RefindPlus is a variant of the rEFInd Boot Manager incorporating various fixes and additional features.
The current development focus is on the following units:
- MacPro3,1: Early 2008 Mac Pro
- MacPro4,1: Early 2009 Mac Pro
- MacPro5,1: Mid 2010 and Mid 2012 Mac Pros
- XServe2,1: Early 2008 XServe
- XServe3,1: Early 2009 XServe
However, the enhancements are not limited in scope to these units and may be of interest to anyone requiring a capable and flexible boot manager, particularly if running MacOS.
- Maintains feature and configuration parity with the base upstream version.
- Protects against damage to Mac NVRAM when booting UEFI Windows.
- Provides Pre-Boot Configuration Screen on units running GPUs without native EFI on Macs.
- Provides UGADraw on modern GOP based GPUs to permit booting legacy EfiBoot operating systems.
- Provides improved support for languages that use unicode text
- Emulates UEFI 2.3 on EFI 1.x units to permit running UEFI 2.x utilities on such units
- Adds a debug version that provides extensive logging.
- The release version is kept as an optimised version for day to day use.
- Fixes upstream inability to print to screen on Macs
- This prevented receiving program messages as well as leveraging advanced features such as EfiShell.
- Provides NVMe capability, if required, via a built in NvmExpress driver.
- Removes the need to add NVMe drivers on units without NVMe support.
- Basically allows working as if NVMe is natively supported by the firmware
- Removes the need for a risky
firmware flash
operation on units such as the MacPro3,1
- Removes the need for a risky
- Provides APFS filesystem capability, if required, via a built in APFS JumpStart driver.
- Removes the need to add APFS drivers to run recent MacOS releases on units without APFS support.
- Additionally, this ensures that matching APFS drivers for specific MacOS releases are used.
- Basically allows working as if APFS is natively supported by the firmware
- Removes the need for a risky
firmware flash
operation on units such as the MacPro3,1
- Removes the need for a risky
- Fully supports Apple's APFS filesystem requirements
- This allows booting MacOS 11.x (Big Sur) or later from single named volumes on the main screen.
- As opposed to generic and difficult to distinguish
PreBoot
volumes. - Avoids potentially compromising system integrity by otherwise requiring SIP to be disabled.
- As opposed to generic and difficult to distinguish
- This also allows booting FileVault encrypted volumes from single named volumes on the main screen.
- As opposed to generic and difficult to distinguish
PreBoot
volumes.
- As opposed to generic and difficult to distinguish
- This allows booting MacOS 11.x (Big Sur) or later from single named volumes on the main screen.
MyBootMgr is recommended for an automated installation of a RefindPlus/OpenCore chain-loading arrangement on MacPro3,1 to MacPro5,1 as well as on XServe2,1 and XServe3,1. However, the RefindPlus efi file can function as a drop-in replacement for the upstream efi file. Hence, you can install the rEFInd package first and replace the efi file with the RefindPlus efi file. (Ensure you rename the RefindPlus efi file to match). This permits implementing RefindPlus on other types of Mac as well as on other operating systems.
Users may also want to replace upstream filesystem drivers with those packaged with RefindPlus as these are always either exactly the same as upstream versions or have had fixes applied.
RefindPlus will function with the upstream configuration file, refind.conf
, but users may wish to replace this with the RefindPlus configuration file, config.conf
, to configure the additonal options provided by RefindPlus. A sample RefindPlus configuration file is available here: config.conf-sample. RefindPlus-Specific options can also be added to a refind.conf file and used that way if preferred.
Note that if you run RefindPlus without activating the additonal options, as will be the case if using an unmodified upstream configuration file, a RefindPlus run will be equivalent to running the upstream version it is based on, currently v0.13.3. That is, the additonal options provided in RefindPlus must be actively enabled if they are required. This equivalence is subject to a few divergent items in RefindPlus as outlined under the Divergence
section below. NB: Upstream post-release code updates are typically ported to RefindPlus as they happen and as such, RefindPlus releases are actually at the state of the upstream release version plus any such updates.
RefindPlus-Specific funtionality can be configured by adding the tokens below to the upstream configuration file. Additional information is provided in the sample RefindPlus configuration file.
