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This is a very complicated idea, and it's been stuck in my head for a while now, so bear with me.

In this question, when I say "Grub2", I am referring to the "EFI-IA32 version". The device I will be using contains a 32-bit UEFI BIOS, but has a 64-bit CPU.

I want a folder/archive that I can download, that contains a pre-compiled Grub2 and all of its configuration files (preferably the latest version).

I do NOT want 'Grub4DOS' 'SuperGrub2' or anything like that, I want the same Grub2 that is installed alongside Ubuntu 15.04, 14.10, ect...

I want to be able to COPY this Grub2 folder into my ESP partition, and then use my 32-bit UEFI BIOS to enter Grub2, and boot an OS.

And before you start telling me it's "impossible becase 32 and 64 bit don't work together", I know for a fact it will work, because I have done it before with a 64-bit Ubuntu 14.10 on a 32-bit UEFI.

I understand that I could just install ubuntu instead of going through all this, but I'm specifically trying to avoid installing a seperate OS just to get a tiny bootloader onto my ESP.

in case you still don't understand, GRand Unified Bootloader, version 2 (EFI-IA32 version), here's the link to the Ubuntu package that I want to be used to make the pre-compiled folder (source is listed here as well).

Any answers that have anything to do with "you can't run a 64-bit OS on 32-bit" or "What's the point" will be flagged as off-topic, you have been warned.

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    As far as I can tell, the only pre-built GRUB .efi binary in Ubuntu is the signed version for AMD64; the unsigned 64-bit and 32-bit binaries are built at install time so that they can point to /boot/grub/grub.cfg. Your best bet may be to custom-build the binary you want. OTOH, it's conceivable that some other distribution has a pre-built binary that would work for your purposes, but I haven't checked them all. Based on some test installations I have, I'd look into OpenSUSE's packages, which seem to use grub.cfg on the ESP.
    – Rod Smith
    May 28, 2015 at 20:30

1 Answer 1

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Found it!

I downloaded the newest Ubuntu (15.04, 64-bit) ISO file, I extracted the /boot and the /EFI folders from the root of the ISO. I copied the folders to my ESP partition, and edited the grub.cfg file as needed (in EFI/boot/), and copied the bootIA32.efi file to the EFI/boot folder.

I now have a fully working 64-bit Grub2 on a 32-bit UEFI BIOS self-contained in the ESP!

Now, if anyone would care to take a look at my other question about Grub2, that would be fantastical.

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    The bootia32.efi file is used in conjunction with Grub binaries and config files (provided by the live ISO) to boot into a fully working 64-bit Ubuntu installation. Changing the configuration in grub.cfg allows me to boot any OS compatible with Grub2, however, EFI chainloading is not supported for Windows.
    – Ulincsys
    Mar 21, 2016 at 20:13

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