Cathode Ray Dude - CRD
2 HN recommenders · recommended in 5 months, 2024–2026
59:23 · 236K views · Mar 25, 2024
Cathode Ray Dude covers two bizarre HP 'Quick Start' features: QuickLook, an offline email client built on EFI firmware, and Daystarter, which hijacks the Windows boot process. It includes an explanation of EFI applications and why HP built these things.
Cited as a deep, entertaining look at firmware-level software and vendors abusing pre-boot access.
6 comments from Hacker News
I think this might be the video you're talking about, in case anyone is also interested in a brief history of quick boot operating systems and UEFI: this video
> Hopefully the BIOS writers do not abuse this Unfortunately, they have. Multiple examples from the excellent Cathode Ray Dude: [LINK] this video
"Public API" doesn't mean you can't change the API, nor does it limit how quickly extensions or new versions can be added to that API. It just means you have to actually inform people of what you're changing and when. If a client application refuses to implement functionality, that's on them, not the original developer. If I want the new feature, I'll switch. These days however, new features nowadays are usually things I don't want. Not strictly outright anti-features, but usually completely pointless "Bob needs a bonus[0]" changes that lets a middle manager put something good in their promo packet. The whole reason why people want compatible file formats and third-party clients is specifically so we can dictate to the originator of those formats and protocols how and how fast they can iterate on their products and limit how bad they can deliberately make them to increase profits. [0] this video
This instantly made me think of a recent video by the Cathode Ray Dude, talking about HP's 'email client' (read: Outlook Plugin) "QuickLook" which was a shipped product implemented this way: this video (also goes into some even weirder stuff they did). This does the hard bit of networking that QuickLook skipped though.
I found out about these through CRD's video about the horrors of HPs Daystarter, which uses ring -1 to hijack the windows boot process and display its own stuff instead of the boot screen. ( this video )