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1 perry 1 INSTALL-MBR
2 !!!INSTALL-MBR
3 NAME
4 SYNOPSIS
5 DESCRIPTION
6 OPTIONS
7 EXAMPLES
8 DIAGNOSTICS
9 SEE ALSO
10 BUGS
11 AUTHOR
12 ----
13 !!NAME
14
15
16 install-mbr - install a Master Boot Record manager
17 !!SYNOPSIS
18
19
20 __install-mbr__ __target''''--force__]
21 [[__--install__ __path''''--keep__]
22 [[__--list__] [[__--no-act__] [[__--offset__
23 __offset''
24 ''--y2kbug__[[__=utc__|__=local__]]
25 [[__--parameters__ __path''''--reset__]
26 [[__--table__ __path''''--verbose__]
27 [[__--version__] [[__--help__] [[__--drive__
28 __drive''''--enable__
29 __options''''--interrupt__
30 __keys''''--partition__
31 __parition''''--timeout__
32 __timeout''''
33 !!DESCRIPTION
34
35
36 __install-mbr__ installs and configures a Master Boot
37 Record manager on a device. The behaviour of the boot
38 manager is determined by the options given on the command
39 line. __target''
40 ''
41 !!OPTIONS
42
43
44 __Installation options__
45
46
47 These options change the way the installation program
48 operates.
49
50
51 __--force__, __-f__
52
53
54 This option currently overrides a check to make sure the
55 specified target is valid.
56
57
58 __--install__ __path''''-I__
59 __path''''
60
61
62 This option may be used to install code other than that
63 which is built in to __install-mbr__. It is mainly useful
64 for testing, but may be used to install older versions of
65 the MBR.
66
67
68 __--keep__, __-k__
69
70
71 This option instructs the installer to modify the parameters
72 stored in the MBR without updating the code.
73
74
75 __--list__, __-l__
76
77
78 This option may be used to view the parameters being
79 installed in the MBR. It implies the __--no-act__ and
80 __--keep__ flags unless an option other than
81 __--offset__, __--verbose__ or __--list__ is given.
82 This allows the contents of the MBR to be
83 examined.
84
85
86 __--no-act__, __-n__
87
88
89 This option ensures that the target is not modified, as it
90 is opened in read-only mode.
91
92
93 __--offset__ __offset''''-o__
94 __offset''''
95
96
97 This option may be used to install the MBR somewhere other
98 than the start of the target. The offset specifies the
99 number of bytes from the start of the target at which the
100 MBR should be installed. For example, an offset of 128 may
101 be used for DOSEMU disk images.
102
103
104 __--y2kbug__[[__=utc__|__=local__|__=off__],
105 __-y__[[__u__|__l__|__-__]
106
107
108 This option specifies the status of the Y2K bug fix
109 parameter. When set, an alternative MBR is installed that
110 fixes a Y2K bug in some BIOSes that causes them to always
111 boot up the machine with the year ranging from 94 to 99.
112 This MBR stores the current month and year and sets the year
113 based on this when the computer is booted. It also increases
114 the year automatically when the current month is lower than
115 the month of the last boot. The initial year and month are
116 set based on the current system time converted to UTC or the
117 local time as specified by the argument. If the argument is
118 not specified, the default is read from /etc/default/rcS.
119 Due to space limitations, the alternative version of the MBR
120 does not display the word MBR as it boots. If the argument
121 is __=off__ or __-__ the Y2K bug fix is disabled.
122 __WARNING:__ The Y2K bug fix will work fine until you
123 want to set the date backwards. When you do want to do this,
124 you will need to reinstall the MBR. You cannot just set the
125 date in the BIOS (since the whole point of this option is
126 that the year provided by the BIOS is ignored).
127
128
129 __--parameters__ __path''''-P__
130 __path''''
131
132
133 This option may be used to copy parameters from somewhere
134 other than the target. The path specifies a location where a
135 version of this MBR has been installed and parameters are
136 read from there. It could be used to copy parameters from
137 one disk to another disk.
138
139
140 __--reset__, __-r__
141
142
143 This option is used to reset the boot parameters to the
144 state found in the code being installed (or code which would
145 be installed if __--keep__ were not
146 specified).
147
148
149 __--table__ __path''''-T__
150 __path''''
151
152
153 The master boot record currently uses the partition table in
154 the sector which contains it to locate boot sectors (This
155 behaviour may change with future versions of the MBR, in
156 which case the option may be withdrawn). The __--table__
157 option is used to copy a partition table from another
158 location to the target location. Any data stored on the
159 target disk may be lost (as the partition table is
160 overwritten), so this option should be used with extreme
161 caution. As the partition table is copied, any changes made
162 to the original partition table will not be noticed. This
163 option is only provided to make installation to floppy
164 easy.
