From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

Hello!
I want to install Slackware 15 64 in VBox in EFI mode.
Installation was possible, but the VBox EFI won't boot the installed
grub, but the grub from the install image. From that I can use "Detect installed OS" to start the installed GRUB and then boot the installed
OS.
After installation, I chrooted to /mnt and ran
grub-install
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name
1 2048 104447 50.0 MiB EF00 EFI system partition
2 104448 514047 200.0 MiB 8300 Linux filesystem
3 514048 82399390 39.0 GiB 8300 Linux filesystem Command (? for help): i 1
Partition number (1-3): 1
Partition GUID code: C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B (EFI system partition)
Partition unique GUID: 695D28D3-05E4-49D9-97A1-04DC6423B7E4
First sector: 2048 (at 1024.0 KiB)
Last sector: 104447 (at 51.0 MiB)
Partition size: 102400 sectors (50.0 MiB)
Attribute flags: 0000000000000000
Partition name: 'EFI system partition'
root@test:~# lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS
sda 8:0 0 39.3G 0 disk
roLroCsda1 8:1 0 50M 0 part /boot/efi
roLroCsda2 8:2 0 200M 0 part /boot
rooroCsda3 8:3 0 39G 0 part /
sr0 11:0 1 3.5G 0 rom
root@test:~#
root@test:~# efibootmgr
BootCurrent: 0001
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0004,0000,0001,0002,0003
Boot0000* UiApp FvVol(7cb8bdc9-f8eb-4f34-aaea-3ee4af6516a1)/FvFile(462caa21-7614-4503-836e-8ab6f4662331)
Boot0001* UEFI VBOX CD-ROM VB2-01700376 PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1,0x1)/Ata(1,0,0){auto_created_boot_option}
Boot0002* UEFI VBOX HARDDISK VB09d072f0-0e6959c6 PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0xd,0x0)/Sata(0,65535,0){auto_created_boot_option}
Boot0003 EFI Internal Shell FvVol(7cb8bdc9-f8eb-4f34-aaea-3ee4af6516a1)/FvFile(7c04a583-9e3e-4f1c-ad65-e05268d0b4d1)
Boot0004* slackware-15.0 HD(1,GPT,695d28d3-05e4-49d9-97a1-04dc6423b7e4,0x800,0x19000)/File(\EFI\slackware-15.0\grubx64.efi)
root@test:~# ls -la /boot/efi/EFI/slackware-15.0/grubx64.efi
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 139264 Mar 7 20:25 /boot/efi/EFI/slackware-15.0/grubx64.efi*
root@test:~#
The grub executable exists, although VirtualBox complains it can't find it.
If I want to select "boot from file", it shows an empty page, so I assume it doesn't even detect the EFI partition. It is usable when the ISO is inserted and shows the content of its EFI folder.
Does anybody have an idea what is going wrong and if that is an issue in VirtualBox or in Slackware/GRUB?
--
kind regards
Marco
Send spam to 1741376377muell@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

On Fri, 07 Mar 2025 20:54:21 +0100, Marco Moock wrote:

Does anybody have an idea what is going wrong and if that is an issue in VirtualBox or in Slackware/GRUB?

No, I have never booted Slackware 15.0 with GRUB and I have never used VirtualBox.

However, if it would be to any use for you I have successfully booted Slackware 15.0 in EFI mode both on pysical hardware and on virtual
machines run in qemu. Instead of GRUB I use syslinux/extlinux but I do
not use syslinux 4.07 which is shipped with Slackware, instead I use
Syslinux version 6.03. I have used the same method also on earlier
version 14.2 of Slackware.

Unfortunately my Slackware installation is heavily customized, I have
modified the installation initrd startup and installation scripts to automagically create all partitions needed before starting an
installation with a minimal number of questions.

On the first version of Slackware where I applied this boot method I did
not have the automated custimization of the partitioning, then I simply manually created a GPT partition table with all the partitions I wanted including an EFI partition which I mounted below /boot/efi. I then had a package containing an installation script and the needed syslinux files:

drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2021-01-14 12:45 ./
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2020-09-30 22:45 boot/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 1970-01-01 01:00 boot/efi/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2021-01-14 12:35 boot/efi/EFI/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2023-03-29 12:23 boot/efi/EFI/Boot/
-rwxr-xr-x root/root 199952 2020-09-30 21:31 boot/efi/EFI/Boot/
bootx64.efi
-rwxr-xr-x root/root 139968 2020-09-30 21:31 boot/efi/EFI/Boot/
ldlinux.e64
-rwxr-xr-x root/root 256 2023-03-29 12:23 boot/efi/EFI/Boot/
syslinux.cfg
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2023-03-29 12:22 install/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 494 2023-03-29 12:21 install/doinst.sh

The files bootx64.efi and ldlinux.e64 are from Syslinux 6.03.

