how to get into an EFI shell through rEFInd

[rybnik]

I'm given to understand that you can use rEFInd to get into an EFI shell. (command line)

However, when I boot into rEFInd, I don't see any option for a command line.

Any help?

I'm going to edit this thread within a few minutes with a photo of what my rEFInd screen looks like.

EDIT: Here is a screenshot.

[Qqmike]

I know the rEFInd screen -- scroll way down to see if it says EFI shell. BUT, that is THE EFI shell, for advanced users. I've never used it. SteveRiley likes it. I only use efibootmgr (used from within your Linux OS at Konsole).
rEFInd, btw, is another option for sorting out and keeping separate boot options for your various K(U)buntu OSs.
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...l=1#post372221
(Isn't there a key to press for more options, or to refresh options?)

[Qqmike]

Hmmm.... I've lost a long post I wrote as Post #2!!!!
Hang on, I'll retype some of it.

[Qqmike]

rybnik -- you've started TWO threads on the same topic, basically.

[Qqmike]

Well, I see the EFI shell offered on the rEFInd live CD but not on the rEFInd installed in my Kubuntu. I think then you need to install the EFI shell in your OS.
Rod Smith may address the details
http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/getting.html
and somewhere around here (kubuntuforums.net), SteveRiley has addressed this (versions, etc.).

[Qqmike]

Search for EFI shell in this thread (SteveRiley):
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...conquered-UEFI

[Qqmike]

Arch is usually good on their Wiki.
Obtaining UEFI Shell

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php...ace#UEFI_Shell

[Feathers McGraw]

Just be aware that you need an older version of the EFI shell for some laptops (not necessarily "old" ones either, my T440s required the older one).

[rybnik]

Well, I see the EFI shell offered on the rEFInd live CD but not on the rEFInd installed in my Kubuntu.

Well, that's a sufficiently acceptable solution. LiveCD it is, then.

rybnik -- you've started TWO threads on the same topic, basically.

The two threads indeed arose from the same issue. However, I'd argue that they deserve separate threads because they're different questions.

[Qqmike]

Recently,
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...l=1#post376838

[rybnik]

bcfg acts on option, or on variable?

I have one point of confusion about the EFI shell.

I understand that, in EFI shell, I can get a list of boot options by entering:

bcfg boot dump -v

And I also understand that a boot option can be removed by entering:

bcfg boot rm 3

However, the first command gives both a boot "option" and also a boot "variable" for each boot entry. So does the number in the 2nd command refer to the "option" or to the "variable"?

[Qqmike]

As I admitted, I have never used the EFI shell except to run
bcfg boot dump -v
from rEFInd to see the BootOrder.

But, like this:

sudo efibootmgr 
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0003,0001,0004,000A,0005,0006,0002,000B,000C,0007,0008,0009
Boot0000* ubuntu
Boot0001* debian
Boot0002* grub_sda5K1504
Boot0003* rEFInd Boot Manager
Boot0004* Mint_2
Boot0005* Hard Drive 
Boot0006* CD/DVD Drive 
Boot0007* UEFI:CD/DVD Drive
Boot0008* UEFI:Removable Device
Boot0009* UEFI:Network Device
Boot000A* Mint_1
Boot000B* ubuntu
Boot000C* ubuntu

BootOrder is a NVRAM variable in the UEFI firmware.
0000, 0003, 0001 refer to NVRAM variables (of the UEFI firmware); in fact
they refer to these three NVRAM variables:
Boot0000, Boot0003, and Boot0001.

In this: bcfg boot rm 3, the 3, I think, refers to 0003 which corresponds to
the NVRAM variable Boot0003. The word "boot" is just a label for the option;
maybe it should be called instead just "b." That command would remove Boot0003, which in my efibootmgr example would correspond to the rEFInd Boot Manager.

I'm not sure if that clarifies anything. The person to really address this
is SteveRiley as he has used the EFI Shell to actually do some things (whereas, as
I indicated before, I have only used efibootmgr to get work done).

[rybnik]

Mike,

Well yes, you're talking about efibootmgr, which only gives one number for each boot entry. My point was that the bcfg boot dump command in EFI shell gives two different numbers for each boot entry--an "option" number and also a "variable" number--those two are different for each entry.

So using bcfg boot rm to remove a boot entry is scary because, for instance, the "option" number of one boot entry is the same as the "variable" number of another boot entry, so I don't know which one will get removed!

I'll PM Steve Riley.

[Qqmike]

I see what you mean now.