# rEFInd

Related articles

- Arch boot process
- Boot loaders
- Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
- EFISTUB

rEFInd is a UEFI boot manager. It is a fork of the no-longer-maintained rEFIt and fixes many issues with respect to non-Mac UEFI booting. It is designed to be platform-neutral and to simplify booting multiple OSes.

Note: In the entire article `$esp` denotes the mountpoint of the EFI System Partition aka ESP.

## Installation

Install refind-efi from the Official repositories.

### Scripted configuration

rEFInd package includes the `/usr/bin/refind-install` script to simplify the process of setting rEFInd as your default EFI boot entry. The script has several options for handling differing setups and UEFI implementations, but for many systems it should be sufficient to simply run

    # refind-install

This will attempt to find and mount your ESP, copy rEFInd's files to `/EFI/refind/` on the ESP, and add rEFInd as the default EFI boot entry using UEFI#efibootmgr.

Note: By default `refind-install` installs only the driver for your root file system, if you want additional drivers see #File system drivers.

You can also install rEFInd to the default/fallback boot path `/EFI/BOOT/BOOT*.EFI`. This is helpful for bootable USB flash drives or on systems that have issues with the NVRAM changes made by efibootmgr:

    # refind-install --usedefault /dev/sdXY

Where /dev/sdXY is the partition of your ESP. Read the comments in the install script for an explanation of each option.

After installing rEFInd's files to the ESP, verify that rEFInd has created `refind_linux.conf` containing the required kernel parameters (e.g. `root=`) in the same directory as your kernel. If it has not created this file, you will need to set up #Passing kernel parameters manually or you will most likely get a kernel panic on your next boot.

By default, rEFInd will scan all of your drives (that it has drivers for) and add a boot entry for each EFI bootloader it finds, which should include your kernel (since Arch enables EFISTUB by default). So you may have a bootable system at this point.

Tip: It is always a good idea to edit the default config `/EFI/refind/refind.conf` on the ESP to ensure that the default options work for you.

### Manual configuration

Tip: rEFInd can boot Linux in many ways. See The rEFInd Boot Manager: Methods of Booting Linux for coverage of the various approaches.
Note: For 32-bit EFI, replace x64 with ia32 in the commands below.

If the `refind-install` script does not work for you, rEFInd can be set up manually.

First, copy the executable to the ESP:

    # cp /usr/share/refind/refind_x64.efi $esp/EFI/refind/

Then use UEFI#efibootmgr to create a boot entry in the UEFI NVRAM (change X and Y to match the device and partition of your ESP). If you are installing rEFInd to the default UEFI path `/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI`, you can probably skip this step.

    # efibootmgr -c -d /dev/sdX -p Y -l /EFI/refind/refind_x64.efi -L "rEFInd Boot Manager"

At this point, you should be able to reboot into rEFInd but it will not be able to boot your kernel. If your kernel does not reside on your ESP, rEFInd can mount your partitions to find it - provided it has the right drivers:

    # mkdir $esp/EFI/refind/drivers
    # cp /usr/share/refind/drivers_x64/myrootfs_x64.efi $esp/EFI/refind/drivers

Now rEFInd should have a boot entry for your kernel, but it will not pass the correct kernel parameters. Set up #Passing kernel parameters. You should now be able to boot your kernel using rEFInd. If you are still unable to boot or if you want to tweak rEFInd's settings, many options can be changed with a config file:

    # cp /usr/share/refind/refind.conf-sample $esp/EFI/refind/refind.conf

The sample config is well commented and self-explanatory.

Unless you have set `textonly` in the config file, you should copy rEFInd's icons to get rid of the ugly placeholders:

    # cp -r /usr/share/refind/icons $esp/EFI/refind/

You can try out different fonts by copying them and changing the `font` setting in `refind.conf`:

    # cp -r /usr/share/refind/fonts $esp/EFI/refind/

Tip: Pressing F10 in rEFInd will save a screenshot to the top level directory of the ESP.