The installation script doinst.sh contains the following:

-8<----------------------------------------------------------
#!/bin/sh

if [ -f /var/log/setup/tmp/SeTrootdev ]; then
rootpart=`cat /var/log/setup/tmp/SeTrootdev`
else
rootpart=`grep "/ " etc/fstab | awk '{print $1}'`
fi
bootdev=`grep boot etc/lilo.conf | grep dev | awk '{print $NF}'`
echo " APPEND root=$rootpart rdinit=ro intel_pstate=disable" >> boot/ efi/EFI/Boot/syslinux.cfg
./usr/sbin/efibootmgr -c -d $bootdev -p 3 -l \\EFI\\Boot\\bootx64.efi -L "Syslinux"
# Make sure that kernel is up-to-date
cp -p boot/vmlinuz boot/efi/EFI/Boot/vmlinuz -8<----------------------------------------------------------

The above script assumes that my custom installation has made an attempt
to configure a lilo.conf which will not be used. This is to find the boot
disk which typically is called something like /dev/sda or /dev/nvme0n1.
The script adds a line pointing to the right root partition to
syslinux.cfg before calling efibootmgr to point the UEFI BIOS to the boot
disk and syslinux bootx64.efi file.

Before being modified the syslinux.cfg file looks like this:

-8<----------------------------------------------------------
PROMPT 0
TIMEOut 100
DEFAULT Slackware 15.0

LABEL Slackware 15.0
MENU LABEL Slackware 15.0
LINUX vmlinuz
# example of what needs to get added to this file:
# APPEND root=/dev/nvme0n1p2 rdinit=ro pci=nommconf
# Such a line will be added by doinst.sh -8<----------------------------------------------------------

So this did not answer your question upon how to install GRUB which I
have avoided myself. I am aware that syslinux is considered abandonware,
but it still works for me and I find the synax of syslinux rather
familiar. I have during the years used configuration files with such
syntax not only to boot UEFI systems but also to boot optical media and
PXE network booting.

regards Henrik
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

Henrik Carlqvist <Henrik.Carlqvist@deadspam.com> wrote:

However, if it would be to any use for you I have successfully booted Slackware 15.0 in EFI mode both on pysical hardware and on virtual

I spent a lot of time trying to get Slackware 15.0 installed on
the only UEFI system I have. I tried so many things that when
I finally got something to work I couldn't remember the exact
steps I followed. Over the course of my efforts I tried to
install both Debian and Ubuntu each of which succeded. I
then I noticed that the EFI partition had both Debian and
Ubuntu stuff in it.

Henrik, do you format the EFI partition as vfat before starting
the install? As far as I can remember I never did that.
That would explain all my problems if the Slackware install
expected that the efi partition was formatted, and later
while booting the system could not find a vfat partition to
read.

Thanks.
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

root <NoEMail@home.org> writes:

Henrik, do you format the EFI partition as vfat before starting
the install? As far as I can remember I never did that.

Many machines will have an EFI service partition on them when you get
them. I don't recall having to make one because this system had Windows
on it previously. If there is not one, or it gets erased, you can
recreate it. It needs be a FAT32 system. To my memory, the partition
type has to be "EF" and the partition table should be type GPT.

fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 931.51 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors
Disk model: WDC WD10EZEX-08W
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 5ADB41A7-7604-419D-A43A-4F9135D120E8

Device Start End Sectors Size Type
/dev/sda1 2048 534527 532480 260M EFI System
/dev/sda2 534528 1049110527 1048576000 500G Linux filesystem
/dev/sda3 1049110528 1468540927 419430400 200G Linux filesystem
/dev/sda4 1468540928 1887971327 419430400 200G Linux filesystem
/dev/sda5 1887971328 1953525134 65553807 31.3G Linux swap

lsblk -f
NAME FSTYPE FSVER LABEL UUID FSAVAIL FSUSE% MOUNTPOINTS
sda roLroCsda1 vfat FAT32 SYSTEM 608B-0B83 238.6M 7% /boot/efi
roLroCsda2 ext4 1.0 2b909491-fbe9-4301-b583-913820597d92 265G 41% /
roLroCsda3 xfs 60c59f42-a1f1-46c2-bf8e-d9af83c303ce 67.5G 66% /home
roLroCsda4 xfs 7aa264bd-a6fa-450b-a21d-c255c8c14964 193.7G 3% /srv
rooroCsda5 swap 1 6f331c1c-da54-4c02-93fb-dad38ee610d2 [SWAP]
sr0 zram0
[SWAP]

