Re: [PATCH v5] xen: Strip xen.efi by default

[Frediano Ziglio <freddy77@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 10 Nov 2025 at 16:01, Jan Beulich <jbeulich@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> On 10.11.2025 16:35, Frediano Ziglio wrote:
> > From: Frediano Ziglio <frediano.ziglio@xxxxxxxxx>
> >
> > For xen.gz file we strip all symbols and have an additional
> > xen-syms.efi file version with all symbols.
> > Make xen.efi more coherent stripping all symbols too.
> > xen-syms.efi can be used for debugging.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Frediano Ziglio <frediano.ziglio@xxxxxxxxx>
> > ---
> > Changes since v1:
> > - avoid leaving target if some command fails.
> >
> > Changes since v2:
> > - do not convert type but retain PE format;
> > - use xen-syms.efi for new file name, more consistent with ELF.
> >
> > Changes since v3:
> > - update documentation;
> > - do not remove xen.efi.elf;
> > - check endbr instruction before generating final target.
> >
> > Changes since v4:
> > - simplify condition check;
> > - avoid reuse of $@.tmp file.
> > ---
> >  docs/misc/efi.pandoc  |  8 +-------
> >  xen/Kconfig.debug     |  9 ++-------
> >  xen/Makefile          | 19 -------------------
> >  xen/arch/x86/Makefile | 16 ++++++++++------
> >  4 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 39 deletions(-)
> >
> > diff --git a/docs/misc/efi.pandoc b/docs/misc/efi.pandoc
> > index 11c1ac3346..c66b18a66b 100644
> > --- a/docs/misc/efi.pandoc
> > +++ b/docs/misc/efi.pandoc
> > @@ -20,13 +20,7 @@ Xen to load the configuration file even if multiboot 
> > modules are found.
> >  Once built, `make install-xen` will place the resulting binary directly 
> > into
> >  the EFI boot partition, provided `EFI_VENDOR` is set in the environment 
> > (and
> >  `EFI_MOUNTPOINT` is overridden as needed, should the default of 
> > `/boot/efi` not
> > -match your system). When built with debug info, the binary can be quite 
> > large.
> > -Setting `INSTALL_EFI_STRIP=1` in the environment will cause it to be 
> > stripped
> > -of debug info in the process of installing. `INSTALL_EFI_STRIP` can also 
> > be set
> > -to any combination of options suitable to pass to `strip`, in case the 
> > default
> > -ones don't do. The xen.efi binary will also be installed in 
> > `/usr/lib64/efi/`,
> > -unless `EFI_DIR` is set in the environment to override this default. This
> > -binary will not be stripped in the process.
> > +match your system).
>
> This behavioral change likely also calls for a ChangeLog entry, btw.
>
> Jan

Hi,
  I'm not familiar with the format/style of this file.

Could it be simply

### Removed
- ...current list ...
- INSTALL_EFI_STRIP environment was removed, xen.efi will be stripped.

?

For simplicity, should we always strip xen.efi and provide also
xen-syms.efi only if debug info is enabled?
It would probably be more consistent.

Regards,
   Frediano