Boot File Testing for SR

[Psycholiquid]

@sebastian-roth No problem, I am really not liking these Surfaces and it looks like M$ is pretty much giving up them also. Go figure, they release something they no longer want ot make anymore.

[Sebastian Roth]

@Psycholiquid Let’s see what the iPXE devs make of this: http://lists.ipxe.org/pipermail/ipxe-devel/2017-September/005837.html

[Sebastian Roth]

@Psycholiquid We got an answer from Michael Brown (chief iPXE dev) and seems like we are on a good track with this. Now we need to figure out which commit broke things again. Here are some new binaries to test for you - download link.

1b67a056.efi
3ae70be.efi
9ccd8fe.efi
993fd2b.efi
6bd0060.efi
6324227.efi
a8f80a7.efi

Same as before, just test and post if it hangs on init.xz or boots properly or does something different altogether. Hope you still have that setup up and running. Remember that has_usb_nic=1 parameter…

[Psycholiquid]

@sebastian-roth Always have the setup LOL. I will get them tested between user migrations today. Pray for me. Users are retarded.

[Psycholiquid]

@sebastian-roth

1b67a056.efi: No hang on Init.xz
3ae70be.efi: No hang on Init.xz
9ccd8fe.efi: No hang on Init.xz
993fd2b.efi: No hang on Init.xz
6bd0060.efi: No hang on Init.xz
6324227.efi: No hang on Init.xz
a8f80a7.efi: No hang on Init.xz

[Sebastian Roth]

@Psycholiquid Thanks again for testing and sorry for my late reply. Somehow this doesn’t really add up but it seems like tiny changes in the (EFI) timer code break iPXE for the surfaces.

There are another couple of binaries to test (same download link). Though I am a bit in a hurry and those were compiled on a different machine that I usually do this. So hope I still got it all right. Please test and report back again in the same manner.

@Tom-Elliott Seems like after a long fight we can finally get rid of those 7156 binaries. Turns out the issue was fixed in iPXE without us even properly reporting it. If you’re fine with removing those binaries just let me know or go for it yourself. Sure some people are used to having those and need to change their DHCP config again but I think it’s worth getting rid of this old crap altogether now!

[Psycholiquid]

I will test those after lunch, no rush on the replies. Been here for years not going anywhere.

[Tom Elliott]

@sebastian-roth I’m fine with it, I don’t have access to my servers until much later though, so if you don’t mind removing them I’m okay with it too. Thanks.

[Psycholiquid]

@Sebastian-Roth

c4ce9259.efi: No hang on Init.xz
74d90b33.efi: No hang on Init.xz, but tries to use the dock NIC 3 times before switching to USB NIC
0631a46a.efi: No hang on Init.xz, but tries to use the dock NIC 3 times before switching to USB NIC
7428ab72.efi: No hang on Init.xz
d46c53c.efi: No hang on Init.xz

[Avaryan]

So the newer ipxe commits are working again?

I’ve been having issues with the official Surface 4 docking stations on 7156. They boot to the FOG menu just fine, but I can’t inventory or deploy with them. They get stuck at the stage where I normally unplug the USB NIC, but it doesn’t fix it for the docks.

[Psycholiquid]

This is all testing I will not comment on whether they are “working” or not. We are only testing up to the init.xz to make sure it gets past it

[Psycholiquid]

@avaryan I can say my 7156 is still working just fine with my Startec USB nic. and I am fully firmware updated on my surface.

[Sebastian Roth]

@Developers @Moderators Ok, I just opened a pull request to remove the 7156 binaries. Please all keep that in mind. Might cause some minor confusion in the next weeks. But it’s good to get rid of it.

As you all can see the tests of the most recent iPXE version shows that things are back to normal again. I reported back to Michael Brown on the iPXE devel mailing list. So he’s got that in mind as well.

@Avaryan To me this sounds like a different issue. Would you mind opening a new thread on this and posting more details (FOG version, USB ID of the NIC used as shown with lsusb, …).

I’ll mark this solved/closed now. @Psycholiquid Thanks heaps for the great work on testing all the binaries and such!

[Wayne Workman]

@george1421 said in Boot File Testing for SR:

@psycholiquid Pssst… to adjust the small font size try this FOS kernel parameter vga=792

vga=792 should be 1024x768x24 video mode, and clean your monitor, please!!!

ref: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/71231/grub2-and-kernel-vga-parameter/114980

#wiki worthy

[Psycholiquid]

@wayne-workman said in Boot File Testing for SR:

@george1421 said in Boot File Testing for SR:

@psycholiquid Pssst… to adjust the small font size try this FOS kernel parameter vga=792

vga=792 should be 1024x768x24 video mode, and clean your monitor, please!!!

ref: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/71231/grub2-and-kernel-vga-parameter/114980

#wiki worthy

LOL I don’t think you should wiki me having to clean my monitor… LOL I kid.