-={ mercredi, janvier 07 2015, 18:16:11 -0800 }=-

Hey mark!

 ml> is /that/ the trick to building a grub64??

Errrr ... it isn't *really* a grub64 but instead a grub32 linked to 64-bit
libs.  I doubt it will work on the IA64 platform for example since IA64 isn't
32-bit compatible whereas x86_64 is even if you only install glibc's 64-bit
libs.

 ml> we've been working on a system that has 32bit and 64bit flavors...

Yeah that is too much work.  gcc's -m32 switch is one of the things grub's
configure will discover and use in order to successfully keep itself a 32-bit
app in a 64-bit world.  Again I believe this will only work on a x86_64-* host
with a kernel that is built to run 32-bit apps.

 ml> until recently, the 64bit was little more than PoC and plaything

Myself I am still using lilo.  I am still old school despite playing with, and
sometimes using, new school toys.  Anyhow I have yet to test the newest grub2
as far as booting is concerned.  However I will try it later once I upgrade the
eeepc.  The power outage the other day set things back a tad.

 ml> we've had to resort to building a statically linked grub32 to be
 ml> able to boot the thing reliably...

See above.  By unsetting CFLAGS, not 100% sure about CXXFLAGS but it doesn't
hurt, in the build script will force grub to figure out itself how to live and
behave itself on a x86_64-* host.  It's worked for me in the past and I should
know in a day or two whether or not the newfangled grub will also work using
the same trick.  If you find out sooner please feel free to report your results
here.  I am sure someone might appreciate it.

Me?  I still like and use lilo.  ;-)

Life is good,
Maurice

... Don't cry for me I have vi.
--- GNU bash, version 4.3.30(1)-release (x86_64-atom-linux-gnu)