Token | Functionality |
---|---|
continue_on_warning | Proceed as if a key was pressed after screen warnings (for unattended boot) |
csr_dynamic | Actively enables or disables the SIP Policy on Macs |
csr_normalise | Removes the APPLE_INTERNAL bit, when present, to permit OTA updates |
decline_apfs_load | Disables built in provision of APFS filesystem capability |
decline_apfs_mute | Disables supressesion of verbose APFS text on boot |
decline_apfs_sync | Disables feature allowing direct APFS/FileVault boot (Without "PreBoot") |
decline_apple_fb | Disables provision under some circumstances of missing AppleFramebuffers |
decline_esp_filter | Allows other ESPs other than the RefindPlus ESP to be scanned for loaders |
decline_nvme_load | Disables the built in NvmExpress Driver |
decline_nvram_protect | Disables blocking of potentially harmful write attempts to Legacy Mac NVRAM |
decline_reload_gop | Disables reinstallation of UEFI 2.x GOP drivers on EFI 1.x units |
decline_tags_help | Disables feature that ensures hidden tags can always be unhidden |
decline_text_help | Disables complementary text colours if not required |
decline_uefi_emulate | Disables feature that emulates UEFI 2.x support on EFI 1.x units |
decouple_key_f10 | Unmaps the F10 key from native screenshots (the \ key remains mapped) |
disable_amfi | Disables AMFI Checks on MacOS if required |
disable_compat_check | Disables Mac version compatibility checks if required |
disable_nvram_paniclog | Disables MacOS kernel panic logging to NVRAM |
disable_rescan_dxe | Disables scanning for newly revealed DXE drivers when connecting handles |
focus_nvram_fix | Limits the ProtectNVRAM feature to explicit UEFI Windows boots |
follow_symlinks | Allows following symbolic links to loaders (Ignored by default) |
force_trim | Forces TRIM on non-Apple SSDs on Macs if required |
hidden_icons_external | Allows scanning for .VolumeIcon icons on external volumes |
hidden_icons_ignore | Disables scanning for .VolumeIcon image icons if not required |
hidden_icons_prefer | Prioritises .VolumeIcon image icons when available |
icon_row_move | Repositions the main screen icon rows (vertically) |
icon_row_tune | Finetunes the resulting icon_row_move outcome |
nvram_variable_limit | Limits NVRAM write attempts to the specified variable size |
pass_uga_through | Provides UGA instance on GOP to permit EfiBoot with modern GPUs |
prefer_uga | Prefers UGA use (when available) regardless of GOP availability |
provide_console_gop | Fixes issues with GOP on some legacy units |
ransom_drives | Frees partitions locked by how certain firmware load inbuilt drivers |
renderer_direct_gop | Provides a potentially improved GOP instance for certain GPUs |
renderer_text | Provides a text renderer for text output when otherwise unavailable |
scale_ui | Provides control of UI element scaling |
screen_rgb | Allows setting arbitrary screen background colours |
set_boot_args | Allows setting arbitrary MacOS boot arguments |
transient_boot | Disables saving the last booted loader if not required |
unicode_collation | Provides finetuned support for languages that use unicode text |
In addition to the new functionality listed above, the following upsteam tokens have been extended:
- "use_graphics_for" Token: OpenCore and Clover added as options that can be set to boot in graphics mode.
- "showtools" Token: Additional tool added:
clean_nvram
: Allows resetting nvram directly from RefindPlus.- When run on Apple Firmware, RefindPlus will additionally trigger NVRAM garbage collection
- "csr_values" Token: A value of
0
can be set as theEnabled
value to ensureOver The Air
(OTA) updates from Apple when running MacOS 11.x (Big Sur), or later, with SIP enabled.- This is equivalent to activating the
csr_normalise
token.
- This is equivalent to activating the
- "timeout" Token: The default is no timeout unless explicitly set.
- "screensaver" Token: The RefindPlus screensaver cycles through a set of colours as opposed to a single grey colour.
- "use_nvram" Token: RefindPlus variables are written to the file system and not the motherboard's NVRAM unless explicitly set to do so by activating this configuration token.
- "log_level" Token: Controls the native log format and an implementation of the upstream format.
- Only active on
DEBUG
andNOOPT
builds whileRELEASE
builds remain optimised for day-to-day use. - Level 0 does not switch logging off but activates the native summary format.
- Levels 1 and 2 output logs similar to the detailed upstream format.
- Level 1 is broadly equivalent to upstream Level 4 (upstream Levels 1 to 3 were dispensed with)
- Level 2 is only exposed on
NOOPT
builds and outputs logs at a very detailed level- Create
NOOPT
builds by passingALL
as a second parameter to the RefindPlus build script - The first parameter is the build branch, which also needs to be specified in such instances
- Create
- When Level 2 is not exposed, selected levels above
1
will be capped at Level 1 - When exposed, selected levels above
2
will be capped at Level 2
- Only active on
- "resolution" Token: The
max
setting is redundant in RefindPlus which always defaults to the maximum available resolution whenever the resolution is not set or is otherwise not available.
Implementation differences with the upstream base version v0.13.3 are:
- Screenshots: These are saved in the PNG format with a significantly smaller file size. Additionally, the file naming is slightly different and the files are always saved to the same ESP as the RefindPlus efi file.
