freeloader question

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cirrus one
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:32 am

freeloader question

Post by cirrus one »

I am new to ROS so I don't fully understand
so I have a question.

There is a module I think called freeloader.
It's the one I've been looking at.

It runs on startup.

But at the point that it runs the ROS OS
has not been loaded. So there would be
no OS support at this point.

The module contains BIOS calls which I
understand but also contains functions
like TRACE that look to me like they
might need ROS support.

This could be a module that is of the
type that is sometimes written in ASMB.

Is my understanding correct?

If so my next post will contain a
suggestion.

This post is in the SUPPORT section.
as it relates to my other freeloader
posts. But it appears to me it might
be more properly suited for DEVELTMENT.

Please advise.
User avatar
Konata
Posts: 391
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2014 8:54 pm

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by Konata »

freeldr is the bootloader, it's like a little OS that collects information on the computer and passes it to the OS, and also has a menu for which OS you want to boot and how you want to boot it. freeldr doesn't rely on ROS, ROS relies on freeldr.
cirrus one
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:32 am

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by cirrus one »

OK.

I am looking at this thing with FREELOADR failing on some systems
depending on the value in that #defined constant.

How can I get to see all those values mentioned in the TRACE statements
in realtime as they happen? I'm gathering data.

C1
cirrus one
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:32 am

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by cirrus one »

There has been no answer so far so a couple of things.

Is this even possible?

Booting with the debug logfile option doesn't help.
Writing to the log file does not start until NTVDM
is loaded.

Someone sorry I forgot your name said there was
a mini OS inside FREELOADER. Where could I find
data on it's API?

TNX C1
cirrus one
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:32 am

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by cirrus one »

I looked at freeloader.ini.

If there is an option there I would be afraid
to make a change.
cirrus one
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:32 am

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by cirrus one »

NAME REMOVED

/* This has to do with REACTOS. There is a module that */
/* runs at startup named FREELOADER. When I first tried */
/* to install REACTOS, I had an instant install error */
/* caused in FREELOADER. This module is in the critical */
/* boot chain and at times stops setup or operations cold */
/* you may have encountered it. */

/* I isolated the nature of my problem to FREELOADER. */

/* The REACTOS people had me go to a site called JIRA */
/* and report it. The site has bug reports, messages */
/* between the bug fixers and more. */

/* I'm gathering data hoping to help fix the problem. */

/* Here are several transcripts of exchanges between the */
/* REACTOS team and myself leading to the current status. */

=====

I get the following error at boot:

Error reading NLS file
Multi(0)
Disk(0)
Cdrom(111)\
Reactos\system32\l_intl.nls

The last build working properly is 71365.
Build 71366 and later HAVE THE PROBLEM on my PC.

=====

How can I get to see all those values mentioned in
the TRACE statements in realtime as they happen?
I'm gathering data in hopes of helping dix this

NAME REMOVED

=====

There has been no answer so far after 57 views so
a couple of questions.

Is this even possible?

Booting with the debug logfile option doesn't help.
Writing to the log file does not start until NTVDM
is loaded.

Someone sorry I forgot your name said there was
a mini OS inside FREELOADER. Where could I find
data on it's API?

NAME REMOVED

=====

Please accept the fact that I am posting this
here in JIRA I want to discuss an issue and I
have no intention of spamming.

I am looking at the issue with FREELOADER and
I have contributed several post on this issue.
I submitted a post on the forum under SUPPORT
FREELOADER QUESTIONS, that has been viewed 72
times but no answer given.

Could you please look at the post and help me
with some information.

Thank you NAME REMOVED

=====

NAME REMOVED added a comment - 41 minutes ago

NAME REMOVED please try to understand us:

due to the nature of jira, what you are doing is in fact
spamming it, so please refrain from issuing comments that
have nothing to do with the technical issues that jira is
for tracking and documenting. Lack of replies on our forums
is by no means a justification of writing here,

and this is the second time you're being warned. <<==

Please don't force us to perform actions that make
us feel bad, please respect our rules. Cheers.

People Assignee: NAME REMOVED

Reporter: NAME REMOVED

Please note that I posted this IN THE EXACT THREAD assigned
for this problem.

/* There are now 139 views with no offers of help. */
/* But they have WARNED me twice for attempting to find */
/* out why nobody wants to help me understand the problem. */
/* And of course WARNINGS over offers of help are uncaled for. */

"Has nothing to do with the techhical issues" [yes it does]
"Perform actions against me" 4t0 huh

3t0 BCE
Z98
Release Engineer
Posts: 3379
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 8:16 pm
Contact:

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by Z98 »

Jira is not used for asking questions, it is only used for reporting and tracking bugs or work being done by the developers.

