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Groups > linux.debian.user > #195730

Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting

From "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net>
Newsgroups linux.debian.user
Subject Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting
Date 2018-05-14 18:00 +0200
Message-ID <vPo3g-1tO-7@gated-at.bofh.it> (permalink)
References <vPmNP-P8-3@gated-at.bofh.it>
Organization linux.* mail to news gateway

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Hi,

Stefan Monnier wrote:
> > the behavior of the firmware
> > and OS when faced with a disk that has both a GPT and an MBR partitions
> > is largely unspecified and will vary depending on your system).

David Wright wrote:
> I've yet to see a GPT disk that didn't have a protective MBR.
> I thought that's the reason why GPT starts at block 1 and not
> block 0: an MBR was designed into GPT from the start (no pun intended).

Indeed. The byte format of GPT is specified in UEFI. The Protective MBR is
the magic number of GPT. This implies that one cannot have a valid GPT and
MBR partitions with payload on the same disk.

But the code area of the Protective MBR can well be used to boot via BIOS.
EFI explicitely specifies that these bytes shall be ignored by EFI.
And as said previously, BIOS does not expect any partitions. Such expectation
could be in the MBR code, though. Most probably such code won't work with
GPT because of no bootable/active MBR partition.

============================================================================
Quotes from UEFI 2.4:

  5 GUID Partition Table (GPT) Disk Layout
  [...]

  5.2 LBA 0 Format
  LBA 0 (i.e. the first logical block) of the hard disk contains either
  • a legacy Master Boot Record (MBR) (see Section 5.2.1)
  • or a protective MBR (see Section 5.2.2 [actually 5.2.3]).

  5.2.1 Legacy Master Boot Record (MBR)
  A legacy MBR may be located at LBA 0 (i.e. the first logical block) of
  the disk if it is not using the GPT disk layout (i.e., if it is using
  the MBR disk layout).
  [...]

  5.2.2 OS Types
  Unique types [of MBR partitions] defined by this specification (other
  values are not defined by this specification):
  • 0xEF (i.e., UEFI System Partition) defines a UEFI system partition.
  • 0xEE (i.e., GPT Protective) is used by a protective MBR (see 5.2.2)
    to define a fake partition covering the entire disk.

  5.2.3 Protective MBR
  A Protective MBR may be located at LBA 0 (i.e. the first logical block)
  of the disk if it is using the GPT disk layout. The Protective MBR
  precedes the GUID Partition Table Header to maintain compatibility with
  existing tools that do not understand GPT partition structures.

  Table 15. Protective MBR
  Mnemonic             | Byte   | Byte   | Content
                       | Offset | Length |
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  Boot Code            | 0      | 440    | Unused by UEFI systems.
  Unique MBR Signature | 440    | 4      | Unused. Set to zero.
  Unknown              | 444    | 2      | Unused. Set to zero.
  Partition Record     | 446    | 16*4   | [partition table]
  Signature            | 510    | 2      | Set to 0xAA55 [...]

The MBR partition table is described in table 15 as
  Array of four MBR partition records. Contains:
  • one partition record as defined Table 16; and
  • three partition records each set to zero.

Table 16 then states

  Protective MBR Partition Record protecting the entire disk
  [...]
  Mnemonic     |Byte  |Byte  | Description
               |Offset|Length|
  ----------------------------------------------------------------
  BootIndicator| 0    | 1    | Set to 0x00 to indicate a non-bootable
               |      |      | partition. [...]
  StartingCHS  | 1    | 3    | Set to 0x000200 [...]
  OSType       | 4    | 1    | Set to 0xEE (i.e., GPT Protective)
  EndingCHS    | 5    | 3    | Set to the CHS address of the last logical
               |      |      | block on the disk. Set to 0xFFFFFF if it is
               |      |      | not possible to represent the value in this
               |      |      | field.
  StartingLBA  | 8    | 4    | Set to 0x00000001 (i.e., the LBA of the GPT
               |      |      | Partition Header).
  SizeInLBA    | 12   | 4    | Set to the size of the disk minus one. Set to
               |      |      | 0xFFFFFFFF if the size of the disk is too
               |      |      | large to be represented in this field.

