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EFI system partition

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executable image and appearing to the firmware as a UEFI application, a Linux kernel image with EFI Boot Stub enabled can be directly loaded and executed by a UEFI firmware. Such kernel images can still be loaded and run by BIOS-based boot loaders; thus, EFI Boot Stub allows a single kernel image to
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The file system supported by the Extensible Firmware Interface is based on the FAT file system. EFI defines a specific version of FAT that is explicitly documented and testable. Conformance to the EFI specification and its associate reference documents is the only definition of FAT that needs to be
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The UEFI specification requires MBR partition tables to be fully supported. However, some UEFI implementations immediately switch to the BIOS-based CSM booting upon detecting certain types of partition table on the boot disk, effectively preventing UEFI booting from being performed from EFI system
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and maintained as part of the UEFI specification; therefore, the file system specification is independent from the original FAT specification. The actual extent of divergence is unknown: Apple maintains a separate tool that should be used on Intel/x86-64 Macs, while other systems use FAT utilities
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file system, while a boot loader needs to be stored according to the standard ESP file hierarchy, or by providing a complete path of a boot loader to the system's boot manager. On the other hand, FAT32 is always expected on fixed drives.
173:-based systems, the first sector of a partition is loaded into memory, and execution is transferred to this code. UEFI firmware does not execute the code in the MBR, except when booting in legacy BIOS mode through the 239:
managers) for Linux. Once loaded by a UEFI firmware, they can access and boot kernel images from all devices, partitions and file systems they support, without being limited to the EFI system partition.
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images are required to reside on the EFI system partition, as systemd-boot does not provide support for accessing files on other partitions or file systems. Linux kernels need to be built with
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is a simple UEFI boot manager that loads and runs configured EFI images, accessing only the EFI system partition. Configuration file fragments, kernel images and
445:) such as iPhones, iPads and all Mac computers from 2023 onward do not contain EFI/UEFI functionality and subsequently do not use EFI system partitions. 736: 583: 1039: 994: 146:. Both GPT- and MBR-partitioned disks can contain an EFI system partition, as UEFI firmware is required to support both partitioning schemes. Also, 932: 1158: 395: 97:
at boot time, system utility programs that are intended to be run before an operating system is booted, and data files such as error logs.
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implemented to support EFI. To differentiate the EFI file system from pure FAT, a new partition file system type has been defined.
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with legacy systems by reserving the first block (sector) of the partition for compatibility code, effectively creating a legacy
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command. Mounts the EFI system partition on the specified drive. Available on Itanium-based computers only.
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processor architecture, the EFI system partition is initially left blank and unused for booting into
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will select the desired bootloader (potentially configured via Startup Keyboard Combinations or
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for the EFI system partition varies depending on the bootloader used. Older bootloaders such as
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mounts. Regardless of the mount point path, its contents are accessible after Linux is booted.
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However, the EFI system partition is used as a staging area for firmware updates and for the
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64-Bit Edition and later, access to the EFI system partition is obtained by running the
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of installed operating systems (which are typically contained in other partitions),
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bootloader for Mac computers configured to boot into a Windows partition using
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image without the use of a conventional UEFI boot loader. By masquerading as a
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Linux kernel's support for the EFI Boot Stub is enabled by turning on option
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UEFI firmware supports booting from removable storage devices such as
1070:"Subdirectory Registry | Unified Extensible Firmware Interface Forum" 863: 737:"Linux kernel 3.11.1 arch/x86/Kconfig: CONFIG_EFI_STUB (line #1575)" 248: 94: 909:"Startup Security Utility on a Mac with an Apple T2 Security Chip" 885:"Boot modes of an Intel-based Mac with an Apple T2 Security Chip" 552:"UEFI Specification Version 2.5, Section 12.3 File System Format" 442: 430: 413:
command before becoming bootable by the firmware, a relic of the
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files for hardware devices present in a computer and used by the
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UEFI support in Windows began in 2008 with Windows Vista® SP1.
