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+# Red Bear OS — Graphical Boot Assessment
+
+**Date**: 2026-05-03
+**Tested**: redbear-full live ISO + harddrive.img in QEMU
+
+## Result: Graphical boot FAILED
+
+### Root Cause
+
+`make live CONFIG_NAME=redbear-full` fails during KDE package build:
+
+```
+cook kf6-kitemviews - failed
+failed to build: failed to install 'recipes/wip/wayland/libwayland/.../stage.pkgar'
+in 'recipes/kde/kf6-kitemviews/.../sysroot.tmp': No such file or directory
+```
+
+The KDE package dependency chain (`libwayland` → `kf6-kitemviews`) has a staging/packaging race condition — `libwayland` builds successfully but its `stage.pkgar` is not found when `kf6-kitemviews` tries to install it as a dependency.
+
+### What Works
+
+| Component | Status |
+|-----------|--------|
+| redbear-mini (text-only) | ✅ Boots to login prompt |
+| redbear-full base packages | ✅ Build and boot |
+| Kernel, drivers, initfs | ✅ Works |
+| Colored init output | ✅ Visible in QEMU |
+| evdevd, inputd, ps2d | ✅ Registered |
+| D-Bus daemon | 🔲 Not tested (build failed before image creation) |
+| redbear-sessiond (login1) | 🔲 Not tested |
+| KWin / Wayland | 🔲 Not tested |
+| Greeter | 🔲 Not tested |
+
+### What redbear-mini Shows
+
+Booted in QEMU with UEFI/OVMF:
+```
+[ OK ] switchroot to /scheme/initfs
+[ OK ] Started Logger
+[ OK ] Started /dev/random
+[ OK ] Started /dev/zero
+[ OK ] Started Set time from realtime clock
+[ OK ] Started VT input and graphics multiplexer
+[ OK ] Started Graphical bootlog
+[ OK ] Started Framebuffer text console
+[ OK ] Started PS/2 driver
+[ OK ] Started Hardware manager
+[ OK ] Started PCI driver spawner
+[ OK ] Started Rootfs
+[ OK ] switchroot to /usr /etc
+[ OK ] Started PTY daemon
+[ OK ] Started IPC daemon
+[ OK ] Started Network stack
+[ OK ] Started DHCP client daemon
+[ OK ] Started Input event device daemon (evdevd)
+RB_SERIAL_PROBE_OK
+```
+
+Console login is available on the framebuffer (not visible with `-nographic`).
+
+### Blockers for Graphical Boot
+
+| Blocker | Detail |
+|---------|--------|
+| KDE package build chain | `libwayland` pkgar missing when `kf6-kitemviews` builds |
+| QML gate | `kirigami` → `plasma-framework` → `plasma-workspace` requires QtQuick/QML |
+| KWin compilation | KWin builds but runtime is untested due to above blockers |
+| Wayland compositor | `redbear-compositor` not yet in boot path |
+
+### Recommendation
+
+The KDE package dependency issue is a **build system artifact staging problem** — the cookbook tool's pkgar push mechanism doesn't properly order dependency installations when packages are rebuilt. This requires a fix to `src/cook/` (the Rust cookbook tool) to ensure dependency packages have their pkgar files available before dependents attempt to install them.