Multi Boot Loader for USB/eMMC

[TSOLfan]

Also, just because I was curious and had an extra flash drive on hand, I used this which someone linked to earlier in this thread:

 

 

And made a Grub USB drive, set my BIOS back to USB > eMMC > SSD and the Grub comes right up, selecting either Windows or Apertis works.  Leaving the Grub USB drive in and setting the BIOS to USB > SSD > eMMC, Grub comes right up as expected since it's still on the USB.  Though, removing the Grub USB drive, even through Grub is loaded on the first partition of the M.2 SSD, the VCS boots straight to Windows 10, no menu.

 

So for now, just using the Grub USB drive until I can figure out why Grub won't load straight off of the SSD when connected via the M.2 slot, when it will load from the SSD when the same drive is connected via my USB enclosure.

Edited April 28, 2022 by TSOLfan

[zzip]

1 hour ago, joeatari1 said:

The latest BIOS update allows you to change the boot order.  Be sure to update your BIOS to the latest version and you will be able to boot from anything without the need for GRUB.

When did this update come out?   That would fix what has been my biggest annoyance with the VCS hardware

[TSOLfan]

And this might be helpful in figuring out my issue with Grub not loading from the M.2, this is what bcdedit currently reports from inside of Windows:

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path                    \EFI\Boot\grubx64.efi
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {globalsettings}
flightsigning           Yes
default                 {current}
resumeobject            {8aa54c62-2e50-11e3-a87c-d9faf047cf21}
displayorder            {current}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {current}
device                  partition=C:
path                    \Windows\system32\winload.efi
description             Windows 10 Pro
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {9f8302fd-c5df-11ec-8e1b-d4d7f11c376c}
displaymessageoverride  Recovery
recoveryenabled         Yes
isolatedcontext         Yes
flightsigning           Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \Windows
resumeobject            {8aa54c62-2e50-11e3-a87c-d9faf047cf21}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard

 

[zzip]

40 minutes ago, TSOLfan said:

So for now, just using the Grub USB drive until I can figure out why Grub won't load straight off of the SSD when connected via the M.2 slot, when it will load from the SSD when the same drive is connected via my USB enclosure.

Have you tried reFind by chance?  In case it gives different results.   It will need you to disable secure boot first though.

[TSOLfan]

31 minutes ago, zzip said:

Have you tried reFind by chance?  In case it gives different results.   It will need you to disable secure boot first though.

Have not!

 

But looking at the output from bcdedit long enough, I realized when I was trying to originally fix the issue of it going straight to Windows 10 and skipping Grub, I ran a bcdedit /set command myself trying to fix the issue, but never checked what bcdedit reported in the first place before trying my set command.

 

And looking at things, I realized I pointed it directly at grubx64.efi instead of bootx64.efi to work with secure boot, so I just ran this from an administrator command prompt:

 

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\Boot\bootx64.efi

 

And it's fixed!  Grub comes up when booting off of my M.2 drive installed internally!

 

So probably when switching the M.2 from the USB enclosure which is how Windows was setup over to being installed internally, that path was no longer valid and I just need to manually set it.

 

Hopefully this helps someone else that may run into the same issue!

Edited April 28, 2022 by TSOLfan

[+Neon Wraith]

29 minutes ago, zzip said:

When did this update come out?   That would fix what has been my biggest annoyance with the VCS hardware

The update was last week.

[zzip]

5 minutes ago, TSOLfan said:

And looking at things, I realized I pointed it directly at grubx64.efi instead of bootx64.efi to work with safe boot, so I just ran this from an administrator command prompt:

 

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\Boot\bootx64.efi

 

And it's fixed!  Grub comes up when booting off of my M.2 drive installed internally!

 

So probably when switching the M.2 from the USB enclosure which is how Windows was setup over to being installed internally, that path was no longer valid and I just need to manually set it.

 

Hopefully this helps someone else that may run into the same issue!

Cool, My next suggestion was going to be to change the EFI boot order to make sure grub boots first, but I wasn't sure how to do it in Windows.

[MikeA]

I'm a new VCS owner and I want to use this machine 95% for emulators via Lakka and 5% for VCS use.  I am going to install an M.2 SSD.   I've read this entire thread twice and I still have a few questions:

 

1.  I assume my best bet is to install a boot loader like rEFInd or Grub 2.  Seems like Grub 2 doesn't require Secure Boot, so wouldn't it be better to choose Grub 2?  Is there an advantage to rEFInd?

 

2. Should I use a USB stick for the boot loader, or install boot loader to eMMC, in your opinion?  I know that Atari could reset the eMMC with an update, so it's safer to use a USB from that perspective, even though I could always downgrade the Bios after an unexpected Atari update.  It also seems easier to install on USB stick instead of eMMC based on others' experiences.  I personally fear that putting multiple partitions on the eMMC might cause unexpected problems in the future, but I don't have any factual basis to explain that fear.  On the other hand, the only factor weighing against using the USB stick would be my concern that there is a downside to leaving a USB stick permanently plugged into my VCS.  My gut says that might draw more power from the unit, but I have no real idea if there's a problem with leaving a USB stick permanently plugged in or not.

 

3.  Is the internal eMMC enough space for Atari OS?  Seems like 32GB would be enough but I'm not sure.  I'd prefer to just install Lakka on the M.2. with no partitions and leave Atari OS for the eMMC.  All I want from the Atari OS is the Recharged games and the Atari vault.

 

 

Thanks in advance for everything.  This thread is super useful.  I wouldn't possibly be able to do this on my own.