- UI Scaling: WQHD monitors are correctly determined not to be HiDPI monitors and UI elements are not scaled up on such monitors when the RefindPlus-Specific
scale_ui
configuration token is set to automatically detect the screen resolution. RefindPlus also takes vertically orientated screens into account. - Hidden Tags: RefindPlus always makes the "hidden_tags" tool available (even when the tool is not specified in the "showtools" list). This is done to ensure that when users hide items (always possible), such items can also be unhidden (only possible when the "hidden_tags" tool is available). Users that prefer not to use this feature can activate the RefindPlus-Specific
decline_tags_help
configuration token to switch it off. - GOP Driver Provision: RefindPlus attempts to ensure that UEFI 2.x GOP drivers are available on EFI 1.x units by attempting to reload such drivers when it detects an absence of GOP on such units to permit the use of modern GPUs on legacy units. Users that prefer not to use this feature can activate the RefindPlus-Specific
decline_reload_gop
configuration token to switch it off. - NVMe Driver Provision: RefindPlus installs a built in NvmExpressDxe driver when it detects an absence of NvmExpress capability on units with PCIe slots. Users that prefer not to use this feature can activate the RefindPlus-Specific
decline_nvme_load
configuration token to switch it off. - AppleFramebuffer Provision: RefindPlus defaults to always providing Apple framebuffers on Macs, when not available under certain circumstances. This is done using a built in
SupplyAppleFB
feature. Users that prefer not to use this feature can activate the RefindPlus-Specificdecline_apple_fb
configuration token to switch it off. - APFS Filesystem Provision: RefindPlus defaults to always providing APFS Filesystem capability, when not available but is required, without a need to load an APFS driver. This is done using a built in
SupplyAPFS
feature. Users that prefer not to use this feature can activate the RefindPlus-Specificdecline_apfs_load
configuration token to switch it off. - APFS Verbose Text Suppression: RefindPlus defaults to always suppressesing verbose text output associated with loading APFS functionality by the built in
SupplyAPFS
feature. Users that prefer not to use this feature can activate the RefindPlus-Specificdecline_apfs_mute
configuration token to switch it off. - APFS PreBoot Volumes: RefindPlus always synchronises APFS System and PreBoot partitions transparently such that the Preboot partitions of APFS volumes are always used to boot APFS formatted MacOS. Hence, a single option for booting MacOS on APFS volumes is presented in RefindPlus to provide maximum APFS compatibility, consistent with Apple's implementation. Users that prefer not to use this feature can activate the RefindPlus-Specific
decline_apfs_sync
configuration token to switch it off. - Apple NVRAM Protection: RefindPlus always prevents UEFI Windows Secure Boot from saving certificates to Apple NVRAM as this can result in damage and an inability to boot. Blocking these certificates does not impact the operation of UEFI Windows on Apple Macs. This filtering only happens when Apple firmware is detected and is not applied to other types of firmware. Users that prefer not to use this feature can activate the RefindPlus-Specific
decline_nvram_protect
configuration token to switch it off. - UEFI 2.x Emulation: RefindPlus always emulates the
CreateEventEx
feature from UEFI 2.x on EFI 1.x units and additionally modifies the EFI Revision value toUEFI 2.3
. This often allows running UEFI 2.x utilities on legacy units since several such utilities only require CreateEventEx to function. Users that prefer not to use this feature can activate the RefindPlus-Specificdecline_uefi_emulate
configuration token to switch it off. - ESP Scanning: Other ESPs separate from that containing the active efi file are now also scanned for loaders by rEFInd. The earlier behaviour, where all other ESPs were treated as duplicates and ignored, has been considered an error and changed. This earlier behaviour is preferred and maintained in RefindPlus. However, users have the option to override this behaviour, in favour of the new upstream behaviour, by activating the RefindPlus-Specific
decline_esp_filter
configuration token. - Disabled Manual Stanzas: The processing of a user configured boot stanza is halted once a
Disabled
setting is encountered and theEntry
object returned 'as is'. The outcome is the same as upstream, which always proceeds to create and return a fully built object in such cases (subsequently discarded), and RefindPlus, which may return a partial object (similarly discarded). However, the approach adopted in RefindPlus allows for an optimised loading process particularly when suchDisabled
tokens are placed immediately after themenuentry
line (see examples in the config.conf-sample file). This also applies tosubmenuentry
items which can be enabled or disabled separately. - Pointer Priority: The upstream implementation of pointer priority is based on how the tokens appear in the configuration file(s) when both pointer control tokens,
enable_mouse
andenable_touch
, are active. The last token read in the main configuration file and/or any supplementary/override configuration file will be used and the other diregarded. In RefindPlus however, theenable_touch
token always takes priority when both tokens are active without regard to the order of appearance in the configuration file(s). This means that to use a mouse in RefindPlus, theenable_touch
token must be disabled in addition to enabling theenable_mouse
token.
Refer to BUILDING.md for build instructions (x64 Only).
CLICK HERE for the ReadMe File related to the current (work in progress) code base.