The hiperiso_boot() function and hiso_hv_mode checkpoints in grub.cfg
were defined but never reached because:
1. The deployed grub.cfg used 'hiso_*' variable names for the
partition and chain-buffer env vars, but the GRUB module
(built from vendor/grub2-modsrc.tar.xz) only reads the original
Ventoy 'vtoy_*' names. Result: chain_data functions in the
modsrc found empty partition variables and printed
'ventoy not ready. chain empty failed'.
package_release.sh now mirrors every / to the
matching / in the deployed grub.cfg, so the
modsrc's chain_data commands see the partition layout.
2. hiso_hv_mode was declared in the env-var export list at the end
of grub.cfg but never set to a value, so every menuentry
handler's '[ -n "$hiso_hv_mode" ]' check was always false.
grub.cfg now sets hiso_hv_mode=1 automatically when the ESP
contains EFI/hiperiso/vmlinuz + initramfs.cpio.gz (the payloads
are already there from build_all.sh). Sentinel
/hiperiso/no_hv_mode on the data partition disables it.
With these two changes, picking any ISO from the GRUB menu runs the
host kernel (vmlinuz with KVM built-in) + the hiperiso/QEMU/OVMF
initramfs from the ESP, with full serial/PCI/port/MMIO tracing and
session logging to the data partition. The killer feature is now
the default boot path.
Two critical fixes that unblock the hardlink/chain boot paths:
1. hlnk->vlnk rename in src/grub2/grub/grub.cfg
The in-tree grub.cfg calls GRUB commands with rebrand 'hlnk' naming
(vt_is_hlnk_name, vt_get_hlnk_dst, etc.) but the GRUB binary built
from vendor/grub2-modsrc.tar.xz has Ventoy's original 'vlnk' naming.
This mismatch caused 'can't find command' errors for any menu item
using the hardlink path (which is most ISO files).
Renamed all hlnk references to vlnk in the source grub.cfg.
Added an automatic hlnk->vlnk sed pass to package_release.sh so
future edits stay in sync.
2. mcopy recursion bug in package_release.sh
The single-mcopy optimization (commit 17094e5) used 'mcopy -s -i
ESP IMG STAGING/* ::/' which only created empty top-level directories
without copying file contents into them. This meant the deployed
ESP image had empty EFI/, grub/, hiperiso/ directories.
Replaced with explicit per-subdirectory copy loop that recursively
copies each top-level entry with 'mcopy -s -i ESP IMG STAGE/DIR
::/DIR'. Verified files are now in the deployed image.
QEMU test confirms:
- Disk boots, GRUB 2.04 loads
- ESP contains BOOTX64.EFI, grub.cfg, ventoy.cpio, chain files
- hlnk/vlnk mismatch fixed: 0 hlnk refs, 20 vlnk refs in grub.cfg
The ' www.ventoy.net' string baked into BOOTX64.EFI is NOT a URL
- it's a magic GUID (16 bytes: 0x77772020 0x2e77 0x6576 ...) that
spells ' www.ventoy.net' when interpreted as ASCII. It's used as
a fingerprint in Ventoy's data partition structures to distinguish
Ventoy-managed files from regular files. Changing it would break
disk format compatibility.
The actual GRUB error message URL (line 551) is correctly patched
to 'redbearos.org/hiperiso to use Hiperiso'.
Build script also copies chain-boot EFI binaries (hiperiso_x64.efi,
iso9660_x64.efi, udf_x64.efi, vtoyutil_x64.efi, wimboot.x86_64.xz)
to the ESP at /hiperiso/ so chain boot works regardless of which
partition hiso_path points to.
The chain boot path (hiso_path) was set to ($root)/hiperiso which on
our layout resolves to the ESP partition. But hiperiso_x64.efi, the
chain-boot EFI binary, lives on the DATA partition (after the new
install step copies it there).
Result: chainloader ${hiso_path}/hiperiso_x64.efi resolves to
(ESP)/hiperiso/hiperiso_x64.efi which doesn't exist -> 'chain empty
failed' despite memdisk mode working.
Fix: change hiso_path to ($hiso_dev,1)/hiperiso (data partition).
Apply same fix to tftp branch where it was looking on gpt2 (ESP).
GRUB2 binary + payload rebuilt.
The chain boot path looks for hiperiso_x64.efi in /hiperiso/ on the data
partition. Without this, booting ISOs (non-memdisk) fails with
'ventoy not ready chain empty failed'.
The installer now mounts the data partition after writing the ESP image
and copies ./hiperiso/* (hiperiso_x64.efi, iso9660_x64.efi, udf_x64.efi,
vtoyutil_x64.efi, wimboot, memdisk, etc.) to it. This makes the ISO
chain boot work for non-memdisk boot modes.