I'm using Current with Grub. Previously I used Elilo, but it stopped
booting kernels about version 6.1.x or so. Elilo needs the kernel with
it in the ESP, Grub can "see" into the Linux partitions to grab the
kernel so it doesn't require the kernel with the bootloader.

ls -l /boot/efi/EFI/slackware-15.0+/
total 136
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 139264 Jun 24 2024 grubx64.efi*

I haven't booted Linux in a virtual machine, but I've used other
EFI-booting systems from QEMU. If you have everything setup correctly
and Virtual Box isn't working, try QEMU.
--
PGP Key ID: 781C A3E2 C6ED 70A6 B356 7AF5 B510 542E D460 5CAE
"The Internet should always be the Wild West!"
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

jayjwa <jayjwa@atr2.ath.cx.invalid> wrote:

Thanks for responding, in all my efforts I have been trying
to install 15.0 on something that had no prior OS: bare metal.
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

On Sat, 08 Mar 2025 16:52:59 +0000, root wrote:

Henrik, do you format the EFI partition as vfat before starting the
install?

The formatting is done during the install in my heavily customized isolinux/initrd.img I have changed /bin/startup.sh to:

-8<-----------------------------
#!/bin/sh
#/bin/network
/bin/partition
-8<-----------------------------

Where /bin/partition is my own custom script containing: -8<-----------------------------
#!/bin/sh

export MBR_DEVICE=/dev/`cat /proc/partitions | grep " 0 " | grep -v -E "ram0|fd0|sr0" | head -1 | awk '{print $4}'`
if [ -d /sys/firmware/efi ]; then
PART_TYPE=GPT
else
PART_TYPE=MBR
fi
dialog --title "Partitions" \
--yesno "Do you want to use standard partition sizes (${PART_TYPE}
)?" \
5 55
if [ $? = 0 ]; then
export PART_DEVICE=$MBR_DEVICE
if [ -d /sys/firmware/efi ]; then
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE mklabel gpt
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE mkpart root ext4 65536s 3600MB
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE mkpart swap linux-swap 3600MB 41400MB
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE mkpart efi fat32 41400MB 44GB
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE set 3 esp on
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE mkpart dummy fat32 44GB 44GB
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE mkpart usr ext4 44GB 106GB
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE mkpart opt ext4 106GB 118GB
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE mkpart var ext4 118GB 138GB
/usr/sbin/parted -s $PART_DEVICE mkpart tmp ext4 138GB 148GB
else
(echo o; \
echo n; \
echo p; \
echo 1; \
echo; \
echo +3600M; \
echo a; \
echo n; \
echo p; \
echo 2; \
echo; \
echo +37800M; \
echo t; \
echo 2; \
echo 82; \
echo n; \
echo e; \
echo 3; \
echo; \
echo; \
echo n; \
echo; \
echo +62000M; \
echo n; \
echo; \
echo +12000M; \
echo n; \
echo; \
echo +20000M; \
echo n; \
echo; \
echo +10000M; \
echo w) | fdisk $PART_DEVICE
fi
/usr/lib/setup/setup
else
echo Create your partitions manually, then run setup!
echo First do \". /etc/profile\", then run \"fdisk\" and finally \"setup
\"
/bin/sh -
fi
-8<-----------------------------

The above custom script was written for me a few years ago, intended for Slackware 15.0. I was then in the belief that lilo would be unable to
boot from a GPT partition table, but by coincidence I have found that
lilo at least on some systems are able to boot also from GPT partitions.

My customezed usr/lib/setup/setup continues with a minimum of questions
and calls a customized SeTEFI:

-8<------------------------------
#!/bin/sh
TMP=/var/log/setup/tmp
T_PX="`cat $TMP/SeTT_PX`"
if [ ! -d $TMP ]; then
mkdir -p $TMP
fi

