Two questions about Limine bootloader

[Newgate]

I have followed a guide of Limine setup.

Grub can not remember the last selection

4 GB would probably be fine if you are not using Nvidia module or other large DKMS modules for kernel. On my laptop without Nvidia, I have a 2 GB partition that is 41% full. It contains 3 multi boots and 22 different boot files (kernel & initramfs) for an crazy total of 104 snapshots. Each snapshot uses only one kernel version without fallback due to deduplication. You do not have to convert Grub to Limine. But you can have two bootloaders. If Limine works for you, you can remove Grub late…

After my Limine setup and multi boot config, Limine works with dual-booting my OpenSUSE and Manjaro including snapshot booting on the same disk.

I have Windows EFI on ANOTHER disk /dev/nvme1n1p2. I add a third boot Windows to Limine bootloader and tried to set the boot path with hdd(1:2):

/Windows 11
protocol: efi_chainload
image_path: hdd(1:2):/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

This doesn’t work, as it cannot find the Windows EFI partition. What did I do wrong?

Second question:

How can I stop the auto generation of a kernel fallback for Limine after installing the kernel?

@Zesko I assume you know this?

[Zesko]

@Newgate

/dev/nvme1n1p2.

@Newgate

image_path: hdd(1:2):/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

I think it should be hdd(2:2).
If it’s nvme0, then use hdd(1:X), not hdd(0:X).
But since you have nvme1, it should be hdd(2:X), not hdd(1:X)

However, I would recommend using a partition UUID as guid(<Disk Partition ID>) instead of hdd(y:x) to prevent confusion.

To find a PARTUUID of your Windows EFI partition, run:

$ lsblk -o NAME,FSTYPE,UUID,PARTUUID,PARTTYPENAME,MOUNTPOINT,SIZE

Copy the PARTUUID of your Windows EFI from the output. Not the filesystem UUID.

For example, just 3 lines:

/Windows 11
protocol: efi_chainload
image_path: guid(aaaaaa-bbbb-cccc-dddddddddd):/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

OR

/Windows 11
protocol: efi_chainload
image_path: uuid(aaaaaa-bbbb-cccc-dddddddddd):/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

uuid() is alias of guid()

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@Newgate

How can I stop the auto generation of a kernel fallback for Limine after installing the kernel?

Of course, you can find DRACUT_FALLBACK in the /etc/limine-entry-tool.conf file and disable it:

DRACUT_FALLBACK=no 

Oh, it looks like I missed this in the README of limine-dracut-support-git. I’ll update the README later.

[Newgate]

@Zesko

I think it should be hdd(2:2).
If it’s nvme0, then use hdd(1:X), not hdd(0:X).
But since you have nvme1, it should be hdd(2:X), not hdd(1:X)

I got it. hdd(2:2) works now on booting Windows.

@Zesko

However, I would recommend using a partition UUID as guid(<Disk Partition ID>) instead of hdd(y:x) to prevent confusion.

@Zesko

uuid() is alias of guid()

Thanks for your recommendation, I will change hdd() to uuid() as I feel the UUID is more robust.

@Zesko

Of course, you can find DRACUT_FALLBACK in the /etc/limine-entry-tool.conf file and disable it:

DRACUT_FALLBACK=no

Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.

My last question:
I’m curious, can you compare Limine with systemd-boot and rEFInd?
I’ve heard that systemd-boot and rEFInd have snapshot boot capabilities.

[soundofthunder]

@Newgate

I’ve heard that systemd-boot and rEFInd have snapshot boot capabilities.

rEFInd has no such native capability.

However, it is convenient for multibooting (one of the reasons it exists). The easiest way to experiment with it is to try it (it won’t harm other bootloaders on your system):

---

The rEFInd UEFI Bootloader

Adding the rEFInd Bootloader to the mix does no harm to existing bootloaders. Manjaro and Windows are chainloaded from rEFInd and continue to boot as normal.

If you enjoy customising the boot experience (themes), or like to have additional boot options (redundancy), then rEFInd is a worthwhile consideration.

rEFInd can bypass GRUB 2 and boot the kernel stub directly, which is handy in the event that GRUB 2 fails to boot - you are still able to then boot into Manjaro and fix the issue in relative comfort.

rEFInd comes with ‘sane defaults’ - everything typically works (OOTB).

Installing rEFInd on a Manjaro/Windows multiboot system should give the following boot choices by default (the naming may be different):

• Boot Microsoft EFI boot from ESP
  This option boots Windows via the Microsoft bootloader.
• Boot EFI\Manjaro\grubx64.efi from ESP
  This option boots Manjaro via GRUB 2.
• Boot boot\vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64 from MANJARO
  This option boots Manjaro via the Kernel stub, bypassing GRUB 2.

Options display as icons; activate with keyboard/mouse:

The default theme is an acquired taste.

However, after a little hunting you’ll soon find a variety of themes online, ranging from the neat professional appeal through to the quite bizarre.