After reducing ESP partition from 64MB to 32MB to match Ventoy, the
GRUB2 module's hardcoded partition size checks now reject the disk
with error 7 'Disk partition layout check failed.'
Updated 4 hardcoded 131072 / 67108864 (64MB) values to 65536 / 33554432
(32MB) in:
- src/grub2/hiperiso_cmd.c (3 places in hiperiso_check_official_device)
- src/grub2/hiperiso_def.h (HISO_CMD_CHECK macro partition size)
GRUB2 module rebuilt with new BOOTX64.EFI. Payload rebuilt.
The earlier hiperiso_boot function used:
if regexp '.*/([^/]+)' "$iso_path" ; then
set hiso_base="$1"
fi
This relies on GRUB's positional $1..$9 capture groups being
visible inside the if-branch. While it parses, the modsrc's own
grub.cfg uses the explicit --set N:VAR form everywhere (e.g. the
FuryBSD/FreeNAS/TrueNAS regexp blocks); switching to that idiom
keeps hiperiso_boot consistent with the rest of the file and avoids
a class of bugs that would only surface on certain GRUB versions
where positional captures interact differently with control flow.
This commit consolidates the working state of hiperiso's build
pipeline. The previous rebranding attempt (trying to rename all
ventoy_* symbols in the modsrc to hiperiso_*) was incomplete and
the build was broken — 18 undefined symbols, mismatched field names
(hlnk vs vlnk), 2 missing functions.
Strategy: use Ventoy's stock modsrc as the GRUB substrate. The
rebranding is now limited to runtime artifacts:
- Kernel cmdline contract: `hiperiso_iso=...` etc. (hiperiso-spec)
- JSON config: `hiperiso.json` (hiperiso-spec)
- The `ventoy/ventoy.cpio` file from upstream Ventoy is vendored.
- ESP layout matches Ventoy's expectations (FAT label "VTOYEFI",
64MB ESP, "ventoy/ventoy.cpio" at the partition root).
The modsrc is used as-is with two single-line sed patches to allow
hiperiso's 64MB ESP layout (Ventoy upstream hardcodes 32MB).
The QEMU hypervisor feature is preserved via a new GRUB script
function `hiperiso_boot` in grub.cfg that replaces the missing C-side
`hiperiso_cmd_boot` from the broken rebrand. The function reads
HISO_* env vars, builds the `hiperiso_iso=...` cmdline, and
executes `linux` + `initrd` + `boot` against the host kernel +
QEMU initramfs on the ESP.
Files changed:
scripts/build_grub2_204.sh
- Reverted the broken rebrand sed pipeline
- Now: unpack modsrc, single sed pass to bump ESP size from
32MB to 64MB (Ventoy upstream's modsrc hardcodes 32MB; this
is the only Ventoy source-level change we make).
- Drops support for the partial hiperiso C module.
src/installer/tool/hiperiso_lib.sh
- GPT part 2 type: 'esp on' → 'msftdata on' (matches Ventoy)
- FAT16 volume label: 'HISOEFI' → 'VTOYEFI' (modsrc checks
this string literally in ventoy_check_official_device)
scripts/package_release.sh
- FAT16 label: 'HISOEFI' → 'VTOYEFI'
- Copy reference/Ventoy/INSTALL/ventoy/ventoy.cpio to the
payload's ventoy/ directory at ESP-staging time (modsrc
looks for it at the partition root).
src/grub2/grub/grub.cfg
- New `function hiperiso_boot` (~90 lines) that replaces the
missing C-side `hiperiso_cmd_boot`. Reads HISO_* env vars,
builds the `hiperiso_iso=...` kernel cmdline, and runs
`linux` + `initrd` + `boot` against the host kernel +
QEMU initramfs. The 9 call sites in grub.cfg that previously
failed with "command not found" now work.
grub2/bin/BOOTX64.EFI (binary)
- Rebuilt by the new build_grub2_204.sh. The modsrc GRUB module
is Ventoy's stock. 1.9MB, 4 sections, 257 ventoy_* symbols.
The 'src/grub2/hiperiso_*.c' files are kept in the source tree as
historical reference but are no longer compiled or shipped.
Verified by QEMU test:
- Firmware boot manager recognizes USB as bootable device
- modsrc's ventoy_check_official_device() passes (no "NOT a
standard Ventoy device" error)
- FAT label, ESP size, and CPIO presence all satisfy the
hardcoded checks
- Real hardware validation pending (requires physical USB)
To install:
sudo bash build/payload/Hiperiso2Disk.sh -I -g /dev/sdX
Byte-by-byte comparison of Ventoy vs hiperiso USB showed the only
significant difference: Ventoy uses Microsoft basic data type GUID
(EBD0A0A2-...) with attribute 0x8000000000000000, while our ESP-type
attempt used (C12A7328-...).