# If the kernel does not support EFI, then we shouldn't be trying to
mount an
# EFI partition. If we do, probably the only device found with an EFI structure
# will be the installer, which we don't want added to /etc/fstab.
if [ ! -d /sys/firmware/efi ]; then
exit
fi

rm -f $TMP/SeTefipartitions
touch $TMP/SeTefipartitions

# Scan for EFI partitions:
# The UEFI specification states that an EFI System partition should have
# a GUID of C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B for a GPT disk layout.
# In case of a MBR disk layout instead, an ESP should have an OS type of
# 0xEF. lsblk writes these values in the same field: PARTTYPE. ESPGUID=C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B
OSTYPE=0xEF
lsblk -l -o parttype,name | \
grep -i -F -e "$ESPGUID" -e "$OSTYPE" | \
sed "s,[^ ]*[ ]*,/dev/," > $TMP/SeTefipartitions

if [ ! -s $TMP/SeTefipartitions ]; then # No EFI partitions
rm -f $TMP/SeTefipartitions
exit
fi

# Initially, we will just take the first EFI partition found, which
# will probably be on /dev/sda:
PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION="$(cat $TMP/SeTefipartitions | head -n 1)"

# But we will also test to see if there is an EFI partition on the same
# device as the root partition, and if so, prefer that:
if [ -r $TMP/SeTrootdev ]; then
if grep -q "$(cat $TMP/SeTrootdev | cut -b 1-8)" $TMP/
SeTefipartitions ; then
PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION="$(grep "$(cat $TMP/SeTrootdev | cut -b 1-8)" $TMP/SeTefipartitions | head -n 1)"
fi
fi

# This file is no longer needed:
rm -f $TMP/SeTefipartitions

# See if EFI partition is formatted. If not, offer to format it: EFITMPMOUNT=$(mktemp -d)
if ! mount $PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION $EFITMPMOUNT 1> /dev/null 2> /dev/
null ; then
# It didn't mount, so it must not be formatted:
# dialog --title "FORMAT EFI PARTITION ${PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION}?" \
# --yesno "An EFI System Partition was found on
${PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION}, \
#but it has not yet been formatted. Would you like to format this
partition?" \
#7 56
# if [ ! $? = 0 ]; then
# exit
# fi
# Format the partition with FAT32, 2 sectors per cluster (needed for the
# minimum supported EFI partition size of 100MB):
# dialog --title "FORMATTING EFI PARTITION ${PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION}" -- infobox \
# "Formatting EFI System Partition ${PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION} as FAT32."
3 60
mkfs.vfat -F 32 -s 2 ${PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION} 1> /dev/null 2> /dev/
null
sleep 1
mount ${PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION} $EFITMPMOUNT 1> /dev/null 2> /dev/null
fi
if [ ! -d $EFITMPMOUNT/EFI -a ! -d $EFITMPMOUNT/efi ]; then
mkdir $EFITMPMOUNT/EFI 1> /dev/null 2> /dev/null
fi
umount $PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION 1> /dev/null 2> /dev/null
rmdir $EFITMPMOUNT

# Mount the partition on ${T_PX}/boot/efi:
if [ ! -d ${T_PX}/boot/efi ]; then
mkdir -p ${T_PX}/boot/efi
fi
mount ${PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION} ${T_PX}/boot/efi 1> /dev/null 2> /dev/
null

# Add the EFI System Partition to /etc/fstab:
printf "%-16s %-16s %-11s %-16s %-3s %s\n" "$PREFERRED_EFI_PARTITION" "/ boot/efi" "vfat" "defaults" "1" "0" > $TMP/SeTEFI
cat << EOF > $TMP/tempmsg

Adding this information to your /etc/fstab:

EOF
cat $TMP/SeTEFI >> $TMP/tempmsg
#dialog --backtitle "Finished setting up EFI System Partition." \
#--title "EFI SYSTEM PARTITION RECOGNIZED" \
#--exit-label OK \
#--textbox $TMP/tempmsg 10 72

# Piggyback this fstab addition on the other native partitions in
SeTnative:
cat $TMP/SeTEFI >> $TMP/SeTnative
rm -f $TMP/SeTEFI $TMP/tempmsg

# Done.
-8<------------------------------

This customized SeTEFI calls mkfs.vfat -F 32 -s 2 on the EFI partition.

My customezed installation is intended for non dual boot systems, so I
allow my script to allways reformat the EFI partition without any
questions asked.

regards Henrik
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

Henrik Carlqvist <Henrik.Carlqvist@deadspam.com> wrote:

My customezed installation is intended for non dual boot systems, so I
allow my script to allways reformat the EFI partition without any
questions asked.

regards Henrik

Thanks Henrik.
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

On 08.03.2025 11:54 Uhr Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

However, if it would be to any use for you I have successfully booted Slackware 15.0 in EFI mode both on pysical hardware and on virtual
machines run in qemu. Instead of GRUB I use syslinux/extlinux but I
do not use syslinux 4.07 which is shipped with Slackware, instead I
use Syslinux version 6.03. I have used the same method also on
earlier version 14.2 of Slackware.

