1 files changed, 148 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/README_UEFI.TXT b/README_UEFI.TXT
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6584ec86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README_UEFI.TXT
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+
+To use UEFI, or not to use UEFI?
+
+Unless your computer came with a preinstalled version of Windows that
+requires UEFI, switching to Legacy Boot (aka, traditional BIOS) is an
+option.  Just switch to Legacy Boot in the UEFI menus.  With most systems
+you can get into the UEFI menu by pressing the ESC key as the system
+boots.  Then boot the Slackware installer and remove any existing
+partitions using cgdisk to start over.  You may use either the GPT
+partitioning scheme, or the traditional MBR partitioning scheme, but
+there's really no advantage to switching back to MBR if your system
+already has a GPT partitioned hard drive.  But...  if you want to do
+that, you can.  To wipe out an existing GPT, use the gdisk command.
+For example, to wipe /dev/sda:
+
+
+gdisk /dev/sda
+Enter 'x' to enable the entended options.
+Enter 'z' to zap (wipe out) the existing GPT.
+Answer 'Y' to add questions.
+
+
+But I do want to use UEFI, and keep my existing Windows installation!
+
+Great!  First things first.  You'll need to enter the UEFI menus and
+disable Secure Boot, since Slackware does not currently work if Secure
+Boot is enabled.  Windows will continue to work fine without it.
+
+Then, you will probably need to shrink your main Windows partition, since
+otherwise it is unlikely that you'll have any free space to install Linux.
+To do this, boot the machine into Windows.  Move the mouse into the upper
+right corner, and select the search function (magnifying glass icon).
+Enter diskmgmt.msc to start up the Disk Management tool.  The disk
+partitions will be displayed as a bar chart at the bottom of the window.
+Mouse over the main Windows partition (probably the largest NTFS partition)
+and right click to bring up a menu.  Select "Shrink Volume..." from this
+menu.  Shrink the partition to make enough free space for Slackware's root,
+swap, and other partitions.  Reboot the machine, and start the Slackware
+installer from USB or DVD.  You might have to hit ESC and select your boot
+device from the boot manager menu.  Now you're ready to install!
+
+NOTE:  Rather than creating true free space, this resizing operation may
+leave the extra space in the form of a generic (but allocated) partition.
+Take note of the size of the "free space".  When it comes time to partition
+on Linux, you may need to delete this partition to make actual free space
+before you can install.
+
+NOTE on starting the installer under UEFI:  Depending on your UEFI firmware
+and the video card in your system, you might need to start the installer
+with KMS (basically a kernel-based video driver) in order to have text
+output.  If you boot and get screen garbage or no screen display then
+try again using KMS.  From the DVD, select the KMS menu option.  From the
+usbboot.img USB installer, hit TAB and then enter:  kms.s
+
+OK, the installer is started, now what?
+
+The next step is partitioning your system.  We'll assume that you want to
+use GPT partitioning.  If you are installing to a machine that has Windows
+installed, then you'll already have an EFI System Partition (this is used
+to store boot files on machines that use UEFI).  To check this, you can use
+gdisk.  We'll assume that you'll be installing to /dev/sda.  If you'll be
+installing to some other device, use that in the command below.
+
+gdisk -l /dev/sda
+
+If you see a partition with Code EF00 listed, then you are good to go.
+If not, you will need to make one.  To do that, use cgdisk:
+
+cgdisk /dev/sda
+
+Select the free space from the menu using the up/down keys, and then select
+"New" to make a new partition.  Hit ENTER to accept the first sector.  Then
+enter 100M as the partition size.  Give the new partition a hex code of EF00.
+You make give the partition a name (such as "EFI System Partition"), or just
+hit ENTER to use no name.  A name is not required.
+
+At this point, you've got a GPT disk with an EFI System partition (with or
+without Windows).  The next step is to make the partitions for Linux.  If
+you're not already in cgdisk, start that up with "cgdisk /dev/sda" (or
+whatever your install device is).  Start by making a swap partition.  A
+good rule of thumb is to make the swap partition equal to the amount of RAM
+in your machine.  So, select the free space again, and then "New".  Again,
+hit ENTER to accept the default first sector for the new partition.  Then,
+enter an appropriate size, such as 2G.  Enter the hex code for Linux swap,
+which is 8200.  Give the partition a name if you like.
+
+Make your root Linux partition (optionally if you leave some space you can make
+any additional Linux partitions that you'll need).  Select the free space, and
+"New".  Accept the default first sector by hitting ENTER.  To make the
+partition use the rest of the disk space, just hit ENTER again when asked for
+a size.  Or, you may choose a smaller size if you're planning to make more
+Linux partitions.  Hit ENTER to accept the default hex code, which is for a
+Linux filesystem.  Name the partition (if you like), or hit ENTER again.
+
+If you have any more free space and partitions to make, now is the time to
+make them.
+
+When you're done, select "Write" to write the partition table changes to the
+disk (verify by typing "yes" when prompted), hit a key to continue, and then
+select "Quit" to leave cgdisk.
+
+Now you're ready to begin the installation by running the "setup" command.
+You'll notice that after choosing your Linux partitions, the EFI System
+Partition will be detected by setup and added to your /etc/fstab to be mounted
+on /boot/efi when the system starts.
+
+After the packages are done installing, the other difference in a UEFI
+installation is the setting up of the bootloader.
+
+First up, making a USB boot stick.  The script to make the stick will add
+a UEFI bootloader to it by default, and the stick will work with either UEFI
+or regular BIOS.  It is highly recommended that you make a USB boot stick so
+that you have a way to boot your system easily.  On some machines, adding a
+boot entry to the UEFI boot menu doesn't work so well.  So, make the stick.
+When it saves you later on, you won't regret the effort.
+
+Since LILO doesn't work in pure UEFI mode, setup will recommend not installing
+it.  You can still install it if you like, though.  It would only be useful if
+you boot the machine in Legacy BIOS mode.  If you're not planning to do that,
+go ahead and skip LILO.
+
+Next, you'll get a menu prompting you to set up ELILO.  ELILO is a bootloader
+that is similar to LILO but that was written to support EFI machines.  Go
+ahead and tell the system to install ELILO, and it will set up ELILO in
+/EFI/Slackware on your EFI System Partition, along with a kernel and an ELILO
+configuration file.  Next you'll be asked if you want to install a new menu
+entry for your Slackware system in your UEFI firmware.  Unless you are using
+an Intel Mac, it is suggested that you do this.  Without such an entry, you
+would have to press ESC (or possibly DEL or a function key) to enter the UEFI
+menu, use the firmware to "boot from a file", navigate through the EFI System
+Partition directories to the /EFI/Slackware/bootx64.efi file and then select
+it to boot Slackware.  If you are using an Apple Intel Mac, DO NOT TRY TO
+INSTALL A MENU ENTRY!  It would probably brick your firmware requiring Apple
+to service the machine to reflash the firmware.  On other machines that use
+UEFI, it is highly recommended to add the menu entry to make it easier to
+chose an operating system at boot.
+
+If the menu entry doesn't work on your system, you can still force your
+machine to boot ELILO automatically by copying the files in /EFI/Slackware on
+your EFI System Partition to /EFI/BOOT on your EFI System Partition, and 
+renaming /EFI/BOOT/elilo.efi to /EFI/BOOT/BOOTX86.EFI.  Before doing this,
+you might want to back up any existing files in /EFI/BOOT.
+
+Once you've finished up the post installation menus, you'll be ready to reboot
+your machine and enjoy your new Linux system.
+
+Have fun!
+