165
166
167 __--verbose__, __-v__
168
169
170 When invoked with this option, __install-mbr__ will
171 display some information about what it is
172 doing.
173
174
175 __--version__, __-V__
176
177
178 This option will cause __install-mbr__ to display it's
179 version number and exit.
180
181
182 __--help__, __-h__
183
184
185 This option will cause __install-mbr__ to display a help
186 message and exit.
187
188
189 __Parameter options__
190
191
192 These options change the parameters stored within the Master
193 Boot Record.
194
195
196 __--drive__ __drive''''-d__
197 __drive''''
198
199
200 This option instructs the MBR to boot a drive other than the
201 first hard disk. It may be specified in decimal or
202 hexadecimal if prefixed with 0x. Hard disks are numbered
203 starting from 128 (0x80).
204
205
206 __--enable__ __option''''-e__
207 __option''''
208
209
210 This option sets the list of boot sectors which may be
211 loaded (or advanced mode). A boot sector may be loaded from
212 one of the first 4 partitions of the disk, or from the first
213 floppy drive. Use __--enable +____spec''
214 ''--enable
215 -____spec''
216 ''--enable =____spec''
217 ''spec''''spec''
218 ''
219
220
221 __1__, __2__, __3__, __4__
222
223
224 The specified partition number.
225
226
227 __F__
228
229
230 The first floppy disk.
231
232
233 __A__
234
235
236 Advanced mode (not a boot sector).
237
238
239 __--interrupt__ __mode''''-i__
240 __mode''''
241
242
243 This option sets the list of events which will cause the MBR
244 to display it's prompt. Use -i +
245
246
247 __s__
248
249
250 A shift or control key is pressed.
251
252
253 __k__
254
255
256 A non shift-like key is pressed
257
258
259 __a__
260
261
262 The prompt is always displayed.
263
264
265 __n__
266
267
268 Never display the prompt (unless an error
269 occurs).
270
271
272 __-p__ __partn''''--partition__
273 __partn''''
274
275
276 This specifies the default boot sector to load. Valid values
277 of partn''''
278
279
280 __1__, __2__, __3__, __4__
281
282
283 The specified partition number.
284
285
286 __F__
287
288
289 The first floppy disk.
290
291
292 __D__
293
294
295 The partition marked with the bootable flag in the partition
296 table.
297
298
299 __-t__ __timeout''''--timeout__
300 __timeout''''
301
302
303 This option changes the time which the MBR waits for before
304 booting the default partition to the value specified in 1/18
305 seconds (approx). The maximum timeout that can be specified
306 is 65534 which is about an hour.
307 !!EXAMPLES
308
309
310 __install-mbr /dev/fd0 -T /dev/hda__
311
312
313 Install the default MBR image on __/dev/fd0__, taking the
314 partition table from __/dev/hda__.
315
316
317 __install-mbr -kr /dev/hda__
318
319
320 Reset the parameters on __/dev/hda__ without installing
321 any new code.
322
323
324 __install-mbr -I my-mbr -T /dev/hda -P my-parameters
325 /dev/fd0__
326
327
328 Install to __/dev/fd0__, taking code from __my-mbr__,
329 partition table from and parameters from
330 my-parameters.
331
332
333 __install-mbr -l -o 128 hdimage__
334
335
336 List the parameters stored at offset 128 in __hdimage__
337 (may be a DOSEMU image).
338
339
340 __install-mbr -d 0x81 -T /dev/hdb /dev/fd0__
341
342
343 Install on __/dev/fd0__ to boot from BIOS drive 129
344 (0x81) with partition table copied from
345 __/dev/hdb__.
346
347
348 __install-mbr -e 13 /dev/hda__
349
350
351 __install-mbr -e 2 -e =13 /dev/hda__
352
353
354 __install-mbr -e1 -e3 /dev/hda__
355
356
357 Enable booting from partitions 1 and 3 on __/dev/hda__.
358 Other locations are disabled.
359
360
361 __install-mbr -e +f-a -i sk /dev/hda__
362
363
364 Enabled booting from the floppy drive, and disable advanced
365 mode. Display the prompt if any shift, control or non
366 shift-like key is pressed. Other settings are
367 untouched.
368 !!DIAGNOSTICS
369
370
371 __Cannot handle MBR version n (backwards compatible to
372 n)__
373
374
375 This error means that the version of MBR which is being
376 installed is not known about by this installer. Such files
377 cannot have their parameters read or written. If such a
378 newer version is installed, it can be downgraded by
379 specifying the __--reset__ option (without specifying
380 __--keep__).
381 !!SEE ALSO
382
383
384 lilo(8)
385 !!BUGS
386
387
388 The operation of __--list__ may be
389 confusing.
390 !!AUTHOR
391
392
393 __install-mbr__ was written for the Debian project by
394 Neil Turton
395 __
396 ----
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