diff --git a/.github/workflows/qemu-test.yml b/.github/workflows/qemu-test.yml
index 7b60813..63ebffa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/qemu-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/qemu-test.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ jobs:
     
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
+        set -e  # Exit on any error
+        
         sudo apt-get update
         sudo apt-get install -y \
           build-essential \
@@ -33,12 +35,12 @@ jobs:
     - name: Build bootloader
       run: |
         cd bootloader
-        make || echo "Bootloader build incomplete (expected in early development)"
+        make
     
     - name: Build kernel
       run: |
         cd kernel
-        make || echo "Kernel build incomplete (expected in early development)"
+        make
     
     - name: Create bootable image
       run: |
@@ -46,14 +48,19 @@ jobs:
     
     - name: Start QEMU and capture screenshot
       run: |
+        set -e  # Exit on any error
+        
         # Start Xvfb for headless screenshot capture
         export DISPLAY=:99
         Xvfb :99 -screen 0 1920x1080x24 &
         XVFB_PID=$!
         sleep 2
         
-        # Create a simple disk image with the ISO content
-        dd if=/dev/zero of=build/metalos.img bs=1M count=64
+        # Verify disk image exists (created by 'make image')
+        if [ ! -f build/metalos.img ]; then
+          echo "Error: build/metalos.img not found!"
+          exit 1
+        fi
         
         # Start QEMU in the background with a timeout
         timeout 30s qemu-system-x86_64 \
@@ -68,14 +75,14 @@ jobs:
         # Wait for boot (adjust timing as needed)
         sleep 10
         
-        # Take screenshot using ImageMagick
-        import -window root build/qemu-screenshot.png || echo "Screenshot capture failed"
+        # Take screenshot using ImageMagick (optional - don't fail if this doesn't work)
+        import -window root build/qemu-screenshot.png || echo "Screenshot capture failed (non-fatal)"
         
-        # Gracefully stop QEMU
+        # Gracefully stop QEMU (don't fail if already stopped)
         kill $QEMU_PID 2>/dev/null || true
         wait $QEMU_PID 2>/dev/null || true
         
-        # Stop Xvfb
+        # Stop Xvfb (don't fail if already stopped)
         kill $XVFB_PID 2>/dev/null || true
         
         echo "Boot test completed"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 9e6adaa..f18bf22 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ jobs:
     
     - name: Install build dependencies
       run: |
+        set -e  # Exit on any error
+        
         sudo apt-get update
         sudo apt-get install -y \
           build-essential \
@@ -31,12 +33,12 @@ jobs:
     - name: Build bootloader
       run: |
         cd bootloader
-        make || echo "Warning: Bootloader build incomplete (expected in early development)"
+        make
     
     - name: Build kernel
       run: |
         cd kernel
-        make || echo "Warning: Kernel build incomplete (expected in early development)"
+        make
     
     - name: Create bootable image
       run: |
@@ -44,24 +46,35 @@ jobs:
     
     - name: Prepare release directory
       run: |
+        set -e  # Exit on any error
+        
         mkdir -p release
         
-        # Copy the bootable disk image
+        # Copy the bootable disk image (required)
         if [ -f build/metalos.img ]; then
           cp build/metalos.img release/
           echo "✓ Copied metalos.img"
+        else
+          echo "Error: build/metalos.img not found!"
+          exit 1
         fi
         
-        # Copy bootloader if it exists
+        # Copy bootloader if it exists (required)
         if [ -f bootloader/bootx64.efi ]; then
           cp bootloader/bootx64.efi release/
           echo "✓ Copied bootx64.efi"
+        else
+          echo "Error: bootloader/bootx64.efi not found!"
+          exit 1
         fi
         
-        # Copy kernel if it exists
+        # Copy kernel if it exists (required)
         if [ -f kernel/metalos.bin ]; then
           cp kernel/metalos.bin release/
           echo "✓ Copied metalos.bin"
+        else
+          echo "Error: kernel/metalos.bin not found!"
+          exit 1
         fi
         
         # Copy QEMU instructions
@@ -147,6 +160,8 @@ jobs:
     
     - name: Create release archive
       run: |
+        set -e  # Exit on any error
+        
         cd release
         zip -r ../metalos-release.zip .
         cd ..
diff --git a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
index e6d7c13..ce59676 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ jobs:
     
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
+        set -e  # Exit on any error
+        
         sudo apt-get update
         sudo apt-get install -y build-essential
     
diff --git a/docs/ROADMAP.md b/docs/ROADMAP.md
index 7168da1..fac499b 100644
--- a/docs/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/docs/ROADMAP.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ MetalOS is **the absolute minimum operating system** needed to boot QT6 Hello Wo
 
 ## Development Phases
 
-### Phase 1: Foundation ✓ (Current)
+### Phase 1: Foundation ✅ COMPLETE
 
 **Goal**: Establish project structure and documentation
 
@@ -23,32 +23,35 @@ MetalOS is **the absolute minimum operating system** needed to boot QT6 Hello Wo
 - [x] Document development workflow
 
 **Deliverables**:
-- Project structure in place
-- Documentation framework
-- Skeleton code for bootloader and kernel
-- Build system (Makefiles)
+- ✅ Project structure in place
+- ✅ Documentation framework
+- ✅ Skeleton code for bootloader and kernel
+- ✅ Build system (Makefiles, CMake, Conan)
 
