Sender: =?UTF-8?Q?Timo_Ter=C3=A4s?= <timo.teras@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2016 08:39:10 +0200
From: Timo Teras <timo.teras@iki.fi>
To: Alba Pompeo <albapompeo@gmail.com>
Cc: alpine-dev <alpine-devel@lists.alpinelinux.org>
Subject: Re: [alpine-devel] Aarch64 bootloader
Message-ID: <20161222083910.7a9d07bc@vostro>
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Hi,

On Wed, 21 Dec 2016 10:06:34 -0200
Alba Pompeo <albapompeo@gmail.com> wrote:

> The Alpine Aarch64 image need a different bootloader to work.
> Alpine's default is Syslinux but it doesn't support aarch64.
> What are the options for the specific architecture (aarch64)?
> I see GRUB2 supports it, but it's an awful and bloated bootloader.
> Doesn't fit Alpine.
>
> I have no experience with Das U-Boot but it seems to support Aarch64.
> https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot/blob/master/doc/README.arm64

Yes, u-boot is used as native ROM bootloader on some aarch64 platforms.
Though, seems UEFI for aarch64 is not supported. Which is required on
some platforms.

> Or can just wait for Syslinux to port it?
> http://www.syslinux.org/archives/2016-August/025340.html
> 
> Any other options?

Not really. Efilinux is limited, and gummiboot is discontinued.

We have grub2 in testing. I also tested that grub-efi boot mode works
on x86_64. Clandmeter tested it to work on aarch64. This might be an
option to use for the time being for UEFI boot.

Syslinux would be nice, but as said it's unlikely to support aarch64
for a while.

Currently we use:
- syslinux for x86/x86_64
- rpi native on raspberry pi (arm)
- u-boot on all other arm

We probably should add:
- u-boot for aarch64 boards we want/need to support
- UEFI boot possibly using grub2

So this is more diverse than wanted. The good thing in u-boot is that
it can read syslinux.cfg files and they can share the boot config.

Or do we have any other options for UEFI boot?

/Timo


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