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machines required the EFI system partition to be formatted in
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controls the logic for finding and loading bootloaders.
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Partition used by Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
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serve as conventional, full-fledged standalone UEFI
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EFI boot support" 62:) that is used by computers that have the 1044:Windows Hardware Developer Central (WHDC) 507: 987:"Introduction to Apple Silicon: Storage" 216:UEFI and Linux disk device compatibility 18: 659:"UEFI - Community Ubuntu Documentation" 460:subfolder of the EFI system partition. 1136: 1159:Unified Extensible Firmware Interface 1102:. learn.microsoft.com. 31 August 2016 879: 877: 840:"Boot process for an Intel-based Mac" 834: 832: 830: 64:Unified Extensible Firmware Interface 1130:directory on an EFI system partition 134:C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B 119:whose specification is based on the 491:System partition and boot partition 13: 939:. 7 September 2014. Archived from 937:The Slightly Disgruntled Scientist 874: 827: 14: 1170: 1117: 378:Custom Apple UEFI firmware named 786:"systemd-boot UEFI Boot Manager" 140:(MBR) partition-table scheme is 1088: 1062: 1032: 1008: 997:from the original on 2024-02-14 979: 955: 925: 901: 856: 809: 798:from the original on 2024-02-14 778: 753: 718:from the original on 2023-10-04 561:. April 2015. pp. 536, 537 457: 729: 712:The Linux Kernel documentation 700: 676: 651: 626: 601: 576: 314:, released on March 18, 2012. 303:work in any boot environment. 1: 933:"Ubuntu + Mac: Pure EFI Boot" 501: 353:On Apple Mac computers using 36:Extensible Firmware Interface 290:makes it possible to boot a 175:Compatibility Support Module 7: 684:"Boot Loader Specification" 474: 100: 66:(UEFI). When a computer is 10: 1175: 448: 283:Linux Kernel EFI Boot Stub 213: 126:globally unique identifier 104: 991:GitHub - Asahi Linux Wiki 403:Apple–Intel architecture 331: 209: 204: 74:and various utilities. 609:"EFI system partition" 425:iOS, iPadOS, macOS on 415:System Folder blessing 163:backward compatibility 136:, while its ID in the 27: 1149:Computer file systems 821:rEFIt.SourceForge.net 312:Linux kernel mainline 25:KDE Partition Manager 22: 458:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\ 150:bootable format for 130:GUID Partition Table 77:An ESP contains the 868:Apple Knowledgebase 588:Developer.Apple.com 481:BIOS boot partition 107:UEFI § UEFI booting 52:data storage device 1050:on January 4, 2009 1040:"UEFI and Windows" 138:master boot record 111:UEFI § CSM booting 28: 765:KernelNewbies.org 369:Microsoft Windows 326:CONFIG_EFI_STUB=y 259:. Alternatively, 72:operating systems 60:solid-state drive 1166: 1129: 1112: 1111: 1109: 1107: 1092: 1086: 1085: 1083: 1081: 1066: 1060: 1059: 1057: 1055: 1036: 1030: 1029: 1027: 1026: 