Documentation/arch/x86/x86_64/uefi.rst
Source file repositories/reference/linux-study-clean/Documentation/arch/x86/x86_64/uefi.rst
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Documentation/arch/x86/x86_64/uefi.rst- Extension
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Repository support layer: documentation, build tooling, samples, user-space helper tools, generated initramfs support, licenses, and validation utilities.
- Repository support layer: documentation, build tooling, samples, user-space helper tools, generated initramfs support, licenses, and validation utilities.
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Annotated Snippet
.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
=====================================
General note on [U]EFI x86_64 support
=====================================
The nomenclature EFI and UEFI are used interchangeably in this document.
Although the tools below are _not_ needed for building the kernel,
the needed bootloader support and associated tools for x86_64 platforms
with EFI firmware and specifications are listed below.
1. UEFI specification: http://www.uefi.org
2. Booting Linux kernel on UEFI x86_64 platform can either be
done using the <Documentation/admin-guide/efi-stub.rst> or using a
separate bootloader.
3. x86_64 platform with EFI/UEFI firmware.
Mechanics
---------
Refer to <Documentation/admin-guide/efi-stub.rst> to learn how to use the EFI stub.
Below are general EFI setup guidelines on the x86_64 platform,
regardless of whether you use the EFI stub or a separate bootloader.
- Build the kernel with the following configuration::
CONFIG_FB_EFI=y
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE=y
If EFI runtime services are expected, the following configuration should
be selected::
CONFIG_EFI=y
CONFIG_EFIVAR_FS=y or m # optional
- Create a VFAT partition on the disk with the EFI System flag
You can do this with fdisk with the following commands:
1. g - initialize a GPT partition table
2. n - create a new partition
3. t - change the partition type to "EFI System" (number 1)
4. w - write and save the changes
Afterwards, initialize the VFAT filesystem by running mkfs::
mkfs.fat /dev/<your-partition>
- Copy the boot files to the VFAT partition:
If you use the EFI stub method, the kernel acts also as an EFI executable.
You can just copy the bzImage to the EFI/boot/bootx64.efi path on the partition
so that it will automatically get booted, see the <Documentation/admin-guide/efi-stub.rst> page
for additional instructions regarding passage of kernel parameters and initramfs.
If you use a custom bootloader, refer to the relevant documentation for help on this part.
- If some or all EFI runtime services don't work, you can try following
kernel command line parameters to turn off some or all EFI runtime
services.
noefi
turn off all EFI runtime services
reboot_type=k
turn off EFI reboot runtime service
- If the EFI memory map has additional entries not in the E820 map,
Annotation
- Atlas domain: Support Tooling And Documentation / Documentation.
- Implementation status: atlas-only.
Implementation Notes
- This generated page is the file-by-file coverage layer; curated subsystem chapters should link here when they synthesize a multi-file control flow.
- Core OS pages should be promoted from atlas-only to deep-reviewed when they explain data structures, invariants, locking, lifecycle, and C implementation snippets.
- Driver-family pages are intentionally pattern-oriented unless they are part of the selected PCIe/NVMe representative device path.