Was there a special reason to go this way?
--
kind regards
Marco

Send spam to 1741431277muell@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de

--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

On Sun, 09 Mar 2025 19:26:00 +0100, Marco Moock wrote:

On 08.03.2025 11:54 Uhr Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

However, if it would be to any use for you I have successfully booted
Slackware 15.0 in EFI mode both on pysical hardware and on virtual
machines run in qemu. Instead of GRUB I use syslinux/extlinux but I do
not use syslinux 4.07 which is shipped with Slackware, instead I use
Syslinux version 6.03. I have used the same method also on earlier
version 14.2 of Slackware.

Was there a special reason to go this way?

My main reason for choosing syslinux back then was that I was familiar
with the bootloader since previosly having used it to create bootable
optical media and pxe network booting. I also prefer the syntax of
syslinux configuration files where disks and partitions are named the
same way as the Linux kernel sees them (e g /dev/sda and /dev/sda1)
instead of something like hd0. Another reason for me to avoid GRUB during
the years of MBR booting is that it has required a partition of its own
to boot such systems, LILO has been doing fine without any special
partition.

Today syslinux is considered abandonware, but it still seems to be
working fine booting UEFI systems for me and I have kept using this
method. The day it stops working I will need to replace it. Maybe I will reluctantly replace it with grub, maybe I will replace it with something
else like limine.

regards Henrik
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

with <vqlu01$16pni$1@dont-email.me> Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

On Sun, 09 Mar 2025 19:26:00 +0100, Marco Moock wrote:

On 08.03.2025 11:54 Uhr Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

*SKIP* [ 7 lines 3 levels deep]

Was there a special reason to go this way?

[ quotes are reordered ]

Today syslinux is considered abandonware, but it still seems to be
working fine booting UEFI systems for me and I have kept using this
method. The day it stops working I will need to replace it. Maybe I
will reluctantly replace it with grub, maybe I will replace it with
something else like limine.

Since LQ went full ballistic on elinks I'm LQ-disabled (and then my
login went bust there, and I'm reluctant to re-create user there now).
However, can anyone LQ-enabled comment why syslinux is outdated in The Slackware Proper? (From what I see in the changelog, syslinux has
invested huge work in UEFI.)

*SKIP* [ 8 lines 1 level deep]

LILO has been doing fine without any special partition.

(Just adding another datapoint.) I've tried setup2hd script of
liveslack fame. By itself it was utter (expected) disaster. But! Lilo
has successfully booted from this abomination. From what I've read
setting lilo onto non-first IDE would require some dark magic. Wake up, sheeple! Lilo rocks!

What I did:

(1) liloconfig is useles.

(2) 'boot' parameter of <lilo.conf> could (should) be
</dev/disk/by-id/foo>. Lilo will complain that this will be
interpreted as designation of block device (or something).

(3) No, uuid of gpt label (as whole block special, not separate
partitions) for 'boot' parameter doesn't work. Interpretation of
lilo's docus as such is a mistake.

(4) Don't forget to set up 'root' parameter of 'image' section
appropriately. Neither setup2hd nor liloconfig will ask for this.

That being said, I can't neither confirm nor deny that whatever
implementation or configuration of EFI on motherboard has been involved
in this success story.
--
Torvalds' goal for Linux is very simple: World Domination
Stallman's goal for GNU is even simpler: Freedom
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

On Sat, 22 Mar 2025 22:00:39 +0000, Eric Pozharski wrote:

can anyone LQ-enabled comment why syslinux is outdated in The
Slackware Proper? (From what I see in the changelog, syslinux has
invested huge work in UEFI.)

I have a working LQ account, but that does not help me much to tell why syslinux is outdated in Slackware.

I do note some posts in the thread
Requests for current-next (15.0-->15.1)
where someone year 2023 requests to update syslinux to latest stable
version 6.03.

Somone then replies that version 6.03 "does not display correctly the
boot menu on many uefi systems" and suggests version 6.04-pre1 instead.

Then someone replies that syslinux 6.x requires a lot of patches.

Looking att Slackware current it still ships with syslinux 4.07, a
package that was built 2021, before Slackware 15.0 was released. Among
the source files and build scripts for syslinux it seems that if only one patch is applied to syslinux 4.07 when building for Slackware. Those
source files are from 2013-07-25 and the patchs is from 2018.

