payload, ignore this section entirely.</b>
- </p>
- <p>
- <a href="index.html">Back to previous index</a>
- </p>
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <h1>Table of Contents</h1>
-
- <ul>
- <li><a href="#introduction">Introduction</a></li>
- <li><a href="#option1_dont_reflash">1st option: don't re-flash</a></li>
- <li>
- <a href="#option2_reflash">2nd option: re-flash</a>
- <ul>
- <li><a href="#tools">Acquire the necessary utilities</a></li>
- <li><a href="#rom">Acquiring the correct ROM image</a></li>
- <li><a href="#extract_testconfig">Extract grubtest from the ROM image</a>
- <li><a href="#reinsert_modified_testconfig">Re-insert the modified grubtest.cfg into the ROM image</a></li>
- <li><a href="#testing">Testing</a>
- <li><a href="#final_steps">Final steps</a></li>
- </ul>
- </li>
- </ul>
-
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>
-
- <p>
- Download the latest release from
- <a href="http://libreboot.org/">http://libreboot.org/</a>
- <br/><b>If you downloaded from git, refer to
- <a href="../git/index.html#build_meta">../git/index.html#build_meta</a> before continuing.</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- There are several advantages to modifying the GRUB configuration stored in CBFS, but
- this also means that you have to flash a new libreboot ROM image on your system (some users
- feel intimidated by this, to say the least).
- Doing so can be risky if not handled correctly, because it can result in a bricked
- system (recovery is easy if you have the <a href="../install/bbb_setup.html">equipment</a>
- for it, but most people don't). If you aren't up to that then don't worry; it is possible
- to use a custom GRUB menu without flashing a new image, by loading a GRUB configuration
- from a partition on the main storage instead.
- </p>
-
-
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <h2 id="option1_dont_reflash">1st option: don't re-flash</h2>
-
- <p>
- By default, GRUB in libreboot is configured to scan all partitions on the main storage
- for /boot/grub/libreboot_grub.cfg or /grub/libreboot_grub.cfg(for systems where /boot
- is on a dedicated partition), and then use it automatically.
- </p>
- <p>
- Simply create your custom GRUB configuration and save it to <b>/boot/grub/libreboot_grub.cfg</b>
- on the running system. The next time you boot, GRUB (in libreboot) will automatically switch to
- this configuration file. <b>This means that you do not have to re-flash, recompile or otherwise
- modify libreboot at all!</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Ideally, your distribution should automatically generate a libreboot_grub.cfg file that is written
- specifically under the assumption that it will be read and used on a libreboot system that uses
- GRUB as a payload. If your distribution does not do this, then you can try to add that feature
- yourself or politely ask someone involved with or otherwise knowledgeable about the distribution
- to do it for you. The libreboot_grub.cfg could either contain the full configuration, or it could
- chainload another GRUB ELF executable (built to be used as a coreboot payload) that is located in
- a partition on the main storage.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- If you want to adapt a copy of the existing <i>libreboot</i> GRUB configuration and use that for the libreboot_grub.cfg file, then
- follow <a href="#tools">#tools</a>, <a href="#rom">#rom</a> and
- <a href="#extract_testconfig">#extract_testconfig</a> to get the <b><i>grubtest.cfg</i></b>.
- Rename <b><i>grubtest.cfg</i></b> to <b><i>libreboot_grub.cfg</i></b> and save it to <b><i>/boot/grub/</i></b>
- on the running system where it is intended to be used. Modify the file at that location however you see fit,
- and then stop reading this guide (the rest of this page is irrelevant to you); <b>in libreboot_grub.cfg on disk,
- if you are adapting it based on grub.cfg from CBFS then remove the check for libreboot_grub.cfg otherwise it will loop.</b>.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- This is all well and good, but what should you actually put in your GRUB configuration file?
- Read <a href="grub_config.html">grub_config.html</a> for more information.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
- </p>
-
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <h2 id="option2_reflash">2nd option: re-flash</h2>
-
- <p>
- You can modify what is stored inside the flash chip quite easily. Read on to find out how.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
- </p>
-
- </div>
- <div class="section">
- <h2 id="tools">Acquire the necessary utilities</h2>
-
- <p>
- Use <b><i>cbfstool</i></b> and <b><i>flashrom</i></b>. There are available in the <i>libreboot_util</i> release archive,
- or they can be compiled (see <a href="../git/index.html#build_flashrom">../git/index.html#build_flashrom</a>).
- Flashrom is also available from the repositories:<br/>
- # <b>pacman -S flashrom</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
- </p>
-
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <h2 id="rom">Acquiring the correct ROM image</h2>
-
- <p>
- You can either work directly with one of the ROM images already included in the libreboot ROM archives, or re-use the ROM that
- you have currently flashed. For the purpose of this tutorial it is assumed that your ROM image file is named <i>libreboot.rom</i>,
- so please make sure to adapt.
- </p>
- <p>
- ROM images are included pre-compiled in libreboot. You can also dump your current firmware, using flashrom:<br/>
- $ <b>sudo flashrom -p internal -r libreboot.rom</b><br/>
- # <b>flashrom -p internal -r libreboot.rom</b><br/>
- If you are told to specify the chip, add the option <b>-c {your chip}</b> to the command, for example:<br/>
- # <b>flashrom -c MX25L6405 -p internal -r libreboot.rom</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
- </p>
-
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <h2 id="extract_testconfig">Extract grubtest.cfg from the ROM image</h2>
-
- <p>
- You can check the contents of the ROM image, inside CBFS:<br/>
- <b>$ cd .../libreboot_util/cbfstool</b>
- <b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom print</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- The files <i>grub.cfg</i> and <i>grubtest.cfg</i> should be present. grub.cfg is loaded by default,
- with a menuentry for switching to grubtest.cfg. In this tutorial, you will first modify and test <i>grubtest.cfg</i>.