1012: 1006: 1005: 1003: 1002: 983: 977: 976: 974: 973: 959: 953: 952: 950: 948: 929: 923: 922: 920: 919: 905: 899: 898: 896: 895: 881: 872: 871: 860: 854: 853: 851: 850: 836: 825: 824: 813: 807: 806: 804: 803: 782: 776: 775: 773: 772: 757: 751: 750: 748: 747: 733: 727: 726: 724: 723: 704: 698: 697: 695: 694: 680: 674: 673: 671: 670: 655: 649: 648: 646: 645: 630: 624: 623: 621: 619: 605: 599: 598: 596: 595: 580: 574: 573: 567: 566: 556: 548: 542: 541: 539: 538: 528: 520: 470: 459: 327: 309: 278: 274: 270: 266: 258: 186:USB flash drives 145: 135: 132:(GPT) scheme is 40:system partition 1174: 1173: 1169: 1168: 1167: 1165: 1164: 1163: 1154:Disk partitions 1134: 1133: 1127: 1120: 1115: 1105: 1103: 1094: 1093: 1089: 1079: 1077: 1068: 1067: 1063: 1053: 1051: 1038: 1037: 1033: 1024: 1022: 1014: 1013: 1009: 1000: 998: 985: 984: 980: 971: 969: 967:keith.github.io 961: 960: 956: 946: 944: 943:on 8 March 2021 931: 930: 926: 917: 915: 907: 906: 902: 893: 891: 883: 882: 875: 862: 861: 857: 848: 846: 838: 837: 828: 815: 814: 810: 801: 799: 791:Freedesktop.org 784: 783: 779: 770: 768: 759: 758: 754: 745: 743: 735: 734: 730: 721: 719: 706: 705: 701: 692: 690: 682: 681: 677: 668: 666: 657: 656: 652: 643: 641: 632: 631: 627: 617: 615: 607: 606: 602: 593: 591: 582: 581: 577: 564: 562: 554: 550: 549: 545: 536: 534: 526: 522: 521: 508: 504: 477: 468: 451: 435: 401:Older pre-UEFI 392:recovery system 351: 334: 325: 308:CONFIG_EFI_STUB 307: 285: 276: 272: 268: 264: 263:prefers either 256: 218: 212: 207: 141: 133: 124:just fine. The 121:FAT file system 113: 103: 56:hard disk drive 17: 12: 11: 5: 1172: 1162: 1161: 1156: 1151: 1146: 1132: 1131: 1119: 1118:External links 1116: 1114: 1113: 1087: 1061: 1031: 1007: 993:. 2023-11-02. 978: 954: 924: 900: 873: 855: 826: 808: 794:. 2021-05-07. 777: 752: 728: 714:. 2014-06-16. 699: 688:uapi-group.org 675: 650: 625: 600: 575: 543: 505: 503: 500: 499: 498: 493: 488: 483: 476: 473: 450: 447: 437:Devices using 434: 423: 419:Classic Mac OS 350: 335: 333: 330: 284: 281: 211: 208: 206: 203: 161:UEFI provides 158:is supported. 102: 99: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1171: 1160: 1157: 1155: 1152: 1150: 1147: 1145: 1142: 1141: 1139: 1125: 1122: 1121: 1101: 1097: 1091: 1075: 1071: 1065: 1049: 1045: 1041: 1035: 1021: 1020:Apple Support 1017: 1011: 996: 992: 988: 982: 968: 964: 958: 942: 938: 934: 928: 914: 913:Apple Support 910: 904: 890: 889:Apple Support 886: 880: 878: 869: 865: 859: 845: 844:Apple Support 841: 835: 833: 831: 822: 818: 812: 797: 793: 792: 787: 781: 766: 762: 756: 742: 738: 732: 717: 713: 709: 703: 689: 685: 679: 664: 660: 654: 639: 638:ArchLinux.org 635: 629: 614: 610: 604: 589: 585: 579: 572: 560: 553: 547: 533:. August 2022 532: 525: 519: 517: 515: 513: 511: 506: 497: 496:Windows To Go 494: 492: 489: 487: 484: 482: 479: 478: 472: 466: 461: 454: 446: 444: 440: 439:Apple silicon 432: 428: 427:Apple silicon 422: 420: 416: 412: 408: 404: 399: 397: 393: 389: 385: 381: 376: 374: 370: 365: 363: 359: 356: 348: 344: 340: 329: 323: 319: 315: 