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Messages - Rich Walsh

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121
Setup & Installation / Re: UEFI: Dual Boot - Windows 11 and ArcaOS 5.1
« on: September 08, 2023, 01:10:28 am »
Which is the difference in functionality between this two?
- ArcaOS (C:) = \EFI\OS2\OS2LDR.EFI C:
- ArcaOS (*) = \EFI\OS2\OS2LDR.EFI

Can I delete the second one? or does it offer something different without the C: ?

If you specify a drive letter, OS2LDR will boot that drive. If you don't, OS2LDR will display a list of OS/2 partitions that may be bootable so you can choose one.

Here's something people may find interesting: if the list includes an existing BIOS-based installation, try selecting it. Ignore what you see (or rather, what you don't see) on the screen and give it a few moments. You may be pleasantly surprised. (If things seem to stop, try pressing Enter.)

122
Setup & Installation / Re: UEFI: Dual Boot - Windows 11 and ArcaOS 5.1
« on: September 07, 2023, 06:14:38 am »
Is it real? Was it that easy?

Yes, this is exactly the way it's supposed to be: no drama.

Quote
6) It shows a "AN Launcher" where I can select ArcaOS or Windows... (Dual_007.jpg) The only thing is that Windows shows like "old_x86".

I just want to know how to change the names of the options on the "AN Launcher", so I can rename one to "ArcaOS 5.1" and the "Windows 11" the other.

Launcher's Help screen gives a brief how-to; here's a slightly more detailed explanation:
Use MiniLVM to assign a drive letter to your ESP (e.g. 'U:'), then navigate to U:\EFI\BOOT\LAUNCHER.CFG. Open it and edit the "[menu]' section. Each line is in the form "<menu text> = <program>.EFI [options]". Here's my menu:

[menu]
ArcaOS (N:) = \EFI\OS2\OS2LDR.EFI N:
ArcaOS (C:) = \EFI\OS2\OS2LDR.EFI C:
ArcaOS (*) = \EFI\OS2\OS2LDR.EFI
Win11 = \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
Kubuntu22 = \EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi
Shell = \EFI\Boot\shell.efi
Help = ??


123
Applications / Re: Csm2Uefi migration tool (updated)
« on: September 06, 2023, 10:45:39 pm »
Pardon my ignorance: Is Cube this file https://hobbes.nmsu.edu/?detail=%2Fpub%2Fos2%2Futil%2Fstartup%2FCUBE_3-30.zip?

Yes and no... CUBE is a REXX script for modifying text files like config.sys. It has been updated many times, most recently by me. It is used extensively by the AOS installer, and apparently by RPM scripts because BWW has converted it to an .exe and put a copy in \usr\bin. I'd consider this exe and the cube.cmd it's based on to be the "official" release. It's version is 3.0.

The package on hobbes appears to be a fork based on an outdated version. The package's author has updated it in various ways and greatly expanded its scope. Until you mentioned it, I wasn't aware it existed so I can't comment on its reliability. Until that's established, I wouldn't put that version on the PATH before the "official" versions.

For your reference, I've attached the "official" version containing 'cube.cmd' and its documentation.

124
Applications / Re: ArcaOS 5.1 - First Impressions
« on: September 05, 2023, 11:32:04 pm »
I was able to sort of get windowed DOS sessions working. Full screen DOS sessions work fine for me now.

You didn't identify whether you're booting in CSM or UEFI mode - it makes a world of difference. If UEFI, you've got a real problem; if CSM, this is par-for-the-course.

125
Applications / Re: Csm2Uefi migration tool
« on: September 05, 2023, 08:50:53 pm »
Now, it copied some files, and then I got an error message (cf. attachment).

My apologies. There are 2 versions of 'cube', an EXE and a CMD. 'csm2uefi-v1' only supported the CMD version (which few people have). v2 supports the more common EXE version as well; it also fixes the missing '\' when copying 'config.sys'. Run the new version to finish the job (you can run it any number of times).

126
Applications / Re: Csm2Uefi migration tool
« on: September 05, 2023, 11:55:18 am »
I have put the exe on the installer usb stick, and installed 5.1 as CSM boot.
If I try your tool, I always get "Can't determine the source version", although the referenced iso is exactly the iso from the installer stick.

The source is not the ISO file, it's the drive created when you mount the ISO. When booted from the installed system, doubleclick on the ISO, select a drive letter, then use that drive letter as the source. If booted from the installer, the ISO is already mounted, usually as drive R:, so that's the letter you'd use. (If I've misunderstood the problem, please correct me so we can get this going for you.)