============================================================================


Have a nice day :)

Thomas

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Thread

USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Kent West <westk@acu.edu> - 2018-05-11 18:20 +0200
  Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Robert Menes <viewtiful.icchan@gmail.com> - 2018-05-11 18:40 +0200
    Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Rick Thomas <rbthomas@pobox.com> - 2018-05-12 01:10 +0200
      Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Kenneth Parker <sea7kenp@gmail.com> - 2018-05-12 03:40 +0200
      Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-12 19:40 +0200
  Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-11 18:40 +0200
  Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Curt <curty@free.fr> - 2018-05-11 19:10 +0200
    Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Kent West <westk@acu.edu> - 2018-05-11 20:40 +0200
  Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM songbird <songbird@anthive.com> - 2018-05-11 19:50 +0200
    Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Kent West <westk@acu.edu> - 2018-05-11 20:40 +0200
      Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Kent West <westk@acu.edu> - 2018-05-11 21:30 +0200
      Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-11 22:00 +0200
        Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Kent West <westk@acu.edu> - 2018-05-11 22:20 +0200
          Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-11 22:40 +0200
            Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Kent West <westk@acu.edu> - 2018-05-11 23:00 +0200
              Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-12 00:00 +0200
              Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2018-05-12 12:30 +0200
            Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-12 19:50 +0200
              Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-12 21:40 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-13 10:20 +0200
                Re: Block sizes in ISOs. was: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-13 11:30 +0200
          UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-13 17:20 +0200
            Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-13 19:10 +0200
              Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-14 02:10 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-14 23:40 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-15 04:00 +0200
              Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM songbird <songbird@anthive.com> - 2018-05-14 12:40 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM Chris Ramsden <chris.ramsden@gmail.com> - 2018-05-14 14:40 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-14 16:00 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM Chris Ramsden <chris.ramsden@gmail.com> - 2018-05-14 17:00 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM songbird <songbird@anthive.com> - 2018-05-15 02:50 +0200
            Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2018-05-14 15:20 +0200
              Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-14 16:40 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-14 18:00 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-14 23:50 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-15 09:00 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-16 00:20 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-16 23:50 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-17 13:00 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2018-05-14 18:00 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-15 03:30 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-16 00:40 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting, was Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about  CD-ROM David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-18 20:40 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-14 23:50 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-15 03:40 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2018-05-16 00:40 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting mess-mate <eric.m.c.declerck@gmail.com> - 2018-05-16 15:20 +0200
                Re: UEFI/"BIOS" booting David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-18 20:50 +0200
  Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Mike Kupfer <mkupfer@alum.berkeley.edu> - 2018-05-13 04:20 +0200
    Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Curt <curty@free.fr> - 2018-05-13 10:30 +0200
      Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-13 12:10 +0200
        Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Curt <curty@free.fr> - 2018-05-13 14:10 +0200
          Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-13 14:50 +0200
        Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Mike Kupfer <mkupfer@alum.berkeley.edu> - 2018-05-13 19:00 +0200
          Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-13 20:20 +0200
            Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Mike Kupfer <mkupfer@alum.berkeley.edu> - 2018-05-14 00:40 +0200
              Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-14 13:30 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Mike Kupfer <mkupfer@alum.berkeley.edu> - 2018-05-14 16:50 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-14 18:20 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-05-14 20:10 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-14 22:10 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Mike Kupfer <mkupfer@alum.berkeley.edu> - 2018-05-14 23:00 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Mike Kupfer <mkupfer@alum.berkeley.edu> - 2018-05-15 01:20 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-15 09:10 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Mike Kupfer <mkupfer@alum.berkeley.edu> - 2018-05-17 23:40 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2018-05-18 08:50 +0200
                Re: USB Install Fails, Complains about CD-ROM Mike Kupfer <mkupfer@alum.berkeley.edu> - 2018-05-15 01:10 +0200

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