used. All other deployments use the standard `grub` bootloader (this usually
also applies to systems which are installed on top of Debian).
+
[[sysboot_installer_part_scheme]]
-Partitioning scheme used by the installer
+Partitioning Scheme Used by the Installer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The {pve} installer creates 3 partitions on the bootable disks selected for
Partition of all bootable disks for supporting older systems.
+[[sysboot_determine_bootloader_used]]
+Determine which Bootloader is Used
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+[thumbnail="screenshot/boot-grub.png", float="left"]
+
+The simplest and most reliable way to determine which bootloader is used, is to
+watch the boot process of the {pve} node.
+
+You will either see the blue box of `grub` or the simple black on white
+`systemd-boot`.
+
+[thumbnail="screenshot/boot-systemdboot.png"]
+
+Determining the bootloader from a running system might not be 100% accurate. The
+safest way is to run the following command:
+
+
+----
+# efibootmgr -v
+----
+
+If it returns a message that EFI variables are not supported, `grub` is used in
+BIOS/Legacy mode.
+
+If the output contains a line that looks similar to the following, `grub` is
+used in UEFI mode.
+
+----
+Boot0005* proxmox [...] File(\EFI\proxmox\grubx64.efi)
+----
+
+If the output contains a line similar to the following, `systemd-bood` is used.
+
+----
+Boot0006* Linux Boot Manager [...] File(\EFI\systemd\systemd-bootx64.efi)
+----
+
+
[[sysboot_grub]]
Grub
~~~~
a kernel postinstall hook script `/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-pve-efiboot`. The
script copies certain kernel versions and the initrd images to `EFI/proxmox/`
on the root of each ESP and creates the appropriate config files in
-`loader/entries/proxmox-*.conf`.
+`loader/entries/proxmox-*.conf`. The `pve-efiboot-tool` script assists in
+managing both the synced ESPs themselves and their contents.
The following kernel versions are configured by default:
* the currently running kernel
* the version being newly installed on package updates
-* the two latest kernels
-* the latest version of each kernel series (e.g. 4.15, 5.0).
+* the two latest already installed kernels
+* the latest version of the second-to-last kernel series (e.g. 4.15, 5.0), if applicable
+* any manually selected kernels (see below)
The ESPs are not kept mounted during regular operation, in contrast to `grub`,
which keeps an ESP mounted on `/boot/efi`. This helps to prevent filesystem
.Manually keeping a kernel bootable
Should you wish to add a certain kernel and initrd image to the list of
-bootable kernel use `pve-efiboot-tool kernel add`.
+bootable kernels use `pve-efiboot-tool kernel add`.
For example run the following to add the kernel with ABI version `5.0.15-1-pve`
to the list of kernels to keep installed and synced to all ESPs:
pve-efiboot-tool kernel remove 5.0.15-1-pve
----
+NOTE: It's required to run `pve-efiboot-tool refresh` to update all EFI System
+Partitions (ESPs) after a manual kernel addition or removal from above.
[[sysboot_systemd_boot_setup]]
.Setting up a new partition for use as synced ESP
.Updating the configuration on all ESPs
To copy and configure all bootable kernels and keep all ESPs listed in
-`/etc/kernel/pve-efiboot-uuids` in sync you just need to run `pve-efiboot-tool
-refresh`.
-(The equivalent to running `update-grub` on Systems being booted with `grub`).
+`/etc/kernel/pve-efiboot-uuids` in sync you just need to run:
+
+----
+ pve-efiboot-tool refresh
+----
+(The equivalent to running `update-grub` on systems being booted with `grub`).
This is necessary should you make changes to the kernel commandline, or want to
-sync all kernels and initrds after regenerating the latter.
+sync all kernels and initrds.
+
+NOTE: Both `update-initramfs` and `apt` (when necessary) will automatically
+trigger a refresh.
+
[[sysboot_edit_kernel_cmdline]]
-Editing the kernel commandline
+Editing the Kernel Commandline
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can modify the kernel commandline in the following places, depending on the
-bootloarder used:
+bootloader used:
.Grub
.Systemd-boot
-The kernel commandline needs to be placed as line in `/etc/kernel/cmdline`
-Running `/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-pve-efiboot` sets it as `option` line for
-all config files in `loader/entries/proxmox-*.conf`.
+The kernel commandline needs to be placed as one line in `/etc/kernel/cmdline`.
+To apply your changes, run `pve-efiboot-tool refresh`, which sets it as the
+`option` line for all config files in `loader/entries/proxmox-*.conf`.