127
Applications / Csm2Uefi migration tool (updated)
« on: September 05, 2023, 02:05:04 am »
Several users have found they can migrate from 5.0.8 CSM to 5.1.0 UEFI simply by booting the installer/upgrader in UEFI mode. While this works, it isn't really supported and fails to copy in several files (e.g. the new boot logo). Similarly, switching an existing 5.1.x CSM install to UEFI isn't supported either. To fix this, I wrote csm2uefi.exe (attached).

To use it, you start with an existing 5.1.x installation (CSM or UEFI), mount the 5.1.x ISO (doubleclick on the file) or your 5.1.x DVD, then run:
  csm2uefi <isoDrive:> <5.1bootDrive:>  [e.g. csm2uefi F: C:]

It will copy in any missing files, then update 2 video-related ines in 'config.sys' to make it ready to boot in UEFI mode (the original is saved as 'config.csm' if you need to revert). If you're doing a 5.0.x to 5.1.0 upgrade, I'd suggest doing it in CSM mode so you can confirm the upgrade went as planned. Once you're confident everything works, then do the CSM->UEFI migration.

Important
* this does not create or setup an EFI System Partition - use the options on MiniLVM's 'System' menu when booted under UEFI to do so.
* the ISO and the installed system must be the exact same version of AOS - this method can't be used to boot other versions of OS/2 under UEFI (there's a different method available but that's another post...)

Update
* v2 - fixed a bug in v1 that caused a failure when calling 'CUBE'; v2 supports both 'cube.cmd' and 'cube.exe'

128
Applications / Re: ArcaOS 5.1 - First Impressions
« on: August 31, 2023, 10:52:28 pm »
I may try to upgrade and if that doesn't work then I'll just do a clean install. I really want/need full DOS and Win-OS/2 support, including sound.

After I got my copy of 5.1, I simulated an upgrade from CSM to UEFI to see what the result would be. The video installer recognized that the drivers needed for UEFI were missing, so it installed them. However, two other files that aren't part of the video package weren't installed, namely 'AOSLOGO' (the new PNG bootlogo) and 'VBIOS.SYS' (a patched version of the original dated 5/11/2020).

The result is a seemingly functional system that's missing the bootlogo and may bomb out playing some crazy DOS game. On the whole, I wouldn't recommend going the CSM->UEFI "upgrade" route until there's a package that does a comprehensive job.

129
Applications / Re: ArcaOS 5.1 - First Impressions
« on: August 30, 2023, 09:05:30 pm »
if I want to switch my current install of 5.0.8 CSM to 5.1 UEFI [...] could I go from CSM to UEFI via the upgrade path? [...] I think I could accomplish this via an upgrade and then follow the steps as Rich posted to finish the CSM to UEFI conversion.

FWIW... I don't have the final 5.1GA yet _and_ I don't have a dual CSM/UEFI machine any more, so I can't test most of this stuff the way I normally would. However, after doing 100+ UEFI installs, many with non-standard configurations, I think I've gotten the hang of it...

If the installer will let you do an upgrade when booted in UEFI mode then you should end up with all the files needed to boot either way. The only difference between a fully-functional CSM system and a UEFI system are these two lines in 'config.sys':

[CSM]
DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VSVGA.SYS
SET VIO_SVGA=DEVICE(BVHVGA,BVHSVGA)

[EFI]
DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VEFI.SYS
SET VIO_SVGA=DEVICE(BVHEFI)

So, if you run into problems getting UEFI going, you can update config.sys accordingly then revert to CSM.

Be aware that if you don't already have an ESP (EFI System Partition), creating one on an MBR drive has some gotcha's. First, it must be a primary partition - 256MB is typical but an OS/2-only system can get by with ~8MB (1 cylinder). More important, when scanning an MBR disk, most systems will examine each FAT32 partition looking for '\EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI' and will ignore any other files. MiniLVM's install routine accomodates this by putting 2 copies of 'launcher.efi' in '\EFI\BOOT', one of which is renamed BOOTX64.EFI.

130
Applications / Re: ArcaOS 5.1 - First Impressions
« on: August 30, 2023, 07:01:27 pm »
Do you know, whether the EFI files installed via MiniLVM are the same as the ones on the USB stick?

The binaries are the same but they're configured to run the installer. MiniLVM will install and configure them for normal usage, and will create a new entry in your machine's Boot List so they can be found. Currently there's no way to create this entry manually so you probbly have to use MiniLVM to get a complete installation. (FYI... the EFI boot files can be found on your installed system under 'C:\sys\install\UEFI' in the 'EFI\OS2' directory.)

Edit: I see that you are using reFind. If so, create an 'EFI\OS2' directory on your EFI System Partition (ESP), copy the files from your installed system, then create an entry in reFind that points at '\EFI\OS2\os2ldr.efi'. Specify the drive letter of your installation as a commandline argument. No MiniLVM steps required.

