Add support for x64 EFI on WHPX

perikiyoxd commented

2025-10-05 21:26:58 +02:00

Contributor

Purpose

Add WHPX support on Windows and introduce OVMF Pure EFI firmware.

Proposed changes

Add testkvm target for Windows using WHPX + OVMF.
Keep existing testkvm target for non-Windows (KVM).
Add OVMF-pure-efi.fd firmware file.

TODO

Test WHPX VM boot on Windows.
Verify OVMF firmware compatibility.

Agreements

I have read the Contributors License Agreement and I consent to those terms.

## Purpose Add WHPX support on Windows and introduce OVMF Pure EFI firmware. ## Proposed changes - Add `testkvm` target for Windows using WHPX + OVMF. - Keep existing `testkvm` target for non-Windows (KVM). - Add `OVMF-pure-efi.fd` firmware file. ## TODO - [x] Test WHPX VM boot on Windows. - [x] Verify OVMF firmware compatibility. ## Agreements - [x] I have read the Contributors License Agreement and I consent to those terms.

perikiyoxd added 1 commit 2025-10-05 21:26:59 +02:00

Add support for WHPX accelerator on Windows and introduce OVMF Pure EFI firmware 84402a1db4

harraiken requested review from harraiken 2025-10-09 10:05:51 +02:00

harraiken commented

2025-10-09 10:17:41 +02:00

Owner

Thanks for the contribution. Overall, the changes look good and head in the right direction, but I do have a couple of remarks before we can proceed with the merge.

First, the code is currently outdated and needs to be brought in sync with the latest changes on the master branch. Please rebase or merge from master to resolve any potential conflicts and avoid future regressions.

Second, the QEMU parameters for WHPX are quite minimal. While that is not necessarily a problem right now, I am planning to make further improvements in that area shortly. Because of that, I would prefer to get this merged sooner rather than later. I am not expecting major changes on your side beyond the rebase and cleanup, and I will handle the rest in follow-up work.

Lastly, please make sure your GIT setup follows our contribution guidelines as described at https://exectos.eu.org/contributing/working-with-git/ Specifically, the commits should be made using your real name and valid email address.

Once that is done, I will go ahead and merge this PR.

Thanks for the contribution. Overall, the changes look good and head in the right direction, but I do have a couple of remarks before we can proceed with the merge. First, the code is currently outdated and needs to be brought in sync with the latest changes on the master branch. Please rebase or merge from master to resolve any potential conflicts and avoid future regressions. Second, the QEMU parameters for WHPX are quite minimal. While that is not necessarily a problem right now, I am planning to make further improvements in that area shortly. Because of that, I would prefer to get this merged sooner rather than later. I am not expecting major changes on your side beyond the rebase and cleanup, and I will handle the rest in follow-up work. Lastly, please make sure your GIT setup follows our contribution guidelines as described at https://exectos.eu.org/contributing/working-with-git/ Specifically, the commits should be made using your real name and valid email address. Once that is done, I will go ahead and merge this PR.

perikiyoxd force-pushed whpx from 84402a1db4 to 356c221e23

2025-10-09 16:25:53 +02:00

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perikiyoxd force-pushed whpx from 356c221e23 to e5611d8081

2025-10-09 17:35:36 +02:00

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perikiyoxd commented

2025-10-09 17:36:23 +02:00

Author

Contributor

Done

belliash commented

2025-10-09 18:22:23 +02:00

Owner

Ive noticed more things:

There is just one firmware file and thus build for one arch will succeed while another will fail. I would be nice to see ovmf_pure_amd64.fd and ovmf_pure_i686.fd.
Also, are both archs working under WHPX?
testkvm is used for BIOS and there is testefikvm as well. How does legacy BIOS work under WHPX?

Ive noticed more things: 1. There is just one firmware file and thus build for one arch will succeed while another will fail. I would be nice to see ovmf_pure_amd64.fd and ovmf_pure_i686.fd. 2. Also, are both archs working under WHPX? 3. testkvm is used for BIOS and there is testefikvm as well. How does legacy BIOS work under WHPX?

perikiyoxd commented

2025-10-09 19:02:48 +02:00

Author

Contributor

I don't know how to reliably obtain OVMF images, as I used what was provided to me for a specific use case (x64 EFI on WHPX).

perikiyoxd changed title from ~~Add support for WHPX accelerator on Windows and introduce OVMF Pure EFI firmware~~ to Add support for x64 EFI on WHPX

2025-10-09 19:10:14 +02:00

harraiken commented

2025-10-09 19:35:30 +02:00

Owner

Yes, I noticed there is currently only one firmware file (it is for amd64). I am not sure if that is a blocker for merging, since WHPX does not work at all right now. My plan is to introduce separate targets: testwhpx and testefiwhpx, which should make things cleaner moving forward.
I have not tested both architectures under WHPX yet. I recently read that it should be possible to merge code and data for WHPX in the right order, so maybe we could have a pure version for both WHPX and KVM eventually.
I have not tested legacy BIOS either, so I can not say for sure how it behaves under WHPX.

Do you see any of these points as blockers for merging the current changes? I would really prefer not to let this work go to waste, especially since I am planning to improve this area further anyway.

1. Yes, I noticed there is currently only one firmware file (it is for amd64). I am not sure if that is a blocker for merging, since WHPX does not work at all right now. My plan is to introduce separate targets: testwhpx and testefiwhpx, which should make things cleaner moving forward. 2. I have not tested both architectures under WHPX yet. I recently read that it should be possible to merge code and data for WHPX in the right order, so maybe we could have a pure version for both WHPX and KVM eventually. 3. I have not tested legacy BIOS either, so I can not say for sure how it behaves under WHPX. Do you see any of these points as blockers for merging the current changes? I would really prefer not to let this work go to waste, especially since I am planning to improve this area further anyway.

harraiken commented

2025-10-10 10:34:15 +02:00

Owner

Since there has not been any further feedback, I am assuming silent approval and merging this.

harraiken merged commit 2d4c82cd29 into master

2025-10-10 10:35:18 +02:00

perikiyoxd deleted branch whpx

2025-10-10 16:05:14 +02:00

Add support for x64 EFI on WHPX #18

Purpose

Proposed changes

TODO

Agreements