[Qemu-devel] Re: [SeaBIOS] [PATCHv6 00/16] boot order specification

[Gleb Natapov]

On Thu, Dec 02, 2010 at 04:07:16PM +0100, Peter Stuge wrote:
> Gleb Natapov wrote:
> > BBS specification is broken since it doesn't provide a way for
> > discovered boot method (BCV) to be linked back to a device it will
> > boot from. Nothing we can do to fix this except moving to EFI (an
> > hope the problem is fixed there).
> 
> There is that option, or there could be some simple improvement of
> our own, which works in QEMU and maybe even adds value to coreboot.
> But then there would be a bit of novel development in firmware - that
> can't be a good thing, right?
> 
I am all for novel development in firmware, but unfortunately I do not
see what can we do in Seabios + qemu to fix this shortcoming. The problem
should be fixed in each and every option rom. Option rom may set device
address somewhere in pnp header for instance.

> 
> > Spec says that in that case user probably will want to adjust boot
> > order anyway and will enter boot menu by itself. Sorry excuse for
> > failing to provide proper functionality if you ask me :)
> 
> I agree. I can not believe the absolute resistance to innovation in
> this field.
> 
Interested parties want everyone to move to EFI I guess.

> Isn't the scope of BBS logic limited to boot time? (There are calls
> to do settings, but that's no problem.)
> 
> Maybe it would be possible for SeaBIOS to provide what looks like BBS
> to the guest, but on the other side there is something more
> intelligent going on, be it together with QEMU or coreboot?
> 
> 
I don't how it can be done without cooperation with option roms.

--
                        Gleb.