1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
|
<!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>Libreboot documentation: GRUB menu</title>
</head>
<body>
<div class="section">
<h1 id="pagetop">How to change your default GRUB menu</h1>
<p>
Libreboot 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 it's 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 "flat"; 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 exists 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>
<a href="index.html">Back to previous index</a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="section">
<h1>Table of Contents</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="#getting_started">Getting started</a></li>
<li><a href="#libreboot_grub_config_ondisk">Don't want to flash a new ROM image?</a></li>
<li><a href="#build_cbfstool">Build 'cbfstool' from source</a></li>
<li><a href="#which_rom">Which ROM image should I use?</a></li>
<li><a href="#extract_grubtest">Extract grubtest from the ROM image</a>
<li>
<a href="#example_modifications">Example modifications for <i>grubtest.cfg</i></a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#example_modifications_trisquel">Trisquel GNU/Linux-libre</a></li>
<li><a href="#example_modifications_parabola">Parabola GNU/Linux-libre</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#reinsert_modified_grubtest">Re-insert the modified grubtest.cfg into the ROM image</a></li>
<li><a href="#test_it">Test it!</a>
<li><a href="#final_steps">Final steps</a></li>
<li><a href="#troubleshooting">Troubleshooting</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="section">
<h2 id="getting_started">Getting started</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>
</div>
<div class="section">
<h2 id="libreboot_grub_config_ondisk">Don't want to flash a new ROM image?</h2>
<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 machine (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
machine (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>
<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="#build_cbfstool">#build_cbfstool</a>, <a href="#which_rom">#which_rom</a> and
<a href="#extract_grubtest">#extract_grubtest</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>
<a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="section">
<h2 id="build_cbfstool">Build 'cbfstool' from source</h2>
<p>
If you are working with libreboot_src, then you can run <b><i>make</i></b> command in
libreboot_src/coreboot/util/cbfstool to build the <b><i>cbfstool</i></b> and <b><i>rmodtool</i></b>
executable.
</p>
<p>
Alternatively if you are working with libreboot_util, you will find binaries under ./cbfstool/
</p>
<p>
<a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="section">
<h2 id="which_rom">Which ROM image should I use?</h2>
<p>
You can work directly with one of the ROM images already included in the libreboot ROM archives. 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>
If you want to re-use the ROM that you currently have flashed (and running) then see
<a href="../git/index.html#build_flashrom">../git/index.html#build_flashrom</a>
and then run:<br/>
<b>$ sudo ./flashrom -p internal -r libreboot.rom</b><br/>
Notice that this is using <b>"-r"</b> (read) instead of <b>"-w"</b> (write).
This will create a dump (copy) of your current firmware and name it <b>libreboot.rom</b>.
You need to take ownership of the file. For example:<br/>
<b>$ sudo chown yourusername:yourusername libreboot.rom</b><br/>
<b># chown yourusername:yourusername libreboot.rom</b>
</p>
<p>
If you currently have flashed a ROM image from an older version, it is recommended to update first:
basically, modify one of the latest ROM images and then flash it.
</p>
<p>
<a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="section">
<h2 id="extract_grubtest">Extract grubtest.cfg from the ROM image</h2>
<p>
Display contents of ROM:<br/>
<b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom print</b>
</p>
<p>
The libreboot.rom file contains your <i>grub.cfg</i> and <i>grubtest.cfg</i> files.
You should extract, modify and re-insert the copy first. grub.cfg will load first,
but it has a menu entry for switching to the copy (grubtest.cfg).
This reduces your chance of making a mistake that could make your machine unbootable (or very hard to boot).
</p>
<p>
Extract grubtest.cfg from the ROM image:<br/>
<b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom extract -n grubtest.cfg -f grubtest.cfg</b>
</p>
<p>
Now you have a grubtest.cfg in cbfstool directory. Edit it however you wish.
</p>
<p>
<a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="section">
<div class="subsection">
<h2 id="example_modifications">Example modifications for <i>grubtest.cfg</i></h2>
<p>
These are some common examples of ways in which the grubtest.cfg file can be modified.
</p>
<h3 id="example_modifications_trisquel">Trisquel GNU/Linux-libre</h3>
<p>
As an example, on my test system in /boot/grub/grub.cfg (on the HDD/SSD) I see for the main menu entry:
</p>
<ul>
<li><b>linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.15.1-gnu.nonpae root=UUID=3a008e14-4871-497b-95e5-fb180f277951 ro crashkernel=384M-2G:64M,2G-:128M quiet splash $vt_handoff</b></li>
<li><b>initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.15.1-gnu.nonpae</b></li>
</ul>
<p>
<b>ro</b>, <b>quiet</b>, <b>splash</b>, <b>crashkernel=384M-2G:64M,2G-:128M</b> and
<b>$vt_handoff</b> can be safely ignored.
</p>
<p>
I use this to get my partition layout:<br/>
$ <b>lsblk</b>
</p>
<p>
In my case, I have no /boot partition, instead /boot is on the same partition as / on sda1.
Yours might be different. In GRUB terms, sda means ahci0. 1 means msdos1, or gpt1, depending
on whether I am using MBR or GPT partitioning. Thus, /dev/sda1 is GRUB is (ahci0,msdos1) or
(ahci0,gpt1). In my case, I use MBR partitioning so it's (ahci0,msdos1).