### File system drivers

Note: rEFInd does not require your kernel to reside in a specific place, but if it is not on your ESP you will need to use file system drivers for rEFInd to read it.

rEFInd currently has read-only drivers for these file systems:

- ReiserFS
- Ext2
- Ext4
- Btrfs
- ISO-9660
- HFS+
- NTFS

Tip: To find additional drivers see The rEFInd Boot Manager: Using EFI Drivers: Finding Additional EFI Drivers.

#### Installing drivers for rEFInd

rEFInd automatically loads all drivers from the subdirectories `drivers` and `drivers_arch` (e.g. `drivers_x64`) in its install directory.

    # cp /usr/share/refind/drivers_x64/drivername_x64.efi $esp/EFI/refind/drivers_x64/

Tip: If you are using rEFInd's scripted install, you can install all drivers with the `--alldrivers` option. This is useful for bootable USB flash drives e.g.

    # refind-install --usedefault /dev/sdXY --alldrivers

#### Using drivers in UEFI shell

To use rEFInd's drivers in UEFI shell load them using command `load` and refresh mapped drives with `map -r`.

    # load FS0:\EFI\refind\drivers\ext4_x64.efi
    # map -r

Now you can access your file system from UEFI shell.

## Passing kernel parameters

There are two methods for setting the kernel parameters that rEFInd will pass to the kernel.

### For kernels automatically detected by rEFInd

If rEFInd automatically detects your kernel, you can place a `refind_linux.conf` file containing the kernel parameters in the same directory as your kernel. You can use `/usr/share/refind/refind_linux.conf-sample` as a starting point. The first uncommented line of `refind_linux.conf` will be the default parameters for the kernel. Subsequent lines will create entries in a submenu accessible using `+`, `F2`, or `Insert`.

Alternatively, try running:

    # refind-mkrlconf

Which will attempt to find your kernel in `/boot` and automatically generate `refind_linux.conf`. The script will only set up the most basic kernel parameters, so be sure to check the file it created for correctness.

If you do not specify an `initrd=` parameter, rEFInd will automatically add it by searching for common RAM disk filenames in the same directory as the kernel. If you need multiple `initrd=` parameters (e.g. for Microcode) you must specify them manually in `refind_linux.conf`.

### Manual boot stanzas

If your kernel is not autodetected, or if you simply want more control over the options for a menu entry, you can manually create boot entries using stanzas in `refind.conf`. Ensure that `scanfor` includes `manual` or these entries will not appear in rEFInd's menu. Kernel parameters are set with the `options` keyword. rEFInd will append the `initrd=` parameter using the file specified by the `initrd` keyword in the stanza. If you need additional initrds (e.g. for Microcode), you can specify them in `options` (and the one specified by the `initrd` keyword will be added to the end).

    $esp/EFI/refind/refind.conf

    ...

    menuentry "Arch Linux" {
            icon     /EFI/refind/icons/os_arch.png
            volume   Boot
            loader   /boot/vmlinuz-linux
            initrd   /boot/initramfs-linux.img
            options  "root=PARTUUID=XXXXXXXX rootfstype=XXXX rw add_efi_memmap"
            submenuentry "Boot using fallback initramfs" {
                    initrd /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img
            }
    }

It is likely that you will need to change `volume` to match either a filesystem's LABEL, a PARTLABEL, a PARTUUID, or a volume number (e.g. `0:`) of the partition where the kernel image resides. See Ext3#Assigning a label as an example of assigning a volume label.

## Using rEFInd with an existing UEFI Windows installation

Note: The usual caveats of Windows and Arch dual boot apply.

rEFInd is compatible with the EFI system partition created by a UEFI Windows installation, so there is no need to create or format another FAT32 partition when installing Arch alongside Windows. Simply mount Windows' ESP and install rEFInd as usual. By default, rEFInd's autodetection feature should recognize any existing Windows/recovery bootloaders.