313: 304: 301: 297: 293: 289: 288:EFI Boot Stub 280: 262: 254: 250: 246: 241: 238: 234: 233:boot managers 230: 226: 222: 217: 202: 199: 195: 191: 187: 182: 178: 176: 172: 168: 164: 159: 157: 153: 149: 144: 139: 131: 127: 122: 118: 112: 108: 98: 96: 92: 91:device driver 88: 87:kernel images 84: 83:boot managers 80: 75: 73: 69: 65: 61: 57: 53: 49: 45: 41: 37: 33: 26: 21: 1104:. Retrieved 1099: 1090: 1078:. Retrieved 1076:. UEFI Forum 1073: 1064: 1052:. Retrieved 1048:the original 1043: 1034: 1023:. Retrieved 1019: 1010: 999:. Retrieved 990: 981: 970:. Retrieved 966: 957: 945:. Retrieved 941:the original 936: 927: 916:. Retrieved 912: 903: 892:. 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June 2012 255:default to 245:mount point 167:boot sector 117:file system 54:(usually a 1138:Categories 1096:"Mountvol" 1025:2024-02-14 1001:2024-02-14 972:2024-02-14 963:"BLESS(8)" 918:2024-02-14 894:2024-02-14 849:2024-02-14 802:2024-02-14 771:2013-10-06 746:2013-10-06 741:Kernel.org 722:2024-02-14 693:2024-02-15 669:2013-12-27 663:Ubuntu.com 644:2013-10-06 594:2015-05-06 565:2015-05-29 537:2022-12-12 502:References 465:Windows XP 396:recoveryOS 253:lilo/elilo 237:bootloader 214:See also: 105:See also: 373:Boot Camp 337:macOS on 273:/boot/efi 257:/boot/efi 148:El Torito 48:partition 1074:uefi.org 995:Archived 796:Archived 716:Archived 618:14 March 613:ArchWiki 559:UEFI.org 531:UEFI.org 475:See also 469:mountvol 235:(a.k.a. 101:Overview 95:firmware 1144:Booting 449:Windows 443:AArch64 431:AArch64 394:called 177:(CSM). 152:CD-ROMs 1054:May 5, 358:x86-64 347:x86-64 322:initrd 277:autofs 249:GRUB 2 221:GRUB 2 109:, and 68:booted 1106:5 May 1080:5 May 555:(PDF) 527:(PDF) 417:from 411:ioctl 388:NVRAM 384:iBoot 380:iBoot 362:macOS 355:Intel 339:Intel 332:Apple 271:over 269:/boot 225:elilo 210:Linux 205:Usage 198:FAT32 194:FAT16 190:FAT12 85:, or 50:on a 46:is a 1128:/EFI 1108:2024 1082:2024 1056:2024 949:2019 620:2020 407:HFS+ 345:and 300:COFF 265:/efi 251:and 243:The 227:and 171:BIOS 156:DVDs 154:and 143:0xEF 30:The 463:On 343:x86 267:or 196:or 58:or 44:ESP 42:or 32:EFI 1140:: 1098:. 1072:. 1042:. 1018:. 989:. 965:. 935:. 911:. 887:. 876:^ 866:. 842:. 829:^ 819:. 788:. 763:. 739:. 710:. 686:. 661:. 636:. 611:. 586:. 568:. 557:. 529:. 509:^ 398:. 375:. 364:. 296:PE 223:, 192:, 81:, 38:) 1110:. 1084:. 1058:. 1028:. 1004:. 975:. 951:. 921:. 897:. 870:. 852:. 823:. 805:. 774:. 749:. 725:. 696:. 672:. 647:. 622:. 597:. 540:. 441:( 433:) 429:( 349:) 341:( 298:/ 34:(

Index


KDE Partition Manager
partition
data storage device
hard disk drive
solid-state drive
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
booted
operating systems
boot loaders
boot managers
kernel images
device driver
firmware
UEFI § UEFI booting
UEFI § CSM booting
file system
FAT file system
globally unique identifier
GUID Partition Table
master boot record
0xEF
El Torito
CD-ROMs
DVDs
backward compatibility
boot sector
BIOS
Compatibility Support Module
USB flash drives

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