'msdos' is a GRUB name simply because this partitioning type is traditionally used by MS-DOS.
It doesn't mean that you have a proprietary OS.
</p>
<p>
Trisquel doesn't keep the filenames of kernels consistent, instead it keeps old kernels and
new kernel updates are provided with the version in the filename. This can make GRUB payload
a bit tricky. Fortunately, there are symlinks /vmlinuz and /initrd.img
so if your /boot and / are on the same partition, you can set GRUB to boot from that.
These are also updated automatically when installing kernel updates from your distributions
apt-get repositories.
<b>
Note: when using <a href="http://jxself.org/linux-libre">jxself kernel releases</a>,
these are not updated at all and you have to update them manually.
</b>
</p>
<p>
For the GRUB payload grubtest.cfg (in the 'Load Operating System' menu entry), we therefore have (in this example):<br/>
<b>set root='ahci0,msdos1'</b><br/>
<b>linux /vmlinuz root=UUID=3a008e14-4871-497b-95e5-fb180f277951</b><br/>
<b>initrd /initrd.img</b>
</p>
<p>
Optionally, you can convert the UUID to its real device name, for example /dev/sda1 in this case.
sdX naming isn't very reliable, though, which is why UUID is used for most distributions.
</p>
<p>
Alternatively, if your /boot is on a separate partition then you cannot rely on the /vmlinuz and /initrd.img symlinks.
Instead, go into /boot and create your own symlinks (update them manually when you install a new kernel update).<br/>
$ <b>sudo -s</b><br/>
# <b>cd /boot/</b><br/>
# <b>rm -rf vmlinuz initrd.img</b><br/>
# <b>ln -s <u>kernel</u> ksym</b><br/>
# <b>ln -s <u>initrd</u> isym</b><br/>
# <b>exit</b>
</p>
<p>
Replace the underlined <b>kernel</b> and <b>initrd</b> filenames above with the actual filenames, of course.
</p>
<p>
Then your grubtest.cfg menu entry (for payload) becomes like that, for example if / was on sda2 and /boot was on sda1:<br/>
<b>set root='ahci0,msdos1'</b><br/>
<b>linux /ksym root=/dev/sda2</b><br/>
<b>initrd /isym</b>
</p>
<p>
There are lots of possible variations so please try to adapt.
</p>
<h3 id="example_modifications_parabola">Parabola GNU/Linux-libre</h3>
<p>
You can basically adapt the above. Note however that Parabola does not keep old kernels still installed, and the file names
are always consistent, so you don't need to boot from symlinks, you can just use the real thing directly.
</p>
</div>
<p>
<a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="section">
<h2 id="reinsert_modified_grubtest">Re-insert the modified grubtest.cfg into the ROM image</h2>
<p>
Delete the grubtest.cfg that remained inside the ROM:<br/>
<b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom remove -n grubtest.cfg</b>
</p>
<p>
Display ROM contents and now you see grubtest.cfg no longer exists there:<br/>
<b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom print</b>
</p>
<p>
Add the modified version that you just made:<br/>
<b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom add -n grubtest.cfg -f grubtest.cfg -t raw</b>
</p>
<p>
Now display ROM contents again and see that it exists again:<br/>
<b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom print</b>
</p>
<p>
<a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="section">
<h2 id="test_it">Test it!</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. 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>
Create a copy of grubtest.cfg, called grub.cfg, which is the same except for one difference:
change the menuentry 'Switch to grub.cfg' to 'Switch to grubtest.cfg' and inside it,
change 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)<br/>
$ <b>sed -e 's:(cbfsdisk)/grub.cfg:(cbfsdisk)/grubtest.cfg:g' -e 's:Switch to grub.cfg:Switch to grubtest.cfg:g' < grubtest.cfg > 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>
Display ROM contents and now you see grub.cfg no longer exists there:<br/>
<b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom print</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>
Now display ROM contents again and see that it exists again:<br/>
<b>$ ./cbfstool libreboot.rom print</b>
</p>
<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. Once you have done that, 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">
<h2 id="troubleshooting">Troubleshooting</h2>
<p>
A user reported that segmentation faults occur with cbfstool
when using this procedure depending on the size of the grub.cfg being re-insterted.
In his case, a minimum size of 857 bytes was required. This could (at the time of
this release) be a bug in cbfstool that should be investigated with the coreboot
community. If cbfstool segfaults, then keep this in mind. 'strace' (or gdb? clang?)
could be used for debugging. This was in libreboot 5th release (based on coreboot
from late 2013), and I'm not sure if the issue persists in the current releases.
I have not been able to reproduce it. strace (from that user) is here:
<a href="cbfstool_libreboot5_strace">cbfstool_libreboot5_strace</a>.
The issue has been reported by a few users, so it does not happen all the time:
this bug (if it still exists) could (should) be reproduced.
</p>
<p>
<a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="section">
<p>
Copyright © 2014, 2015 Francis Rowe <info@gluglug.org.uk><br/>
This document is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License and all future versions.
A copy of the license can be found at <a href="../license.txt">../license.txt</a>.
</p>
<p>
This document is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See <a href="../license.txt">../license.txt</a> for more information.
</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
|