131
Applications / Re: ArcaOS 5.1 - First Impressions
« on: August 29, 2023, 07:23:38 pm »
I did a test update on my T420 and that worked great, but the installer doesn't switch the disk to GPT and doesn't add an EFI boot partition, but installs the EFI drivers.

The biggest problem here is invalid assumptions and expectations. The first is that the installer was designed to upgrade an existing partition from CSM to EFI. It wasn't: it was intended to upgrade 5.0 CSM to 5.1 CSM _or_ a do new 5.1 EFI install. As you have demonstrated, the CSM->EFI upgrade path is available - you just have to finish the job (see below).

The other incorrect assumption is that "something" would automatically convert your disk to GPT even though such a feature isn't mentioned in the documentation nor does it appear in the installer's UI.. As it happens, the only known OS/2-based MBR to GPT converter is sitting here on my hard drive. I offered it to one of AN's principals but he declined the offer because he couldn't imagine a reason someone would want such a thing. Sad but true...

To finish your CSM->EFI conversion, you just need to create the EFI partition. Here's how:
* boot up yur new install using the USB strick
* open MiniLVM
* select System->Create EFI partition; follow the instructions
* select System->Boot Menu->Install/Update; follow the instructions
* eject the USB stick and reboot - you should get the AN Launcher menu (i.e. AN's EFI boot manager)

Edit: MiniLVM offers these options for a GPT disk. I _assume_ they're also available for MBR disks. If not, it's still easy to create a bootable EFI partition - you just have to copy some files.

132
Applications / Re: ArcaOS 5.1 - First Impressions
« on: August 28, 2023, 05:30:05 am »
Also, I thought I read that secure boot should be disabled in BIOS - is that not true?

Yes and no. Until you get AN's Secure Boot key registered, it has to be off because the system wll refuse to boot AOS. However while it's off, you'll be unable to boot any Win11 pre-install because they all (?) come with Secure Boot enabled (and the drive encrypted by Bitlocker). In fact, _don't_even_try_ unless you're ready to enter that gigantic Bitlocker key.

Enrolling the key manually is pretty easy on most full-featured desktop machines but usually impossible on laptops because their bare-bones firmware lacks a UI to do so. My understanding was that VOICE, not AN, was going to offer a utility to handle enrollment but perhaps things have changed. If the final product is the one I tested a while back, it's pretty easy to use.

133
Applications / Re: ArcaOS 5.1 - First Impressions
« on: August 27, 2023, 11:07:49 pm »
I don't like the little window at boot to choose the boot partition because there is only one choice. I set the time-out to 1 second, but I would really like to just get rid of it - is there a way? I will never put another OS on this computer.

What about other OS/2 installs? If you want to get rid of it, open MiniLVM and select System->Boot Menu->Remove. Be aware that if you have multiple OS/2 partitions, the bootloader (os2ldr.efi) may present you with its own menu and ask you to select one.

Quote
No obvious change in performance, but it is still early.

Very little has actually changed: just the bootloader, and the video's VESA emulation. GPT (which is "optional") probably has an overhead penalty of 2% but on an NVME drive you'd never notice the difference. I've been running UEFI/GPT/NVME/SecureBoot/etc exclusively since last November and it just works (except when it hangs at the boot logo).

Quote
The real test will be my Win11 laptop - will need to shrink the Win partition to create space for ArcaOS...

Warning!! If your Win drives are encrypted by Bitlocker, get your Bitlocker key before you do anything! There's an option to retrieve it in the old Control Panel app.

134
Programming / Re: Filling Comboboxes
« on: August 22, 2023, 07:02:17 pm »
Add WS_TABSTOP (and also WS_GROUP to be sure) to each combobox element in the RC file.

These flags exist solely for the benefit of the default dialog proc and have no effect on the operation of the control that's flagged.

BTW... the use of the ES_ANY flag for the comboboxes serves no purpose. ES_ANY is the default and equates to zero.

135
Programming / Re: Filling Comboboxes
« on: August 21, 2023, 07:09:34 pm »
The most likely cause is a dialog-ID mismatch resulting in a null hwnd (or less likely, the wrong hwnd). A null string (i.e. "") is also a possibility. Use an fprintf() immediately before the failing call  to confirm, e.g.

Code: [Select]
fprintf(stderr, "hwnd= %x  str= %x - %s\n), launcher.listIWAD, iwadname, (iwadname ? iwadname : "null");

Run the app using "xxx.exe 2>&1 | tee"

FWIW... there's no need to suplpy a log file name if using GNU 'tee' (unless you want a log).

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