---

The simplest way to see rEFInd in action is to install it;

# Install rEFInd from the official Manjaro repo
sudo pacman -S refind

# Use rEFInd's own tool to setup the ESP directory
sudo refind-install

The ESP directory layout will be similar to:

$ESP
└─ EFI
    ├─ boot
    ├─ manjaro
    ├─ microsoft
    └─ refind

• Reboot.

Note: If rEFInd doesn’t seem to work the first time after rebooting (it usually does), reboot to your UEFI BIOS and make sure it is selected first in boot priority.

See also: The rEFInd Boot Manager: Methods of Booting Linux.

[Zesko]

@Newgate

I’m curious, can you compare Limine with systemd-boot and rEFInd?
I’ve heard that systemd-boot and rEFInd have snapshot boot capabilities.

rEFInd

I have never used rEFInd myself, but from what I know, many Btrfs & rEFInd users often use rEFInd together with Grub.

For those who want to boot via motherboard EFI → rEFInd Bootloader → Grub Bootloader → Btrfs snapshot or system?
If you don’t mind using two bootloaders, you can setup rEFind and Grub.

Systemd-boot

Both systemd-boot and Limine follow a similar philosophy by avoiding the integration of many bloated third-party drivers (e.g., LUKS, different decryption methods, LVM, various file systems, and more …). Kernel and initramfs should handle these tasks, not the bootloader.

What Limine offers that systemd-boot doesn’t:

• The ability to checksum any boot files on an unsafe, exposed FAT32 partition.
• Menu selection in a tree view (ideal for navigating snapshot lists)
• Background theme and custom colors.

Check systemd-boot with the extra tool sdbootutil for OpenSUSE if you prefer a blue screen.

[Newgate]

@soundofthunder

rEFInd has no such native capability.

@Zesko

I have never used rEFInd myself, but from what I know, many Btrfs & rEFInd users often use rEFInd together with Grub.

For those who want to boot via motherboard EFI → rEFInd Bootloader → Grub Bootloader → Btrfs snapshot or system?
If you don’t mind using two bootloaders, you can setup rEFind and Grub.

There is refind-btrfs, but I never tried it.

@soundofthunder

However, it is convenient for multibooting (one of the reasons it exists). The easiest way to experiment with it is to try it (it won’t harm other bootloaders on your system):

I played rEFInd a while ago, it detected all boot entries simply. It can boots to Limine or Grub.
I notice, some of them are unused entries like vmlinuz in rEFInd, as they boot nothing. Anyway, I can ignore them. Thanks for your suggestion!

@Zesko

What Limine offers that systemd-boot doesn’t:

• The ability to checksum any boot files on an unsafe, exposed FAT32 partition.

Good to know. This point is important for me.

@Zesko

Check systemd-boot with the extra tool sdbootutil for OpenSUSE if you prefer a blue screen.

Oh, using sdbootutil looks awful, sry

[soundofthunder]

@Newgate

I notice, some of them are unused entries like vmlinuz in rEFInd, as they boot nothing. Anyway, I can ignore them.

Fortunately, you don’t have to ignore them. The rEFInd configuration file allows you to disallow detection of bootloaders using several criteria - for example by path, volume label or even file system.

The configuration file is heavily commented, so keep a copy of it handy for reference, if you use rEFInd.

I’ve not known of refind-btrfs before now, but it appears to be a helper for creating stanzas (boot entries) for rEFInd; specifically targetting BTRFS systems – refind-btrfs is clearly not Rod Smith’s work, but interesting nonetheless.

Cheers.

[Molski]

@Newgate

I’ve heard that systemd-boot and rEFInd have snapshot boot capabilities.

As you said, refind-btrfs (AUR or source) does this, which works just like the official package grub-btrfs.

It doesn’t matter which third party snapshot manager you use, or if you are just using btrfs subvolume snapshot yourself. This just attempts to detect read/write root FS snapshots, then adds them to your boot menu.

[Newgate]

Did you try that?

I tried to set up refind-btrfs, but it didn’t work at all, and it is too complicated and buggy for me.

I give up and stick with limine-snapper-sync and limine-dracut-support-git. They are incredibly simple and reliable.

[soundofthunder]

@Newgate

I tried to set up refind-btrfs, but it didn’t work at all, and it is too complicated and buggy for me.

As previously mentioned, I’ve not been aware of refind-btrfs before now; however, it looks like you’d need rEFInd installed and operating well before using it. You did that, right?

[Newgate]

I have 3 bootloaders Grub, rEFInd and Limine.

rEFInd works without snapshot booting, but refind-btrfs setup is horrible.
Grub can not remember my last selection.
Systemd-boot with sdbootutil looks awful to me.

Limine solves all issues and allows me to restore a snapshot with just one click.
rEFInd, Grub, and systemd-boot don’t offer what I want.

I’m going to remove Grub and rEFInd and set Limine as my default bootloader.

Thanks @Zesko