Support Booting RefindPlus via Legacy Bootcode

[1457384613gh]

Suggested Feature

CloverBootloader has a special and great function, so I wonder whether you can bring such function to RefindPlus.

Situations of CloverBootloader

As is known to us, it supports to be loaded by UEFI. UEFI->CLOVERX64.efi->OSLoader What is amazing is that it actually supports loaded by Legacy BIOS. BIOS->MBR->PBR->boot->CLOVERX64.efi->OSLoader

Bootdisk_Utility.exe can provide its MBR and PBR to achieve it.

So CloverBootloader can save old mainboards that support only Legacy BIOS without UEFI. CloverBootloader seems like an extended fake firmware that supports UEFI, which can make Legacy+BIOS load .efi files.

Hope and Meanings

Hope

We hope that RefindPlus would support so. If you can provide MBR.bin and PBR.bin for Legacy BIOS loading refindplus_x64.efi or another_name_x64.efi, we will use them in place.

Meanings

• If so, RefindPlus will make many old mainboards load .efi files, too.

• If so, we can use GPT disk for old mainboards with more than 4 primary partitions, because GPT disk has MBR and GPT partition has PBR too.

Background Information

https://github.com/CloverHackyColor/CloverBootloader

Additional Context

No response

[dakanji]

Thanks for the request.

RefindPlus allows using legacy bootcode to boot other items that use this but there are no plans to convert/add booting RefindPlus itself via legacy bootcode.

[1457384613gh]

I respect your not planning.

By the way, another thing about before. Some old Macbook-s use Arrandale GPU

Situations of Arrandale GPU

If Legacy boot, Arrandale GPU supports 1366x768, the same as resolution of screen, higher than 1024x768; If UEFI boot, Arrandale GPU supports 1024x768 at max, lower than resolution of screen, with graphical interface stretched horizontally.

Precedents with Solutions

In order to avoid graphical interface stretched horizontally, teams of CloverBootloader have developed CsmVideoDxe.efi and teams of OpenCore have developed BiosVideo.efi, used to make Arrandale GPU loaded in the way of being loaded by CSM or Legacy Mode ,under UEFI_Mode, so graphical interface of UEFI can use higher resolutions from CSM or Legacy Mode, such as 1366x768, the same as resolution of screen, higher than 1024x768.

These are the source codes of CsmVideoDxe.efi and BiosVideo.efi

https://github.com/CloverHackyColor/CloverBootloader/tree/master/CloverEFI/BiosVideo https://github.com/acidanthera/OpenCorePkg/tree/master/Legacy/BootPlatform/BiosVideo

It is easy for you to adapt one of them for RefindPlus.

RefindPlus, CloverBootloader and Opencore are bootloaders, many functions of which are designed for macOS. 2/3 of them have made Arrandale GPU support more resolutions, the 1/3 that haven't supported is RefindPlus.

• If you change your mind, you can clone and adapt for RefindPlus;
• If not, you can take it as if I haven't sent this message before and I still respect your not planning.

[dakanji]

Hi,

In future, please kindly raise separate items for separate issues.

The answer for this additional issue is the same as the first. That is, there is no plan to look into the subject at this time. Since it is easy to do, you can make a PR and this will be considered.

[1457384613gh]

In future, please kindly raise separate items for separate issues.

Sorry, I should have done, but I cannot send messages into that issue.

Now that you receive PR, it means that you think it is right but a little rare and you are too busy to achieve it.

I am not good at making .efi driver. I cannot achieve, too.

How about to send those source_codes to Smith and issue to rEFInd?

I tried to send emails to Smith twice yesterday, both were intercepted and could not be delivered.

Could you help to send?

If Smith does, you will make use of what he will do.

It will save your time for your business.

[startergo]

You can do a PR to the rEFInd repo in sourceforge.

[github-actions[bot]]

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