- This is to reduce the possibility of bricking your device, so DO NOT SKIP THIS!
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Extract grubtest.cfg from the ROM image:<br/>
- <b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom extract -n grubtest.cfg -f grubtest.cfg</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Modify the grubtest.cfg accordingly.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- This is all well and good, but what should you actually put in your GRUB configuration file?
- Read <a href="grub_config.html">grub_config.html</a> for more information.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
- </p>
-
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <h2 id="reinsert_modified_testconfig">Re-insert the modified grubtest.cfg into the ROM image</h2>
-
- <p>
- Once your grubtest.cfg is modified and saved, delete the unmodified config from the ROM image:<br/>
- <b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom remove -n grubtest.cfg</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Next, insert the modified version:<br/>
- <b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom add -n grubtest.cfg -f grubtest.cfg -t raw</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
- </p>
-
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <h2 id="testing">Testing</h2>
-
- <p>
- <b>
- Now you have a modified ROM. Refer back to <a href="../install/index.html#flashrom">../install/index.html#flashrom</a> for information
- on how to flash it.<br/>
- $ <b>cd /libreboot_util</b>
- # <b>./flash update libreboot.rom</b><br/>
- Ocassionally, coreboot changes the name of a given board. If flashrom complains about a board mismatch, but you are sure that you chose the correct ROM image, then run this alternative command:<br/>
- # <b>./flash forceupdate libreboot.rom</b><br/>
- You should see <b>&quot;Verifying flash... VERIFIED.&quot;</b> written at the end of the flashrom output.
- Once you have done that, shut down and then boot up with your new test configuration.
- </b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Choose (in GRUB) the menu entry that switches to grubtest.cfg. If it works, then your config is safe and you can continue below.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <b>
- If it does not work like you want it to, if you are unsure or sceptical in any way,
- then re-do the steps above until you get it right! Do *not* proceed past this point
- unless you are 100% sure that your new configuration is safe (or desirable) to use.
- </b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
- </p>
-
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <h2 id="final_steps">Final steps</h2>
-
- <p>
- When you are satisfied booting from grubtest.cfg, you can create a copy of grubtest.cfg, called grub.cfg. This is the same except for one difference:
- the menuentry 'Switch to grub.cfg' will be changed to 'Switch to grubtest.cfg' and inside it,
- all instances of grub.cfg to grubtest.cfg. This is so that the main config still
- links (in the menu) to grubtest.cfg, so that you don't have to manually switch to it, in
- case you ever want to follow this guide again in the future (modifying the already modified config). From /libreboot_util/cbfstool, do:<br/>
- $ <b>sed -e 's:(cbfsdisk)/grub.cfg:(cbfsdisk)/grubtest.cfg:g' -e 's:Switch to grub.cfg:Switch to grubtest.cfg:g' &lt; grubtest.cfg &gt; grub.cfg</b><br/>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Delete the grub.cfg that remained inside the ROM:<br/>
- <b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom remove -n grub.cfg</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Add the modified version that you just made:<br/>
- <b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom add -n grub.cfg -f grub.cfg -t raw</b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <b>
- Now you have a modified ROM. Again, refer back to <a href="../install/index.html#flashrom">../install/index.html#flashrom</a> for information
- on how to flash it. It's the same method as you used before. Shut down and then boot up with your new configuration.
- </b>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- <a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
- </p>
-
- </div>
-
- <div class="section">
-
- <p>
- Copyright &copy; 2014, 2015 Francis Rowe &lt;info@gluglug.org.uk&gt;<br/>
- Copyright &copy; 2015 Jeroen Quint &lt;jezza@diplomail.ch&gt;<br/>
- Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
- under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3
- or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
- with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.
- A copy of the license can be found at <a href="../gfdl-1.3.txt">../gfdl-1.3.txt</a>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Updated versions of the license (when available) can be found at
- <a href="https://www.gnu.org/licenses/licenses.html">https://www.gnu.org/licenses/licenses.html</a>
- </p>
-
- <p>
- UNLESS OTHERWISE SEPARATELY UNDERTAKEN BY THE LICENSOR, TO THE
- EXTENT POSSIBLE, THE LICENSOR OFFERS THE LICENSED MATERIAL AS-IS
- AND AS-AVAILABLE, AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF
- ANY KIND CONCERNING THE LICENSED MATERIAL, WHETHER EXPRESS,
- IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHER. THIS INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION,
- WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
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- ACCURACY, OR THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF ERRORS, WHETHER OR NOT
- KNOWN OR DISCOVERABLE. WHERE DISCLAIMERS OF WARRANTIES ARE NOT
- ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS DISCLAIMER MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
- </p>
- <p>
- TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN NO EVENT WILL THE LICENSOR BE LIABLE
- TO YOU ON ANY LEGAL THEORY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION,
- NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT,
- INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR OTHER LOSSES,
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- <p>
- The disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability provided
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-
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