diff --git a/site/docs/bsd/index.md b/site/docs/bsd/index.md index aa5afdc..709236e 100644 --- a/site/docs/bsd/index.md +++ b/site/docs/bsd/index.md @@ -110,6 +110,13 @@ documentation. If you're flashing a ROM for a machine where `seabios_withgrub` and `seabios_grubfirst` ROMs are available, choose `seabios_withgrub`. +DO NOT USE ROM IMAGES WITH `seabios_grubfirst` IN THE FILE NAME! These were +present in older Libreboot releases, and supported in previous revisions +of the build system, but they did not work for the intended purpose. More +info is written on the [Libreboot installation guide](../install/). ROM +images with `seabios_grubfirst` in the filename will NOT be included in +future Libreboot releases. + Dubious mention: Tianocore -------------------------- diff --git a/site/docs/install/index.md b/site/docs/install/index.md index 24d0563..61a521e 100644 --- a/site/docs/install/index.md +++ b/site/docs/install/index.md @@ -109,14 +109,41 @@ an option in the boot menu. ROM images that have `seabios_withgrub` in the file name start with SeaBIOS first, but also have GNU GRUB available in the boot menu when you press ESC. -### seabios\_grubfirst +### seabios\_grubfirst (DEFUNCT, WAS INTENDED ONLY FOR DESKTOPS) -ROM images that have `seabios_grubfirst` in the file name start with SeaBIOS, -but SeaBIOS is configured via special `bootorder` file in CBFS so as to ONLY -load GNU GRUB. This setup would be most useful on desktops, where you wish to -only have GNU GRUB available, but want to use an add-on GPU while also having -the option to use libgfxinit, if a supported GPU/framebuffer chip is present -on your board. +**DEFUNCT** + +This build option is obsolete, and should not be used. It was deleted +in lbmk revision `e1bbdadc9584291cf062660d67128e9f17ab788e`. + +It was believed, in earlier theory, that VGA ROM initialisation could +be used in SeaBIOS and then SeaBIOS boots into a GRUB payload (built +for coreboot), where the initialisation would continue to be used, but +it didn't work that way. + +It's best to use PC GRUB (normal BIOS GRUB), but compile it into a floppy +image to insert inside CBFS, to then be executed by SeaBIOS. This is referred +to as SeaGRUB by the Libreboot project, and it would be quite useful +for desktop users, but it's largely irrelevant on laptops where +coreboot's own `libgfxinit` is usually available (or the option ROM is +easy to extract from vendor firmware and insert). + +Where direct bare metal GRUB is desired, but you use a desktop system with +an add-on graphics card, you must extract the VGA ROM for your card and +insert it into the coreboot ROM, for coreboot itself to execute. This will +require custom configuration on your part, and it is thus beyond the scope +of the Libreboot project, in context of lbmk (automated build system). + +Some older Libreboot releases included ROM images built using this option, +and those specific ROM images (`seabios_grubfirst` ones) should not be +used; you should only use `seabios_grubfirst` or `seabios`, in most +scenarios, if SeaBIOS is required. + +For most desktop users, if running an external graphics card, it's easier +to simply boot in text mode with a SeaBIOS payload and use only that. This +will Just Work with almost all graphics cards, allowing you to use an +operating system with a full display and (drivers permitting) full 2D/3D +acceleration. Which systems are supported? ============================