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  • Using rEFInd

    From Doug Laidlaw@2:250/0 to All on Sat Mar 14 09:44:09 2020
    I have tried using rEFInd in the past. My boot manager could never find it.

    This time, I used efibootmgr to delete two existing rEFInd entries, and installed rEFInd afterwards. I then ran in succession:

    sudo refind-install to create the necessary NVRAM entry;
    sudo refind-mkdefault to "do what it says on the tin;"

    That worked, but it still seems to be tied to Mageia, not independent.
    I suppose that grub2 was no different. grub2 needed to be run in Mageia whenever another OS had a kernel update. I don't know yet whether
    rEFInd is similar in that regard, but based on running rEFInd from a USB
    key, I don't expect it to be.

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.13 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: Aioe.org NNTP Server (2:250/0@fidonet)
  • From Maurice@2:250/0 to All on Sat Mar 14 16:12:36 2020
    On Sat, 14 Mar 2020 20:44:09 +1100, Doug Laidlaw wrote:

    That worked, but it still seems to be tied to Mageia, not independent.

    What does that mean, Doug?

    If rEFInd has been installed and set in NVRAM as 1st choice, then system should default boot into rEFInd, showing whatever is covered in
    refind.conf.

    What does: $ cat /boot/EFI/EFI/refind/refind.conf show?

    Here I see:

    $ cat /boot/EFI/EFI/refind/refind.conf
    timeout 20
    dont_scan_dirs EFI/tmp EFI/mageia
    showtools memtest reboot shutdown gdisk about
    default_selection 1
    icons_dir myicons

    - where the "default_selection 1" highlights the rEFInd icon for Mageia7
    (the
    first of the 4 icons shown on my rEFInd boot screen) as default boot if I
    just hit Enter or until default timeout seconds expire).

    (The other three icons represent Mga6, Mga8, and Windows, so if I want
    to actually boot Mga8 I just do Cursor Right twice to highlight the MGA8
    icon
    and hit Enter to boot it.)

    Good hunting!

    Regards,
    --
    /\/\aurice
    (Replace "nomail.afraid" by "bcs" to reply by email)

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.13 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: albasani.net (2:250/0@fidonet)
  • From William Unruh@2:250/0 to All on Sat Mar 14 16:55:45 2020
    On 2020-03-14, Doug Laidlaw <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:
    I have tried using rEFInd in the past. My boot manager could never find it.

    This time, I used efibootmgr to delete two existing rEFInd entries, and installed rEFInd afterwards. I then ran in succession:

    sudo refind-install to create the necessary NVRAM entry;
    sudo refind-mkdefault to "do what it says on the tin;"

    That worked, but it still seems to be tied to Mageia, not independent.
    I suppose that grub2 was no different. grub2 needed to be run in Mageia whenever another OS had a kernel update. I don't know yet whether

    If that "other OS" has the same /boot partition, and it edits the grub2
    files, then it should also change it. Certainly if it is Windows it does
    not and will not update grub.

    rEFInd is similar in that regard, but based on running rEFInd from a USB key, I don't expect it to be.

    I would certainly expect it to be the same. I would not want Windows to
    mess with my Linux grub2 files (eg make Windows the only OS that will
    boot).


    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.13 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (2:250/0@fidonet)
  • From Doug Laidlaw@2:250/0 to All on Sun Mar 15 01:03:01 2020
    On 15/3/20 3:12 am, Maurice wrote:
    What does that mean, Doug?
    Sorry, I have a foggy mind this month.

    If rEFInd has been installed and set in NVRAM as 1st choice, then
    system should default boot into rEFInd, showing whatever is covered in refind.conf.

    Yes, it does that O.K. What I meant was: Using grub2, if I have a
    kernel upgrade in another OS, it does not affect the boot options. To
    sync, I need to go back to my default OS (Mga7) and update the Grub2
    menu from there. If I run update-grub in the changed OS, it substitutes
    its own menu.

    I have only one hiccup so far. Trying to boot Windows from rEFInd, I am
    told that the BCD file Windows uses, can't be found. I went into my
    BIOs and set the existing Mageia entry as first priority. That gave me
    my Mageia menu again


    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.13 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: Aioe.org NNTP Server (2:250/0@fidonet)
  • From Maurice@2:250/1 to All on Tue Mar 17 13:01:36 2020
    On Sun, 15 Mar 2020 12:03:01 +1100, Doug Laidlaw wrote:

    Using grub2, if I have a
    kernel upgrade in another OS, it does not affect the boot options. To
    sync, I need to go back to my default OS (Mga7) and update the Grub2
    menu from there

    I don't use Grub at all.

    Regards.
    --
    /\/\aurice
    (Replace "nomail.afraid" by "bcs" to reply by email)

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.13 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: albasani.net (2:250/1@fidonet)
  • From Doug Laidlaw@2:250/1 to All on Wed Mar 18 08:41:37 2020
    On 15/3/20 3:55 am, William Unruh wrote:
    On 2020-03-14, Doug Laidlaw <laidlaws@hotkey.net.au> wrote:
    I have tried using rEFInd in the past. My boot manager could never find it.

    This time, I used efibootmgr to delete two existing rEFInd entries, and
    installed rEFInd afterwards. I then ran in succession:

    sudo refind-install to create the necessary NVRAM entry;
    sudo refind-mkdefault to "do what it says on the tin;"

    That worked, but it still seems to be tied to Mageia, not independent.
    I suppose that grub2 was no different. grub2 needed to be run in Mageia
    whenever another OS had a kernel update. I don't know yet whether

    If that "other OS" has the same /boot partition, and it edits the grub2 files, then it should also change it. Certainly if it is Windows it does
    not and will not update grub.

    rEFInd is similar in that regard, but based on running rEFInd from a USB
    key, I don't expect it to be.

    I would certainly expect it to be the same. I would not want Windows to
    mess with my Linux grub2 files (eg make Windows the only OS that will
    boot).

    reFInd has "clobbered" my bootloader. All the tools that Mageia
    provides give a message "Can't detect your bootloader." I need those
    more than I need reFInd. That takes nothing away from reFInd itself; it
    is still a good bootloader, but doesn't suit my needs.

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.13 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: Aioe.org NNTP Server (2:250/1@fidonet)
  • From Maurice@2:250/1 to All on Wed Mar 18 11:50:31 2020
    On Wed, 18 Mar 2020 19:41:37 +1100, Doug Laidlaw wrote:

    reFInd has "clobbered" my bootloader.

    rEFInd just presents a menu of systems it will boot for you.

    I don't see how it could 'clobber' anything, unless you mean the
    initial installation of rEFInd did, as that would have elevated rEFInd to 'first choice' in the NVRAM boot vector, but if that failed to call
    rEFInd
    then it should have tried the next boot manager entry listed in the NVRAM.

    All the tools that Mageia
    provides give a message "Can't detect your bootloader."

    What does:
    $cat /boot/EFI/EFI/refind/refind.conf

    say?

    Regards
    --
    /\/\aurice
    (Replace "nomail.afraid" by "bcs" to reply by email)

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.13 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: albasani.net (2:250/1@fidonet)