32-bit EFI support for x86 version of Tumbleweed

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

I’ve tried an OpenSUSE x86-64 installer in my Linx 1010, and it isn’t recognized, whereas Debian 11 is. They were both formatted with Fedora Media Writer as my current successful desktop installation was.

Why is it not recognized?

#2

As you are only throwing some buzzwords in so that potential helpers need to google what you mean…

This nice piece of hardware needs a 32bit EFI…

#3

What is “it”? In the subject of this topic you are asking about 32 bit EFI on x86 which should just work. Then you suddenly start telling about x86_64 Tumbleweed which is not x86.

Tools in openSUSE do not support EFI and distribution having different word size. It can be done, actually it is relatively straightforward using current kernel:

bor@bor-Latitude-E5450:~$ cat /sys/firmware/efi/fw_platform_size 
64
bor@bor-Latitude-E5450:~$

As usual it is “just” a matter of someone implementing it and submitting patches.

1 Like
#4

You can try what I did here:

32-bit EFI and 32-bit Tumbleweed

That was back in 2021. I don’t know if it will still work. I have stopped experimenting with 32-bit EFI.

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#5

@arvidjaar, yeah, I know that they’re not the same. I meant x86 ofc, but Discourse won’t allow me to edit my post, so everyone keeps saying the same thing.

#6

Buzzwords, @hui…? I know not what you refer to.

I am aware of the hyperlink provided. That article uses Fedora, which I am attempting to migrate away from to OpenSUSE, since it (appears to) support(s) more architectures.

I know not whether what that article describes is applicable, and if not, would be unable to diagnose any problems that arise myself, for I am probably not competent enough to.

#7

@arvidjaar, is bugzilla.opensuse.org the place to request such a thing?

#8

Additionally, @arvidjaar, I swore that I mentioned that it uses a 32-bit EFI despite including a 64-bit CPU, but obviously not – I must have decided that merely getting a 32-bit OS other than Debian operative was adequate for now, although I do not recall my exact rationale.

#9

I am thankful, @nrickert, but I am uncertain whether a method of installation that is so manual and apparently unsupported would be desirable, because of the probable eventuality that I must reinstall the OS unless.

This is at least unless I automate the process, at which point, I might as well use a different installer due to the work necessary to do so.

#10

Personally I do not think it is, but of course you can try.

#11

That a decision for you to make. It would be nice if openSUSE supported this directly, but it seems unlikely that they will.

1 Like
#12

@nrickert, why do you believe it to be improbable? – Do most x86 devices perhaps tend to not support EFI (I suppose BIOS, instead)? I’ve only ever owned one 32-bit device—the LINX—so I don’t know, but that’s rather unfortunate if so.

#13

For several years, I have been using 32-bit EFI, mostly with 64-bit Leap and 64-bit Tumbleweed. This was in KVM virtual machine. Apparently, it required kernel support for 32-bit EFI with 64-bit kernel. Last year they seem to have removed the needed kernel support (both in Leap 15.4 and Tumbleweed). To me, that suggests that there is less interest in 32-bit EFI by openSUSE folk.

For a while, there were new computers with 32-bit EFI and 64-bit processors. But, two or three years go, Intel give a big hint that the vendors should go with 64-bit EFI. So I suspect that there isn’t much new hardware coming out with 32-bit EFI.

But I don’t have any hard evidence that it won’t happen. But the changes that I have seen were discouraging enough that I stopped my own testing of 32-bit EFI.

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#14

Thanks. That’s unfortunate. However, considering that they support x86 BIOS installation, I can’t see why they wouldn’t support EFI, unless OpenSUSE is designed for older hardware…

#15

Do you have a reference? The kernel configuration option is still set in SUSE master:

CONFIG_EFI_MIXED=y
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#16

I have no idea what you are talking about.

#17

I’m basing this on my own experience. Both Tumbleweed and Leap 15.4 stopped booting newer kernels with 32-bit EFI. Older kernels still booted.

#18

Nor you. Are you able to more specifically state what confuses you? I apologize.

#19

https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1208003

Additionally, some context:

#20 
bor@10:~> uname -a
Linux 10.0.2.15 5.14.21-150400.24.41-default #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Fri Jan 13 08:55:22 UTC 2023 (1d4442d) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
bor@10:~> cat /sys/firmware/efi/fw_platform_size 
32
bor@10:~>