The reason no one's answered your questions is probably because no one can understand what you're asking. You've been extremely vague on what it is you want to know, or what it is you want to do, beyond saying you're looking at freeldr. Since we can't read your mind, we have no idea what you're referring to.
cirrus one
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:32 am

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by cirrus one »

Here are extracts from my previous
posts in this thread. Nothing has
been changed.

=====

I get the following error at boot:

Error reading NLS file
Multi(0)
Disk(0)
Cdrom(111)\
Reactos\system32\l_intl.nls

The last build that works properly is 71365.
Build 71366 and later HAVE THE PROBLEM.

Easy to understand.

=====

There is a module called freeloader.
It runs on startup.

The module contains BIOS calls and also
contains functions like TRACE.

Straightforward.

=====

Freeldr is the bootloader, it's like a
little OS that collects information on
the computer and passes it to the OS.

A simple reply.

=====

This is what I really need to see what
is happening. So I can help fix the
problem.

|
v

How can I view those values associated
with the TRACE statements in realtime?
I'm gathering data.

Straightforward question.

=====

Booting with the debug logfile option
doesn't help. REACTOS's log file does
not start until NTVDM is loaded. it
does not help me.

Ok.

=====

The post above is deliberly vague
asking only why nobody is responding.

It is vague to avoid getting sombody
else in trouble.
Z98
Release Engineer
Posts: 3379
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 8:16 pm
Contact:

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by Z98 »

https://www.reactos.org/wiki/Debugging#Serial_Port

If you want to get the output of traces you need a serial port. No, there is no way around this.
cirrus one
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:32 am

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by cirrus one »

Thank you very much.

Another person spent several hours trying to
get serial debugging turned on at this level
in REACTOS but never succeeded. He tried
rebuilding with that TRACE thingy turned on.
We need help doing this.

This problem is in FREELOADER which is in
very beginning of the boot sequence well
before NTVDM or whatever the name loads.

Using any of the debug options at start up
don't help such as logfile because they don't
start logging until after NTVDM or whatever
is loaded and the problem area is long gone
at that time.

In the link you pointed me to doesn't say
anything about enabling debut at the
FREELOADER level.

We need help.

Thank you

C1
cirrus one
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:32 am

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by cirrus one »

Let me make this a little clearer

If we get a serial cable link up and
Running to a Linux pc

How do we get debug trace running
Inside freeloader to the Linux pc
karlexceed
Posts: 531
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:17 pm
Contact:

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by karlexceed »

I'm not the best person to be giving any advice here, but I thought I'd ask the question out loud:

Would using bochs hypervisor help you for this? http://bochs.sourceforge.net/doc/docboo ... ugger.html
cirrus one
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:32 am

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by cirrus one »

This problem manifests itself when a person tries
to boot REACTOS on real hardware. It is an OS and
OS's are supposed to run on real hardware.

And it does but with some difficulties.

The FREELOADER problem is straightforward
freeloader runs once only during the boot
cycle. The nature of it's bombing out has
been identified down to a single #defined
constant in ONE and only ONE module.

I want to TRACE the modules action in
realtime to see when and how it bombs
and fix it if I can but getting support from
the REACTOS team well I am reluctant to
use this term it is worse than pulling teeth.
I have asked how to turn on debug in this
module, and getting debug working, like
ten days ago I asked and I am still asking.

So frustrating

There are numerous reports over the web
of people trying reactsos getting this one
specific error and giving up.

Now the REACTOS TEAM will say this is
ALPHA software. They have been saying
this about many things back to 2009.
Yes 2009 as an excuse.

I wanna fix this one specific error which'
if I could fix it would get them a little
closer to BETA but

It is so frustrating.
Forever Winter
Posts: 131
Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 6:50 am

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by Forever Winter »

To enable debug output from freeloader, open \reactos\boot\freeldr\freeldr\lib\debug.c and change the line "#define DEBUG_NONE" near the beginning of the file to "#define DEBUG_ALL" (or whatever
suits your needs) and recompile freeloader.
hbelusca
Developer
Posts: 1204
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2009 10:36 pm
Location: Zagreb, Croatia

Re: CIRRUS ONE freeloader question

Post by hbelusca »

The problem here is that all
those solutions for debugging
freeloader use the serial port
(because it cannot do otherwise).
While it's an easy thing to set up
when using virtual machines,
it is not as simple on real hardware,
especially on new hardware
where serial ports may be inexistent
at all. I've added an answer and links
in CORE-11811 that explain
that a proper solution won't be easy
to set up.
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