On Thu, 31 Mar 2016, Ronald F. Guilmette wrote:
I only look at the docs (e.g. the Handbook) infrequently, e.g.
when I need to refresh my memory about what image(s) I should
be downloading for a new build.
Doing that, just the other day, and then looking at the sets
of images actually available from the FTP sites, I realized that
I've never fully understiood when one should be using one of the
*-uefi-* release images. (So far, I've never had to use one
myself.)
So anyway, might it be a Good Idea to include some brief verbage
explaining why and when one should be using one of the *-ueui-*
images on this page in the handbook?
https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/bsdinstall-pre.html
There are several issues that make this potentially complicated to
explain to the end user.
First, how can the user tell if they need UEFI? For a standard, it is
remarkably loose. The vendors won't tell the users, there are no
tell-tale identification marks shown during boot. The setup screens
aren't standardized.
At present, only 64-bit UEFI computers (the great majority) will work
with FreeBSD uefi images. And they will only boot into a 64-bit version
of FreeBSD. As far as I know, the uefi images will actually also boot
on a BIOS computer, so that eases a restriction.
And there is the issue of disabling secure boot.
And most (but not all) UEFI computers are capable of legacy booting a
normal BIOS-type disk. Provided you figure out how to enable that.
"CSM" (compatibility support mode) is a standard term, but it is not
always used.
The short version:
Normal images are used to install FreeBSD on a BIOS computer or a
computer with UEFI "CSM" enabled.
Installing in UEFI mode requires a uefi image.
That's not hard to include, but will it help the user to decide which
image to download?
_______________________________________________
[email protected] mailing list
https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-doc
To unsubscribe, send any mail to "[email protected]"
