Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2025 20:16:13 +0000 From: Olivier Certner <olce@FreeBSD.org> To: doc-committers@FreeBSD.org, dev-commits-doc-all@FreeBSD.org Subject: git: cccb079693 - main - releases/15.0R/relnotes: Fix and expand paragraphs on SMBIOS Message-ID: <6928b18d.27748.15de08e0@gitrepo.freebsd.org>
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The branch main has been updated by olce: URL: https://cgit.FreeBSD.org/doc/commit/?id=cccb079693a4ad37d43e02b585f6e8562228bed2 commit cccb079693a4ad37d43e02b585f6e8562228bed2 Author: Olivier Certner <olce@FreeBSD.org> AuthorDate: 2025-11-27 18:08:57 +0000 Commit: Olivier Certner <olce@FreeBSD.org> CommitDate: 2025-11-27 18:22:50 +0000 releases/15.0R/relnotes: Fix and expand paragraphs on SMBIOS Improve description of what was changed. Move the change in smbios(3) under the kernel driver section, this one is not related to the boot loaders. Stop referring to libsa(3) for changes in the boot loaders, which most probably does not speak to the intended public. Instead, clearly say whether the BIOS or EFI loader is concerned. Re-order changes chronologically, except for one of them in order to ease understanding of the descriptions. Fix commit hashes (they pointed to MFC commits to stable/14). While here, in the changed paragraphs, fix punctuation around the commit links and "Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation" lines to match what I think was common practice in earlier release notes. Sponsored by: The FreeBSD Foundation --- website/content/en/releases/15.0R/relnotes.adoc | 40 ++++++++++++------------- 1 file changed, 20 insertions(+), 20 deletions(-) diff --git a/website/content/en/releases/15.0R/relnotes.adoc b/website/content/en/releases/15.0R/relnotes.adoc index 3b49548334..7d08bf011c 100644 --- a/website/content/en/releases/15.0R/relnotes.adoc +++ b/website/content/en/releases/15.0R/relnotes.adoc @@ -788,6 +788,12 @@ A new cellular modem driver supports USB network devices implementing the Mobile The accompanying man:umbctl[8] tool is used to display or set MBIM cellular modem interface parameters (4G/LTE). gitref:0f1bf1c22a0c[repository=src] (Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation) +man:smbios[4]: Search for the SMBIOS v3 (64-bit) entry point first also on BIOS boot. +This allows to detect and report the proper SMBIOS version with BIOSes that only provide the v3 table, as happens on Hetzner virtual machines. +For machines that provide both, leverage the v3 table in priority consistently with the EFI case. +gitref:bc7f6508363c[repository=src] +(Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation.) + [[drivers-removals]] === Deprecated and Removed Drivers @@ -871,30 +877,24 @@ The BIOS boot loader added back support for gzip and bzip2, but removed support (The EFI boot loader is unchanged with support for all of those.) gitref:4d3b05a8530e[repository=src] (Sponsored by Netflix) -man:loader.efi[8]: Favor the v3 (64-bit) entry point in man:smbios[4]. -Be consistent with what is done with non-EFI boot (but with the difference that EFI runs in 64-bit mode on 64-bit platforms, so there is no restriction that the v3 entry point should be below 4GB). -gitref:807d51be8040[repository=src]. -(Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation). +The BIOS boot loader will now use the SMBIOS v3 (64-bit) entry point if its table is below 4GB. +The BIOS boot loader is compiled 32-bit as a client of BTX even on amd64, so cannot access addresses beyond 4GB. +However, the 64-bit entry point may refer to a structure table below 4GB, which can be used if the BIOS does not provide a 32-bit entry point, as happens on Hetzner virtual machines. +gitref:7f005c6699f4[repository=src] +(Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation.) -man:libsa[3]: Favor the v3 (64-bit) entry point on non-EFI boot in man:smbios[4]. -When both the 32-bit and 64-bit entry points are present, the SMBIOS specification says that the 64-bit entry point always has at least all the structures the 32-bit entry point refers. +The BIOS boot loader now favors the SMBIOS v3 (64-bit) entry point. +When both the 32-bit and 64-bit entry points are present, the SMBIOS specification says that the 64-bit entry point always has at least all the structures the 32-bit entry point refers to. In other words, the 32-bit entry point is provided for compatibility, so it is assumed the 64-bit one has more chances to be filled with adequate values. -gitref:93af0db0d529[repository=src] -(Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation). +gitref:3f744fb8b2c5[repository=src] +(Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation.) -man:libsa[3]: Use 64-bit entry point if table below 4GB on non-EFI boot in man:smbios[4]. -On amd64, boot blocks and the non-EFI loader are 32-bit compiled as clients of BTX, so cannot access addresses beyond 4GB. -However, the 64-bit entry point may refer to a structure table below 4GB, which can be used if the BIOS does not provide a 32-bit entry point. -The situation is similar for powerpc64. -gitref:7b0350b376c0[repository=src]. -(Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation). +The EFI boot loader now favors the SMBIOS v3 (64-bit) entry point. +Consistently with what is done with BIOS boot. +There is a difference though: As the EFI loader runs in 64-bit mode on 64-bit platforms, there is no restriction that the v3 entry point's structure table should be below 4GB. +gitref:96f77576e9ea[repository=src] +(Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation.) -Search for v3 (64-bit) entry point first on BIOS boot in man:smbios[4]. -When booted from BIOS (i.e., not EFI), also search for a 64-bit version of the SMBIOS Entry Point. -This allows to detect and report the proper SMBIOS version with BIOSes that only provide the v3 table, as happens on Hetzner virtual machines. -For machines that provide both, leverage the v3 table in priority consistently with the EFI case. -gitref:145ef4af15f0[repository=src]. -(Sponsored by The FreeBSD Foundation). [[network]] == Networkinghelp
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