## Upgrading rEFInd

Pacman updates the rEFInd files in `/usr/share/refind` and will not copy new files to the ESP for you. If `refind-install` worked for your original installation of rEFInd, you can rerun it to copy the updated files. The new config file will be copied as `refind.conf-sample` so that you can integrate changes into your config file using a diff tool. If your rEFInd required #Manual configuration, you will need to copy the new files yourself.

### Systemd automation

To automate this process, you need a .path file for watching for rEFInd updates and a .service file for copying the new files and updating the nvram.

    /etc/systemd/system/refind_update.path

    [Unit]
    Description=path monitor for rEFInd updates

    [Path]
    PathChanged=/usr/share/refind

    [Install]
    WantedBy=multi-user.target

    /etc/systemd/system/refind_update.service

    [Unit]
    Description=rEFInd boot manager update

    [Service]
    Type=oneshot
    ExecStart=/usr/bin/refind-install

Then enable `refind_update.path`.

## Apple Macs

mactel-bootAUR from the AUR is an experimental "bless" utility for Linux. If that does not work, use "bless" from within OSX to set rEFInd as the default boot entry. Assuming your UEFISYS partition is mounted at `/mnt/efi` within OSX, do:

    # bless --setBoot --folder /mnt/efi/EFI/refind --file /mnt/efi/EFI/refind/refind_x64.efi

## VirtualBox

Currently, VirtualBox will only boot the default `/EFI/BOOT/BOOT*.EFI` path, so `refind-install` needs to be used with at least the `--usedefault` option. See VirtualBox#Installation in EFI mode for more information.

## Tools

rEFInd supports running various 3rd-party tools. Tools need to be installed separately. Edit `showtools` in `refind.conf` to choose which ones to show.

    $esp/EFI/refind/refind.conf

    ...
    # Which non-bootloader tools to show on the tools line, and in what
    # order to display them:
    #  shell            - the EFI shell (requires external program; see rEFInd
    #                     documentation for details)
    #  memtest          - the memtest86 program, in EFI/tools, EFI/memtest86,
    #                     EFI/memtest, EFI/tools/memtest86, or EFI/tools/memtest
    #  gptsync          - the (dangerous) gptsync.efi utility (requires external
    #                     program; see rEFInd documentation for details)
    #  gdisk            - the gdisk partitioning program
    #  apple_recovery   - boots the Apple Recovery HD partition, if present
    #  windows_recovery - boots an OEM Windows recovery tool, if present
    #                     (see also the windows_recovery_files option)
    #  mok_tool         - makes available the Machine Owner Key (MOK) maintenance
    #                     tool, MokManager.efi, used on Secure Boot systems
    #  about            - an "about this program" option
    #  exit             - a tag to exit from rEFInd
    #  shutdown         - shuts down the computer (a bug causes this to reboot
    #                     many UEFI systems)
    #  reboot           - a tag to reboot the computer
    #  firmware         - a tag to reboot the computer into the firmware's
    #                     user interface (ignored on older computers)
    #  netboot          - launch the ipxe.efi tool for network (PXE) booting
    # Default is shell,memtest,gdisk,apple_recovery,windows_recovery,mok_tool,about,shutdown,reboot,firmware
    #
    showtools shell, memtest, netboot, about, reboot, firmware
    ...

### UEFI shell

See UEFI shell.

Copy `shellx64.efi` to the root of EFI System Partition

### Memtest86

Install memtest86-efiAUR from AUR and copy it to `$esp/EFI/tools/`.

    # cp /usr/share/memtest86-efi/bootx64.efi $esp/EFI/tools/memtest86.efi

### iPXE

Note: PXE support in rEFInd is experimental.

refind-efi contains the iPXE UEFI binaries, you just need to copy them to `$esp/EFI/tools/`.

    # cp /usr/share/refind/tools_x64/ipxe_discovery_x64.efi $esp/EFI/tools/ipxe_discovery.efi
    # cp /usr/share/refind/tools_x64/ipxe_x64.efi $esp/EFI/tools/ipxe.efi

## See also

- The rEFInd Boot Manager by Roderick W. Smith.
- `/usr/share/refind/docs/README.txt`

Category:

- Boot loaders