[Bug 1025555] Re: Ubuntu i386 images are not compatible with recent (UEFI) computers

[Dmitrijs Ledkovs]

On 18 April 2013 08:43, FredL <1025555 at bugs.launchpad.net> wrote:
> I also don't understand the reluctance to release 32 efi compatible
> media. The 64 bit media are well tested, support traditional bios
> hardware, efi only and efi legacy. Why would this be different for 32
> bit. Leaving it with the (often non-expert) users to install it
> themselves with several hooks and pitfalls seems a bit weak to me from
> the side of ubuntu.  I am a semi-experienced Linux user, but I am
> reluctant to do this myself.
>
> As Dmitrijs sas "The bug here is against ubuntu-cdimage project that we
> don't generate any 32-bit uefi capable installation media. But i'd like
> to see a significant market share of 32bit-only-UEFI machines before we
> do introduce such an image."
>
> What do you see as a significant markershare. There is a clear problem,
> a clear demand from several users, a fair number of hardware affected
> ... I'd say that sounds significant enough.
>

The emphasis was on "32bit-only". Most of the UEFI booting by default
machines are 64bit and thus they should be using the amd64 install
media which is fully supported.
Most of the 32-bit machines are BIOS only today. (7 year old macbooks
are EFI by default, but still had BIOS boot available after Mac OS
upgrade)
In this bug report the Atom-System-on-a-Chip was identified as a 32bit
platform with UEFI-only boot option. Supporting such platform would
require creating a new install media.
I am considering to spit that task as a separate request to support
those machines.
For all other machines, they are 64-bit capable and should be using
amd64 media that works for them starting with 12.10 and 12.04.2 LTS
releases.
I don't follow, why should we adapt and create a second install media
for UEFI+64bit machines at the expense of regressing and failing to
boot older i386-bios machines.
Atom-System-on-a-Chip systems don't have an install media at the
moment, but they also were never yet supported, so it's not a
regression but a desirable feature request.

Regards,

Dmitrijs.

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Title:
  Ubuntu i386 images are not compatible with recent (UEFI) computers

Status in Ubuntu CD image build software:
  Confirmed
Status in “grub2” package in Ubuntu:
  Invalid
Status in “ubiquity” package in Ubuntu:
  Invalid

Bug description:
  64bits EFI computer (with GPT disk) with pre-installed 64bits Windows7.
  AND 32bits EFI computer without legacy boot support

  1) Installing Ubuntu 12.04 64bit creates a valid
  /efi/ubuntu/grubx64.efi entry. At reboot, the GRUB menu appears and
  allows to boot Ubuntu.

  2) Installing Ubuntu 12.04 32bits installs grub-pc, which creates no
  EFI entry. Ubuntu can't be booted (except if it is possible to
  deactivate EFI mode).

  3) Installing grub-efi from an already installed Ubuntu32 creates
  /efi/ubuntu/boot.efi , and /efi/ubuntu/grubia32.efi . Both EFI entries
  fail.

  4) Installing grub-efi in an already installed Ubuntu32 in chroot via
  an Ubuntu64 live-CD ( so that grub-efi has access to EFI variables)
  also creates two invalid EFI entries (/efi/ubuntu/boot.efi , and
  /efi/ubuntu/grubia32.efi ).

  CONCLUSION:
  - grub-efi 32bits always creates invalid entries.
  - Installing Ubuntu32 bits on an EFI system should be blocked by Ubiquity (the Ubuntu installer). In this case, Ubiquity should ask the user to install Ubuntu64 instead.
  - the Download page should warn that the 32bits ISO is not compatible with recent (EFI) computers

  === Workarounds ==

  If you have UEFI-only machine, please use amd64 (64-bit) images. That
  image will most likely work for you as your machine is highly likely a
  64-bit one.

  If you truly have 32-bit-only CPU and UEFI-only machines please post
  exact Manufacturer, OEM, make, brand and model number as a comment on
  this bug report.

  Currently known machines that are affected are Intel Atom 32-bit System-on-a-chip based machines, such as phones & tablets as listed on:
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom_(system_on_chip)

  Please note explicit Intel Atom (CPU) architecture has not been
  supported in Ubuntu for a while know. The Atom system-on-chip is a new
  & upcoming type of processors that are not supported by Ubuntu at the
  moment and further work is required to bring up an Ubuntu port to such
  machines. At the moment those machines have limited stock, high
  pricetag and no Ubuntu ports known to be in progress.

  (potential work-around disable secure boot, prepare usb-stick with
  32bit grub-efi image installed, boot of that and perform manual  -
  "debootstrap" based installation: manually partition, manually install
  grub-efi, debootstrap packages, attempt to boot.)

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