View Source: BootLoader - Waikato Linux Users Group

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A BootLoader is the first software program that runs when a computer starts. It is loaded by the [BIOS] at the end of hardware initialization and is responsible for loading the OperatingSystem [Kernel] and transferring control to it.

A __multiboot__ loader offers a menu and the ability to select from a list of operating systems. Note that bootloaders are inherently architecture-specific. For the ''x''86 architecture, multiboot loaders include:

* [GRUB]
* [LILO]
* SysLinux, ~IsoLinux, ~ExtLinux. These are three related bootloaders from the same author, and using pretty much the same config files. The difference is that ~SysLinux boots off [FAT] volumes, ~IsoLinux off [ISO]9660 volumes (e.g. [CD-ROM|CDROM]s and [DVD]s), and ~ExtLinux off [Ext2]/[Ext3] volumes.
* Windows' NT Bootloader, __NTLDR__
* [Smart Boot Manager | http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/about.html], which has lots of uncommon features.

Some BootLoader~s allow “chaining” to other ones, eg. [GRUB] can load up Windows' BootLoader (this is the preferred method for DualBooting [Linux] and MicrosoftWindows.)

There's also a strange beast called LoadLin.

__Which One To Use?__

Nowadays, GRUB is the most common bootloader used on fixed (nonremoveable/non-hot-pluggable) drives. It can offer a menu with a choice of different systems to boot from, on the same or different drives. Drives are identified by BIOS numbering, so anything that changes this will confuse GRUB.

~SysLinux and its relations can (I believe) only offer the option of booting from the volume they’re installed on. But this doesn’t have to have a fixed BIOS identity—it can be removeable (like a CD or DVD) or hot-pluggable (like a USB drive). Thus, ~IsoLinux is good for live CDs/DVDs, while ~SysLinux/~ExtLinux is commonly found on USB keys.

I’m not sure about LILO, but I believe it’s comparable to GRUB.

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Last edited on Monday, June 1, 2009 9:08:15 pm by LawrenceDoliveiro

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