EFI stub

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  • CONFIG_PM_STD_PARTITION for hibernation

The (U)EFI firmware present in many computers functions as a boot manager, allowing systems to boot by the use of a compatible EFI bootloader. By making the Linux kernel itself such a bootloader, called an EFI stub. This configuration boots without the need for secondary bootloader. This article provides instructions on configuring and installing kernels in the EFI System Partition (ESP) of a computer running in EFI mode.

Kernel configuration

Tip
Please follow the steps at EFI System Partition to setup the ESP first.

The following kernel configuration options must be enabled:

KERNEL Enable EFI stub support for Kernels 6.1+
Processor type and features  --->
    [*] EFI runtime service support
    [*]     EFI stub support
    [ ]     EFI mixed-mode support (OPTIONAL)
Note
EFI mixed-mode support is only required to boot a 64-bit kernel from 32-bit firmware if the CPU supports 64-bit mode and EFI handover is enabled.
Note
For Distribution kernels (except gentoo-kernel-bin) the kernel settings go to savedconfig or /etc/kernel/config.d.

Installation

Kernel

With the kernel configured with EFI Stub support (assuming that ESP is mounted at /efi). In some systems /efi/efi already exists and must then be used (in lowercase). It is recommended to create a separate directory below /efi/EFI (or /efi/efi if already exist). In the following the name example is used:

root #mkdir -p /efi/EFI/example

The kernel is created from the current kernel directory and copied to the new directory. This will install the kernel to /efi/EFI/example/bzImage.efi:

/usr/src/linux #make && make modules_install && cp arch/x86/boot/bzImage /efi/EFI/example/bzImage.efi
Tip
Some rare UEFI BIOS do not accept individual UEFI entries. In this case, the kernel must be recopied as follows: cp /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage /efi/EFI/boot/bootx64.efi. This is a name every UEFI must accept without creating a UEFI entry.

EFI firmware configuration

With the kernel file at /efi/EFI/example/bzImage.efi, a boot entry can be added with:

root #efibootmgr --create --disk /dev/sda --label "Gentoo EFI Stub" --loader "\EFI\example\bzImage.efi"

More examples can be found in efibootmgr.

Root partition configuration

In order to boot directly from UEFI, the kernel or its initramfs needs to know where to find the root partition of the system to be booted. When using a bootmanager like grub the kernel gets its information where to find its root partition from the bootmanager via command line parameter. When using a stub kernel two options can be used to give the kernel this information:

Configuring it into the kernel

KERNEL Root Partiton information for Kernels 6.1+
Processor type and features  --->
    [*] Built-in kernel command line
    (root=/dev/sda3 ro)
Important
Setting the root location using a PARTUUID, or (filesystem) UUID when using a initramfs, is generally preferable and less error prone. This information can be obtained by using the blkid command:
root #blkid | grep sda3 
/dev/sda3: UUID="d1e0c1e0-3a40-42c5-8931-cfa2c7deae32" TYPE="ext4" PARTUUID="adf55784-15d9-4ca3-bb3f-56de0b35d88d"
KERNEL Root Partiton information for Kernels 6.1+
Processor type and features  --->
    [*] Built-in kernel command line
    (root=PARTUUID=adf55784-15d9-4ca3-bb3f-56de0b35d88d ro)

The partition's PARTUUID is distinct from the filesystem's UUID. The UUID refers to the unique filesystem partition and must be used with a initramfs, while the PARTUUID refers to the disk partition and can be used when booting a kernel.

Configuring it into UEFI

To add an entry with kernel command line arguments:

root #efibootmgr --create --disk /dev/sda --label "Gentoo EFI Stub" --loader "\EFI\example\bzImage.efi" -u "root=/dev/sda3"

Microcode loading

When using a kernel without an initramfs it is recommended to load the microcode described in the following articles:

Signing for Secure Boot

If Secure Booting this kernel, it must be signed witn sbsign, part of app-crypt/sbsigntools:

root #sbsign --key {db key} --cert {db cert} /efi/EFI/example/bzImage.efi

More information is available at Secure Boot.

Kernel with initramfs

When using a kernel with an external initramfs (as CPIO archive) additional steps are necessary. After creating the initramfs it must be copied also into the ESP:

root #cp /path/to/my/initramfs/myinitrd.cpio.gz /efi/EFI/example/initrd.cpio.gz

Now the kernel needs the information where to find it, and the initramfs needs the information where to find its root partition. UEFI must give both information:

root #efibootmgr -c -d /dev/sda -p 1 -L "Gentoo EFI Stub" -l '\EFI\example\bzImage.efi' -u 'root=UUID=xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx initrd=\EFI\example\initrd.cpio.gz'

When using Early Userspace Mounting the Generating the Initramfs and Using a Stub Kernel sections explains it in more detail.

Backup kernel

It is recommended to always have a backup kernel. If a bootmanager like grub is already installed, it should not be uninstalled, because grub can boot a stub kernel just like a normal kernel. A second possibility is to work with an additional UEFI entry. Before installing a new kernel, the current one can be copied from /efi/EFI/example/ to /efi/EFI/backup. The second UEFI entry was also created with efibootmgr. In this example, other names were used:

root #efibootmgr
BootCurrent: 0002
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0002,0000,0001
Boot0000* Secure        HD(1,GPT,0adcbfee-21aa-42ea-9a9a-2e53bd05e6a2,0x800,0x7f800)/File(\EFI\secure\bzImage.efi)
Boot0001* gentoo        HD(1,GPT,0adcbfee-21aa-42ea-9a9a-2e53bd05e6a2,0x800,0x7f800)/File(\EFI\gentoo\grubx64.efi)
Boot0002* Backup        HD(1,GPT,0adcbfee-21aa-42ea-9a9a-2e53bd05e6a2,0x800,0x7f800)/File(\EFI\backup\bzImage.efi)

Troubleshooting

root #efibootmgr -c -L "Gentoo Linux" -l '\EFI\Gentoo\bootx64.efi' -u 'root=PARTUUID=XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX'
To create a boot entry with efibootmgr and hibernation on swap partition:
root #efibootmgr -c -L "Gentoo Linux" -l '\EFI\Gentoo\bootx64.efi' -u 'root=PARTUUID=XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX resume=PARTUUID=XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX'

See also

External resources

References

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