Edited May 2, 2022 by MikeA

[zzip]

22 minutes ago, MikeA said:

1.  I assume my best bet is to install a boot loader like rEFInd or Grub 2.  Seems like Grub 2 doesn't require Secure Boot, so wouldn't it be better to choose Grub 2?  Is there an advantage to rEFInd?

It's more that it's easier to get Grub 2 working on a secure boot system

 

reading the reFind documentation, it sounds as though you might be able to make it work with secure boot by making your own keys, but I don't have enough knowledge on UEFI and secure boot to put that into practice.   So until someone does, you would need to disable secure boot in BIOS before using refind.

 

There are some advantages to refind--   it requires a lot less configuration than grub 2 does.   It will automatically detect boot options, it will remember what you last booted into.   You can hide unwanted boot options. 

 

My opinion is refind is better, but I worry that if Atari was to make a BIOS change that reenables secure boot and changes the password than I'd be stuck.   But then it's good I have grub on a USB drive to get me out of that situation.

31 minutes ago, MikeA said:

2. Should I use a USB stick for the boot loader, or install boot loader to eMMC, in your opinion?  I know that Atari could reset the eMMC with an update, so it's safer to use a USB from that perspective, even though I could always downgrade the Bios after an unexpected Atari update.  It also seems easier to install on USB stick instead of eMMC based on others' experiences.  I personally fear that putting multiple partitions on the eMMC might cause unexpected problems in the future, but I don't have any factual basis to explain that fear.  On the other hand, the only factor weighing against using the USB stick would be my concern that there is a downside to leaving a USB stick permanently plugged into my VCS.  My gut says that might draw more power from the unit, but I have no real idea if there's a problem with leaving a USB stick permanently plugged in or not.

With the most recent BIOS update, it sounds as though booting straight from m.2. drive is now possible (if you installed one).   So you could put your boot loader on m.2.   Otherwise you can put it on a usb stick.   I created both a Grub 2 and refind USB stick that I use now,  but I plan on installing one of them to m.2 soon.  The sticks may draw a tiny bit of power when accessed, but my bigger issue is they consume a USB port that could be used for something else.

 

I don't recommend altering the eMMC because Atari could overwrite your changes

36 minutes ago, MikeA said:

3.  Is the internal eMMC enough space for Atari OS?  Seems like 32GB would be enough but I'm not sure.  I'd prefer to just install Lakka on the M.2. with no partitions and leave Atari OS for the eMMC.  All I want from the Atari OS is the Recharged games and the Atari vault.

It depends on what games you download sure, but there is more than enough space for all the recharged games and the vaults

 

 

[MikeA]

Ok based upon zzip's suggestion, I am going to go with rEFInd.  I've decided to install rEFInd on a USB stick just to make things simpler, so my setup would be (1) eMMC for Atari VCS ; (2) M2 for Lakka; (3) usb stick for rEFInd.  Having never powered on my Onyx VCS yet for the first time, here is the order I want to tackle the tasks in to get setup:

1.       Enter bios, disable secure boot – downgrade bios if necessary

2.       Physically install M2 and RAM upgrades

3.       Install lakka on M2 drive

4.       Create rEFInd usb stick

5.       Test dual booting through reFInd stick until it works

6.       Connect to internet and go to Atari VCS, download all VCS games, disable internet

7.       Test dual booting again – if does not work, downgrade bios and test dual boot

[zzip]

13 hours ago, MikeA said:

Ok based upon zzip's suggestion, I am going to go with rEFInd.  I've decided to install rEFInd on a USB stick just to make things simpler, so my setup would be (1) eMMC for Atari VCS ; (2) M2 for Lakka; (3) usb stick for rEFInd.  Having never powered on my Onyx VCS yet for the first time, here is the order I want to tackle the tasks in to get setup:

 

1.       Enter bios, disable secure boot – downgrade bios if necessary

 

2.       Physically install M2 and RAM upgrades

 

3.       Install lakka on M2 drive

 

4.       Create rEFInd usb stick

 

5.       Test dual booting through reFInd stick until it works

 

6.       Connect to internet and go to Atari VCS, download all VCS games, disable internet

 

7.       Test dual booting again – if does not work, downgrade bios and test dual boot

Sounds good,  but I'm not sure why you think you need to downgrade the BIOS?  to fix the password?

[MikeA]

1 hour ago, zzip said:

Sounds good,  but I'm not sure why you think you need to downgrade the BIOS?  to fix the password?

Seems like people are saying that the Onyx VCS ships with the bios password locked.  I'm still going to try to get into the BIOS without downgrading it, but I'm assuming that will fail.

[zzip]

14 minutes ago, MikeA said:

Seems like people are saying that the Onyx VCS ships with the bios password locked.  I'm still going to try to get into the BIOS without downgrading it, but I'm assuming that will fail.

ok yeah, if the password doesn't work then sounds like downgrading the BIOS and Atari OS fixes it.   The system will upgrade to the latest but the password should still work

[Wizzard]

Guys, is there any simple way how to boot Atari OS from GRUB? I dont want to mess with EFI, just to add some simple boot entry, like I did for Batocera. My problem is that I dont know how exactly to reference that root fs for Atari. Thanks.

[Wizzard]

I found it:

 

menuentry "AtariOS" {
	insmod fat
	insmod chain
	search --no-floppy --set=root --fs-uuid FILESYSTEM_UUID
	chainloader /EFI/Linux/linux.efi
}