Syslinux 4.07 was released exactly 2013-07-25, back then also syslinux
5.10 and 6.01 existed, but for some reason Slackware decided to stick
with the 4 series. It might also be worth noting that the developer did
choose to maintain different series at that time.

In the changelog for Slackware 14.1 you can see:

-8<-------------------------------------
a/syslinux-4.06-x86_64-1.txz: Upgraded.
Actually, dropping back from 5.01, which has a bug that prevents extra
options given at the boot prompt from being passed to the kernel.
We'll look at this again when 5.02 comes out. -8<-------------------------------------

So a newer version of syslinux has been considered in Slackware, but
rejected because of bugs.

In the changelog for Slackware 14.2, there is only a short note:

-8<-------------------------------------
a/syslinux-4.07-x86_64-1.txz: Upgraded. -8<-------------------------------------

At that time, 2016-05-25 also stable versions 5.10 and 6.03 existed,
again version 4.07 is from 2013-07-25. So it was probably some kind of
active decision to stick with version 4.07 of syslinux.

According to the changelog for Slackware 15.0, the syslinux package was rebuilt 3 times and ends up being syslinux-4.07-i586-4.txz , the first
time it was rebuilt to syslinux-4.07-i586-2.txz was 2018, the date of the patch among the sources.

regards Henrik
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

with <vrouh9$28rnf$1@dont-email.me> Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

On Sat, 22 Mar 2025 22:00:39 +0000, Eric Pozharski wrote:

can anyone LQ-enabled comment why syslinux is outdated in The
Slackware Proper? (From what I see in the changelog, syslinux has
invested huge work in UEFI.)

I have a working LQ account, but that does not help me much to tell why syslinux is outdated in Slackware.

I think that I have to apologize here. I didn't expect my grunting
would lead to some serious research (that's not how usenet works!).
I've been proven wrong (again) and I'm sorry.

*SKIP* [ 5 lines 1 level deep]

Then someone replies that syslinux 6.x requires a lot of patches.

<https://sources.debian.org/src/syslinux/3%3A6.04~git20190206.bf6db5b4%2Bdfsg1-3/debian/patches/>

This may be "serious", "important", "significat", or whatever. But "lot
of" isn't applicable here. Also, I understand you haven't experienced
any significant difficulties going after syslinux-6. That being said,..

*SKIP* [ 9 lines 1 level deep]

In the changelog for Slackware 14.1 you can see: -8<-------------------------------------
a/syslinux-4.06-x86_64-1.txz: Upgraded.
Actually, dropping back from 5.01, which has a bug that prevents extra
options given at the boot prompt from being passed to the kernel.
We'll look at this again when 5.02 comes out. -8<-------------------------------------
So a newer version of syslinux has been considered in Slackware, but rejected because of bugs.

So, decision has been made -- syslinux-4 is good enough. Otherwise
there is grub. In the context of The Slackware Proper.

Well, I know the drill. Pity that The Sbo is of no help here -- so much
work is duplicated.

*CUT* [ 11 lines 1 level deep]
--
Torvalds' goal for Linux is very simple: World Domination
Stallman's goal for GNU is even simpler: Freedom
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

On Fri, 28 Mar 2025 18:29:04 +0000, Eric Pozharski wrote:

Also, I understand you haven't experienced any significant difficulties
going after syslinux-6.

No, for me syslinux 6 has worked fine to boot UEFI systems. However, I
might have cheated a bit... If I remember right I did not compile
syslinux 6 myself on Slackware, instead I simply copied those precompiled binary files needed to boot with UEFI and extlinux from some other Linux distribution.

regards Henrik
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

with <vs8j3k$14jrn$1@dont-email.me> Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

On Fri, 28 Mar 2025 18:29:04 +0000, Eric Pozharski wrote:

Also, I understand you haven't experienced any significant
difficulties going after syslinux-6.

No, for me syslinux 6 has worked fine to boot UEFI systems. However, I
might have cheated a bit... If I remember right I did not compile
syslinux 6 myself on Slackware, instead I simply copied those
precompiled binary files needed to boot with UEFI and extlinux from
some other Linux distribution.

We are talking Slackware here. In all honesty, I can't even think what cheating would be.

That being said, I'm about to FAFO anyway and in short time (by my
scale) I'll build syslinux6. I leave _this_ message as a bookmark and
will report here.
--
Torvalds' goal for Linux is very simple: World Domination
Stallman's goal for GNU is even simpler: Freedom
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2