The user's UEFI firmware only recognizes the msftdata+hidden attribute
combination as bootable. Reverted all 3 source paths back to msftdata:
- hiperiso_util.c: Table[1].PartType = WindowsDataPartType
- hiperiso_lib.sh: set 2 msftdata on (parted flag)
- partresize.c: g_WindowsDataPartGuid for partition resize update
- Partition 2 type GUID changed from msftdata (EBD0A0A2) to ESP
(C12A7328) in GUI installer, CLI partition resizer, and shell
installer. UEFI firmware only scans ESP-type partitions for
BOOTX64.EFI.
- GPT is now the default partition style (MBR via -m flag)
- Secure Boot default changed to OFF
- Fix PATH using $PWD instead of $OLDDIR in Hiperiso2Disk.sh
- Remove unused g_WindowsDataPartGuid dead code from partresize.c
Change GUI default from MBR (0) to GPT (1). Keep msftdata partition
type for partition 2 (Ventoy-compatible: both partitions visible to
OS and bootable on all UEFI firmware). Fix hisogpt.c partition name
check from VTOY to HISO. Fix partresize.c partition name from VTOYEFI
to HISOEFI.
After writing the partition table, call ioctl(fd, BLKRRPART) to force
the kernel to re-read partitions immediately. Ventoy lacks this and
relies on replug. Also fix hardcoded loop count 32 to
HISOEFI_PART_BYTES / SIZE_1MB to match the new 64MB ESP size.
Original 32MB was at capacity (31MB data). Updated HISOEFI_PART_BYTES,
HISOEFI_PART_SECTORS, HIPERISO_EFI_PART_SIZE, and HIPERISO_SECTOR_NUM
consistently in GUI core, plugson, CLI, GRUB2 cmd/def, installer lib,
INTERFACES.sh, and README partition table.
Two critical bugs prevented the hypervisor boot path from working:
1. GRUB2 EFI requires explicit gpt/msdos prefix in partition names.
The shorthand (hd0,2) does NOT resolve for GPT disks. Fixed by
having vt_load_part_table set hiso_iso_part/hiso_efi_part with
correct notation based on detected partition table type.
2. hiperiso_boot C function wrapped $hiso_efi_part in extra parens:
($hiso_efi_part) expanded to ((hd0,gpt2)) which GRUB2 parsed as
device name (hd0,gpt2) with literal parens. Fixed by using
${hiso_efi_part} without wrapping.
QEMU-verified: kernel boots, loads initramfs, runs /init with all
hiperiso_* parameters correctly passed through kernel cmdline.
Replaces placeholder with professional branded background:
- RedBear bear logo in top-left corner (red/crimson bear head)
- Green 'hiperiso' title with glow effect
- 'Hypervisor ISO Boot Tool' subtitle
- Red accent line under title
- 'A RedBear OS Project' attribution
- Faint bear watermark on right side (8% opacity)
- 'www.hiperiso.net' footer in green
- Dark charcoal gradient background
Visual identity derived from RedBear OS project assets on
gitea.redbearos.org. hiperiso is a subproject of RedBear OS.
QEMU+OVMF verified: all branding elements render correctly
in GRUB2 menu with test.iso listed.
- Add mmx64.efi (MOK Manager) to EFI/BOOT/ for Secure Boot enrollment
- Add ENROLL_THIS_KEY_IN_MOKMANAGER.cer to tool/ for key enrollment
- Replace Ventoy background.png with hiperiso-branded one (dark navy
background, green 'hiperiso' title, 'Hypervisor ISO Boot Tool' subtitle)
- Verified via QEMU+OVMF boot test: GRUB2 boots, passes all validation
checks, shows hiperiso menu with correct branding, zero Ventoy refs
Apply vlnk→hlnk, VLNK→HLNK, Vlnk→Hlnk rename to all 7 reference
header and source files. These are the project-side copies used for
cross-referencing — the build applies the same transformation to the
vendored tarball at compile time.
Rename vlnk.c→hlnk.c, vlnk.h→hlnk.h. Update crc32.c and main_linux.c
references. The file format concept changes from 'Ventoy Link' to
'Hiperiso Link' throughout. hisolnk tool builds successfully (19K).
hiperiso_cmd.c: Remove stub implementations of hiperiso_gzip_compress,
lzx_decompress, xca_decompress. Restore real miniz-based gzip compression
and include miniz.h. Add 'Hypervisor (KVM + Boot Logging)' as option 7
in secondary boot menu with hiso_hv_mode env var check.
grub.cfg: Replace stripped 473-line version with full 2806-line config
restoring all OS-type direct boot paths (Linux, Windows, Unix, WIM, VHD,
IMG). Add hiso_hv_mode checks to all 8 menuentry functions and
post-secondary-menu hypervisor dispatch. Set HISO_HYPERVISOR_MENU=1
by default so secondary menu always appears.
vasilito