Re: Problems with recent Debian GNU/Hurd ISO GRUB menu graphics

[Thomas Schmitt]

Hi,

Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko wrote:
> Those are only for floppies with old BIOS. If your image is over 2.88 MiB
> and thus never useful on floppies, it's safe to overwrite.

This explains why it looks like somewhat plausible executable code
and why i386-pc/boot.img of Debian 8 is in the state it is in.

I meanwhile was courageous enough on my own to try with zeroized partition
table and with a repacked ISO using --protective-msdos-label.
Both booted with qemu -hda with purposefully erased El Torito boot record,
just to be sure.


i wrote:
> > - Is it known that GRUB graphics and SeaBIOS or OVMF do not go
> >   well together ?

> Never had such problems but it sounds like a problem with doublebuffering.
> Can you disable double buffering and try again

Only if you instruct me how to do this. {:)

For example i could repack the ISO with a modified boot/grub/grub.cfg.
Currently it has this content:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
set cd=$root
set default=3
set timeout=-1

insmod multiboot
insmod cpuid
insmod echo
insmod gzio
insmod minicmd
insmod normal
insmod chain

if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then
        set gfxmode=640x480
        insmod vbe
        insmod gfxterm
        terminal_output gfxterm
fi

insmod png
if background_image /boot/grub/splash.png ; then
        set color_normal=white/black
        set color_highlight=black/white
else
        set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
        set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
fi

insmod play
play 960 440 1 0 4 440 1

menuentry "Debian GNU/Hurd installer boot menu" {
        true
}

menuentry "" {
        true
}

function boot_one {
        echo "Loading ..."
        set root=$cd
        multiboot /boot/kernel/gnumach.gz $options
        module --nounzip /boot/${gtk}initrd.gz initrd '$(ramdisk-create)'
        module /boot/kernel/ext2fs.static ext2fs \
                        --multiboot-command-line='${kernel-command-line}' \
                        --host-priv-port='${host-port}' \
                        --device-master-port='${device-port}' \
                        --exec-server-task='${exec-task}' -T typed 
gunzip:device:rd0 \
                        '$(task-create)' '$(task-resume)'
        module /boot/kernel/exec.static exec '$(exec-task=task-create)'
}

menuentry "Text install" {
        set options="TERM=mach-gnu-color"
        boot_one
}

menuentry "Pseudo-graphical install" {
        set options="GTK_NOVESA=1 VGA_OPTIONS=--font-width=9"
        boot_one
}

menuentry "Pseudo-graphical install with CJK support" {
        set options="GTK_NOVESA=1 VGA_OPTIONS=--font-width=8"
        boot_one
}

menuentry "Graphical install" {
        set options=""
        if test -e /boot/gtk ; then
                set gtk="gtk/"
        else
                set gtk=""
        fi
        boot_one
}

menuentry "Automated install" {
        set options="auto=true priority=critical TERM=mach-gnu-color"
        boot_one
}

menuentry "Expert install" {
        set options="priority=low TERM=mach-gnu-color"
        boot_one
}

menuentry "Rescue mode" {
        set options="rescue/enable=true"
        boot_one
}

menuentry "" {
        true
}

menuentry "Boot from first hard disk" {
        set root=hd0
        chainloader +1
}
---------------------------------------------------------------------


Have a nice day :)

Thomas