2022.01.01 ISO fails to reach a boot menu in EFI mode in Virtualbox

eznix · 2022-01-01 16:49:13

The newest Arch ISO fails to reach a boot menu inside Virtualbox with EFI mode enabled. All of the archiso built ISOs I have tested since archiso updated to version 60 also fail in the same way. The ISOs reach the boot menu in legacy mode. Archiso and mkinitcpio-archiso changed the way cow_space is mounted and the way the loop_mnt hook works. I suspect either of now interfering with the boot process under EFI mode in Virtualbox.

The previous ISOs created with archiso version 59 worked just fine in Virtualbox with EFI enabled. As such, I assume this is an archiso problem.

As Virtualbox is a very popular cross-platform virtualization software used for testing and deploying Arch installations, it would be cool if this could be fixed. Thanks.

Last edited by eznix (2022-01-01 16:52:08)

dinoFP · 2022-01-02 04:14:59

The bug reported for this has a workaround, which is:

Go into the EFI Shell and execute

FS1:\EFI\BOOT\BOOTx64.EFI

Last edited by dinoFP (2022-01-02 04:15:41)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2022-01-02 11:03:41

eznix wrote:

it would be cool if this could be fixed

Have you reported this to the VirtualBox developers? Sounds like their problem. Be warned though that they have a long history of ignoring even significant security-related bugs so don't get your hopes up.

If you want a decent virtualisation solution I can recommend QEMU/KVM. It performs better than VB and it doesn't need blobs to work properly. I've just tested and the January ISO boots fine in that.

eznix · 2022-01-02 16:25:18

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

eznix wrote:
it would be cool if this could be fixed
Have you reported this to the VirtualBox developers? Sounds like their problem. Be warned though that they have a long history of ignoring even significant security-related bugs so don't get your hopes up.
If you want a decent virtualisation solution I can recommend QEMU/KVM. It performs better than VB and it doesn't need blobs to work properly. I've just tested and the January ISO boots fine in that.

If Virtualbox were the variable that changed in the equation, reporting a problem to them would certainly be appropriate. Since archiso and mkinitcpio-archiso were the only variables that changed in the situation, the problem would appear to lie with those changes. I can use other virtualization options, but that is not the point. Virtualbox is a very commonly used virtualization software and it makes sense that Arch developers would like their ISOs to be able to boot successfully in such an environment.

I am merely the messenger. What Arch does with the message is up to them.

Last edited by eznix (2022-01-02 16:29:34)

eznix · 2022-01-02 16:33:05

dinoFP wrote:

The bug reported for this has a workaround, which is:
Go into the EFI Shell and execute
FS1:\EFI\BOOT\BOOTx64.EFI

Thank you for the link to the bug report. Much appreciated! :-)

progandy · 2022-01-02 16:37:22

Have you checked that using archiso 59 to create a new iso file with otherwise current packages does work? archiso uses systemd-boot, so an update to that may be the cause as well.
The changes you mentioned in archiso and mkinitcpio should only matter after the boot menu.

Last edited by progandy (2022-01-02 16:38:40)

eznix · 2022-01-02 16:40:48

progandy wrote:

Have you checked that using archiso 59 to create a new iso file with otherwise current packages does work? archiso uses systemd-boot, so an update to that may be the cause as well.
The changes you mentioned in archiso and mkinitcpio should only matter after the boot menu.

Yes, archiso version 59 and below work just fine. ISOs I created before version 60 continue to work. I have heard one report of downgrading archiso to 59 and having success. I have not tested that. Systemd-boot could be the cause.

Last edited by eznix (2022-01-02 16:47:23)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2022-01-02 16:45:44

eznix wrote:

I am merely the messenger.

These forums are probably not the best place to get the message across. Use the bug tracker to do that. If you're sure the problem is with archiso then report it so it can be actioned.

Arch Linux

#1 2022-01-01 16:49:13

2022.01.01 ISO fails to reach a boot menu in EFI mode in Virtualbox

#2 2022-01-02 04:14:59

Re: 2022.01.01 ISO fails to reach a boot menu in EFI mode in Virtualbox

#3 2022-01-02 11:03:41

Re: 2022.01.01 ISO fails to reach a boot menu in EFI mode in Virtualbox

#4 2022-01-02 16:25:18

Re: 2022.01.01 ISO fails to reach a boot menu in EFI mode in Virtualbox

#5 2022-01-02 16:33:05

Re: 2022.01.01 ISO fails to reach a boot menu in EFI mode in Virtualbox

#6 2022-01-02 16:37:22

Re: 2022.01.01 ISO fails to reach a boot menu in EFI mode in Virtualbox

#7 2022-01-02 16:40:48

Re: 2022.01.01 ISO fails to reach a boot menu in EFI mode in Virtualbox

#8 2022-01-02 16:45:44

Re: 2022.01.01 ISO fails to reach a boot menu in EFI mode in Virtualbox

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