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SysLinux is a BootLoader for [Linux] which runs off a disk with a [FAT] FileSystem. Such a floppy can be manipulated using standard file management tools on any OperatingSystem that can access [FAT] FileSystem~s. Therefor, SysLinux can completely eliminate the need for distribution of raw diskette images for boot floppies. It is intended to simplify first-time installation of [Linux], and for creation of rescue and other special-purpose boot disks. See also: http://annys.eines.info/cgi-bin/man/man2html?syslinux !!! Configuration See an example at http://www.knoppix.net/docs/index.php/GnoppixBootfloppyContent All the configurable defaults in SysLinux can be changed by putting a file called <tt>syslinux.cfg</tt> in the root directory of the boot disk. The following options are available: <tt>DEFAULT kernel options...</tt>: Sets the default command line. If SysLinux boots automatically, it will act just as if the entries after <tt>DEFAULT</tt> had been typed in at the <tt>boot:</tt> prompt. So, you can include <tt>xmodule=fbdev</tt>, <tt>lang=us</tt> or similar options. <tt>APPEND options...</tt>: Add one or more options to the [Kernel] CommandLine. These are added both for automatic and manual boots. The options are added at the very beginning of the kernel command line, usually permitting explicitly entered kernel options to override them. This is the equivalent of the [LILO] "append" option. <tt>LABEL label %%% KERNEL image</tt>: Indicates that if <tt>label</tt> is entered as the [Kernel] to boot, SysLinux should instead boot <tt>image</tt>. The default for <tt>image</tt> is the same as <tt>label</tt>. <tt>TIMEOUT timeout</tt>: Indicates how long to wait at the boot <tt>KBDMAP keymap</tt>: Install a simple keyboard map <tt>DISPLAY filename</tt>: Displays the indicated file on the screen at boot time (before the boot: prompt, if displayed). <tt>SAY message</tt>: Prints the message on the screen. <tt>F1 filename %%% F2 filename %%% ...etc... %%% F9 filename %%% F0 filename</tt>: Displays the indicated file on the screen when a function key is pressed at the <tt>boot:</tt> prompt. SysLinux also supports a boot-time-loaded InitialRamDisk. !!! Booting [DOS] This is the recommended procedure for creating a SysLinux disk that can boot either [DOS] or [Linux]. This example assumes the drive is <tt>A:</tt> in [DOS] and <tt>/dev/fd0</tt> in [Linux]; for other drives, substitute the appropriate drive designator. ! Under [Linux] # Make a [DOS] bootable disk. This can be done either by specifying the <tt>/s</tt> option when formatting the disk in [DOS], or by running the [DOS] command <tt>SYS</tt> (this can be done under dosemu(1) if dosemu(1) has direct device access to the relevant drive): <tt>format a: /s</tt> or <tt>sys a:</tt> # Boot [Linux]. Copy the [DOS] boot sector from the disk into a file: <tt>dd if=/dev/fd0 of=dos.bss bs=512 count=1</tt> # Run SysLinux on the disk: <tt>syslinux /dev/fd0</tt> # Mount the disk and copy the [DOS] boot sector file to it. The file __must__ have extension <tt>.bss</tt>: <tt>mount -t msdos /dev/fd0 /mnt && cp dos.bss /mnt</tt> # Copy the [Linux] [Kernel] image(s), initrd(s), etc to the disk, and create/edit <tt>syslinux.cfg</tt> and help files if desired: <tt>cp vmlinux /mnt && cp initrd.gz /mnt</tt> # Unmount the disk (if applicable): <tt>umount /mnt</tt> ! Under [DOS]/[Windows] only To make this installation in [DOS] only, you need the utility <tt>copybs.com</tt> (included with SysLinux) as well as the <tt>syslinux.com</tt> installer. If you are on an WinNT-based system (WinNT, Win2k, WinXP or later), use <tt>syslinux.exe</tt> instead. # Make a [DOS] bootable disk. This can be done either by specifying the /s option when formatting the disk in [DOS], or by running the [DOS] command <tt>SYS</tt>: <tt>format a: /s</tt> or <tt>sys a:</tt> # Copy the [DOS] boot sector from the disk into a file. The file __must__ have extension <tt>.bss</tt>: <tt>copybs a: a:dos.bss</tt> # Run SysLinux on the disk: <tt>syslinux a:</tt> # Copy the [Linux] [Kernel] image(s), initrd(s), etc to the disk, and create/edit syslinux.cfg and help files if desired: <tt>copy vmlinux a:</tt>, then <tt>copy initrd.gz a:</tt> !!! Bootable [CDROM]s SysLinux can be used to create bootdisk images for El Torito-compatible bootable [CDROM]s. However, it appears that many [BIOS]es are very buggy when it comes to booting [CDROM]s. Some users have reported that the following steps are helpful in making a [CDROM] that is bootable on the largest possible number of machines: # Use the <tt>-s</tt> (safe, slow and stupid) option to SysLinux # Put the boot image as close to the beginning of the [ISO] 9660 FileSystem as possible. A [CDROM] is so much faster than a floppy that the <tt>-s</tt> option shouldn't matter from a speed perspective. SysLinux has a companion called ISOLinux which is more suited for this task. !!! Booting from HardDisk SysLinux can boot from a [FAT12] or [FAT16] FileSystem partition on a HardDisk ([FAT32], introduced in [Windows] 95 OSR-2, is not supported, however). The installation procedure is identical to the procedure for installing it on a floppy, and should work under either [DOS] or [Linux]. To boot from a partition, SysLinux needs to be launched from a Master Boot Record or another boot loader, just like [DOS] itself would. Under [DOS], you can install a standard simple [MBR] on the primary hard disk by running <tt>FDISK /MBR</tt>. Then use <tt>FDISK</tt> to mark the appropriate partition active. A simple [MBR], roughly on par with the one installed by [DOS] (but unencumbered), is included in the SysLinux distribution.
2 pages link to
SysLinux
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BootLoader
PXE