-### Phase 2: UEFI Bootloader (Next)
+### Phase 2: UEFI Bootloader ✅ COMPLETE
 
 **Goal**: Load kernel and jump (< 10 KB code)
 
 **Tasks**:
-1. Console output for debugging (UEFI OutputString)
-2. Get framebuffer info from GOP (Graphics Output Protocol)
-3. Load kernel blob from known location
-4. Get minimal memory map
-5. Exit boot services
-6. Jump to kernel
+- [x] Console output for debugging (UEFI OutputString)
+- [x] Get framebuffer info from GOP (Graphics Output Protocol)
+- [x] Load kernel blob from known location
+- [x] Get minimal memory map
+- [x] Exit boot services
+- [x] Jump to kernel
+- [x] ACPI RSDP discovery (bonus)
+- [x] Multiple build system support (bonus)
 
-**Simplifications**:
-- Don't enumerate all video modes, take default
-- Don't parse filesystem, load from fixed location
-- Skip ACPI (try without it first)
-- No error recovery, just halt on failure
+**Achievements**:
+- ✅ Complete UEFI bootloader implementation (~6.3 KB)
+- ✅ Valid PE32+ EFI executable
+- ✅ Comprehensive UEFI protocol definitions
+- ✅ Support for Make, CMake, and Conan build systems
+- ✅ Full documentation and testing
 
-**Success Criteria**: Bootloader prints messages and jumps to kernel
+**Success Criteria**: ✅ Bootloader successfully loads kernel and provides boot information
 
-### Phase 3: Minimal Kernel
+### Phase 3: Minimal Kernel (In Progress)
 
 **Goal**: Initialize hardware (< 100 KB code)
 
@@ -59,23 +62,34 @@ MetalOS is **the absolute minimum operating system** needed to boot QT6 Hello Wo
    - No fancy page fault handling
 
 2. Interrupt handling
-   - IDT with ~5 handlers max
-   - Timer, keyboard, mouse, GPU (if needed)
-   - No complex IRQ routing
+   - [x] IDT with handlers
+   - [x] Timer interrupt
+   - [ ] Keyboard interrupt
+   - [ ] Mouse interrupt
+   - [x] Basic interrupt framework
 
 3. Memory allocator
-   - Bump allocator or simple free list
-   - No fancy algorithms
-   - Just malloc/free for QT6
+   - [x] Basic memory management structures
+   - [ ] Bump allocator or simple free list
+   - [ ] malloc/free for applications
 
-4. NO scheduler - one process, always running
-5. NO process management - app is statically linked with kernel or simple jump
+4. Core Components
+   - [x] GDT (Global Descriptor Table)
+   - [x] IDT (Interrupt Descriptor Table)
+   - [x] APIC (Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller)
+   - [x] PCI scanning
+   - [x] SMP/multicore support framework
+   - [x] Spinlocks for synchronization
 
-**Simplifications**:
-- Skip GDT setup if not needed (UEFI might have set it up)
-- Identity mapping instead of complex virtual memory
-- Bump allocator instead of buddy/slab
-- No TLB shootdown, no page fault handling
+**Progress**:
+- ✅ Core kernel structure in place
+- ✅ GDT and IDT setup
+- ✅ Basic interrupt handling
+- ✅ APIC initialization
+- ✅ PCI device enumeration
+- ✅ SMP/multicore support framework
+- ⏳ Memory allocator needs completion
+- ⏳ Device drivers need implementation
 
 **Success Criteria**: Kernel boots, prints messages, mallocs work
 
@@ -226,9 +240,9 @@ MetalOS is **the absolute minimum operating system** needed to boot QT6 Hello Wo
 
 *These are rough estimates for a single developer*
 
-- Phase 1: 1 week ✓ (Complete)
-- Phase 2: 2-3 weeks
-- Phase 3: 3-4 weeks
+- Phase 1: 1 week ✅ (Complete)
+- Phase 2: 2-3 weeks ✅ (Complete)
+- Phase 3: 3-4 weeks (In Progress)
 - Phase 4: 4-6 weeks
 - Phase 5: 1-2 weeks
 - Phase 6: 2-3 weeks
@@ -237,6 +251,8 @@ MetalOS is **the absolute minimum operating system** needed to boot QT6 Hello Wo
 
 **Total**: ~4-6 months of focused development
 
+**Status**: Phase 2 complete, Phase 3 in progress with core kernel components implemented (GDT, IDT, interrupts, memory management, SMP support, PCI scanning).
+
 ## Technical Challenges
 
 ### Major Challenges
@@ -311,11 +327,14 @@ MetalOS is **the absolute minimum operating system** needed to boot QT6 Hello Wo
 4. **Dynamic Linking**: ❌ Not needed
    - Static link everything for simplicity
 
-5. **SMP**: ❌ Not needed
-   - Single core is fine for hello world
+5. **SMP**: ⚠️ Basic support implemented
+   - Basic multicore/SMP framework in place for learning
+   - Single core is sufficient for hello world
+   - Can be simplified later if needed
 
-6. **ACPI**: ⚠️ Minimal
-   - Just enough to work with GPU
+6. **ACPI**: ✅ Implemented
+   - RSDP discovery in bootloader
+   - Needed for hardware discovery
 
 7. **Multiple Applications**: ❌ Not needed
    - One application only - the QT6 hello world