Auto Install for Mandrakelinux
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bootloader

This option allows you specify the boot loader to be installed and the associated parameters that it requires. The general structure and relevant parameters for each loader are presented and explained in their own section, rather than trying to show you the whole thing and adding comments indicating which parameter is valid for which boot loader. Also, check the notes at the end of each section for tidbits.

A couple things worth noting:



The new graphic startup display (bootsplash) is activated when the 'default' kernel image loaded has the 'linux' label.

The verbosity of both the kernel and the SysVinit scripts is controlled by the presence or absence of the keyword 'quiet' in the 'append' declaration.

The following is specifically for the x86 architecture.

LILO / GRUB

DrakX is capable of installing either the Lilo or Grub boot loaders for 'x86' type computers. The following causes DrakX to install the Lilo boot loader and create the file /etc/lilo.conf. You really want to look at 'man conflicting' for the correct explanation for some of the following.

'bootloader' => {


'method' => 'lilo-text'

'boot' => '/dev/hda',

'default' => 'my_linux',

'install' => '/boot/boot.b',

'lba32' => 1,

'map' => '/boot/map',

'message' => "My text boot up\n",

'timeout' => '5',


'entries' => [

{

'type' => 'image',

'kernel_or_dev' => '/boot/vmlinuz',

'label' => 'my_linux',

'root' => '/dev/hda6',

'initrd' => '/boot/initrd.img',

'append' => 'mem=128M',

'read-write' => 0,

or

'type' => 'other',

'kernel_or_dev' => '/dev/zip',

'label' => 'zip',

'unsafe' => 1,

}

]

},



Descriptions:

'method'

this entry defines the boot loader options; for x86 and IA64 computers this may be one of the following:


'lilo-text' - the LILO boot loader is installed with a simple text based prompt.


'lilo-menu' - the LILO boot loader is installed with a text based menu.


'lilo-graphic' - the LILO boot loader is installed with a graphical menu.


'grub' - the GRUB boot loader is installed.

'append'

if present, it is placed in the lilo.conf and used as lilo's default for any per image entry that does not contain an 'append'. It is used to specify parameters to be passed to the kernel. eg. 'mem=128M console=ttyS0,9600n8'.

'boot'

this allows you to specify the disk drive that it to be used as the boot device. Do not include the partition number. eg. '/dev/hda' or '/dev/hde'.

'compact' => 1,

if present, says to try and merge read requests for adjacent sectors. This is seldom used.

'crushMbr' => 1,

if this is present, it means replace (crush) the existing Master Boot Record and install the lilo equivalent.

'default'

this is used to specify the default kernel image to boot. The value here is the 'label' value for one of the defined 'entries'. eg. 'my_linux'.

'install'

this is used to specify the file containing the new master boot record.
eg. '/boot/boot.b'.

'linear' => 1,

if present, says to generate linear sector addresses instead of sector/head/cylinder. This is seldom used. Use only if the device does not support 'lba32'.

'map'

this is the name and location of the map file created by lilo. eg. '/boot/map'.

'message'

this allows you to create a customized boot message. It is optional and if included, causes the file /boot/message to be created containing your string (don't forget to include '\n' where appropriate. Also use double quotes (") ). If it is not included, then DrakX creates a default message for you.

'password'

if present, it specifies a pass word string (clear text) used to protect booting of all images. eg. 'dickie'. In addition, the permissions for lilo.conf will be set to 0600.

'perImageAppend' => '',

if this is present, then DrakX uses the values here as the append for each entry it automatically creates. Note, DrakX creates this if it detects that there are any IDE CD-RW or CD Burners installed, if the 'miscellaneous' => { 'HDPARM '} is set, if it detects that you used mem= at the boot prompt or, if the syslinux.cfg file contains either mem= or console= in the append directive.



NOTE: If console=ttyS0,9600n8 is present somewhere in the value, then DrakX will automatically add serial=0,9600n8 to the lilo.conf file. You can set the parameters for the console= to what ever you require, the previous was just an example. However, if you do use the console= , you might want to consider adding it to the 'append' as well.

'restricted' => 1,

if present, reduces the boot up password enforcement so that the user must enter a pass word only if the user enters additional parameters. 'password' must be present if 'restricted' is present.

'timeout'

the time, in seconds, to wait for the user to enter a desired image.
eg. 'my_linux'. Also, this forces a prompt for the image name to boot.
Note: DrakX changes the value from seconds to tenths of a second for placement in lilo.conf. If you do not want a prompt, then set the value to 0.

'vga'

if present, this is used to set the default video mode and can be:

'ask'

Ask at boot (kinda nice if you're just playing around)

'normal'

80 x 25 (default)

'0x0f01'

80 x 50

'0x0f02'

80 x 43

'0x0f03'

80 x 28

'0x0f05'

80 x 30

'0x0f06'

80 x 34

'0x0f07'

80 x 60

'0x0122'

100 x 30

'785'

640 x 480 in 16 bits (Frame Buffer only)

'788'

800 x 600 in 16 bits (Frame Buffer only)

'791'

1024 x 768 in 16 bits (Frame Buffer only)

'794'

1280 x 1024 in 16 bits (Frame Buffer only)

'entries'

this is an array of 'per image' entries describing selectable boot images. Normally you should not need to add any since DrakX installs a number of default entries which represent your computer's equipment. However if you do add a new one and it has the same label as an internally defined one (linux, linux-2.2, linux-hack, failsafe, failsafe-2.2, failsafe-hack, floppy, default, linux-up, linux-2.2up, linux-hackup, linux-nonfb, linux-2.2nonfb, linux-hacknonfb, NT, dos, windows) DrakX will rename your new one to old_... when it adds yours. So be careful.

Each entry has one of two forms:

'type' => 'image',

specifies that this image describes a Linux kernel image to boot.

'kernel_or_dev'

specifies the location and name of the kernel image to boot.
eg. '/boot/vmlinuz'.

'label'

specifies the name associated with this image. eg. 'my_linux'.

'root'

specifies the partition to be mounted as 'root'. eg. '/dev/hda6'.

'initrd'

if present, specifies the location and name of the initial ram disk to be loaded.
eg. '/boot/initrd.img'.

'append'

if present, specifies the kernel parameters for this image.
eg. 'ramdisk=8192K'. NOTE: the 'perImageAppend' is NOT used for any entries you add. If you need special options, then use this to specify them.

'vga'

if present, specifies the video mode to be used with this image. ( See 'vga' above.).

'read-write' => 1,

if present, indicates the root file system is to be mounted read-write. If it is NOT present, then the root file system is mounted read-only.

or,

'type' => 'other',

specifies that this image describes an arbitrary operating system to boot.

'kernel_or_dev'

specifies the device to boot. eg. '/dev/zip' or '/dev/hdb'.

'label'

specifies the name associated with this image. eg. 'my_linux'.

'unsafe' => 1,

see man lilo.conf.

'table'

see man lilo.conf.

'map-drive'

see man lilo.conf.





YABOOT

This loader is used on PowerPC computers. The following causes DrakX to create the file /etc/yaboot.conf. You really want to look at 'man yaboot.conf' for the correct explanation for some of the following.

'bootloader' => {


'method' => 'yaboot',


'boot' => '/dev/hda',

'delay' => 30,

'default' => 'my_linux',

'defaultos => 'linux',

'enablecdboot' => 1,

'enableofboot' => 1,

'init-message' => "My init text\n",

'message' => "My text boot up\n",

'timeout' => 50,

'xfsroot' => undef,


'entries' => [

{

'type' => 'image',

'kernel_or_dev' => '/boot/vmlinuz',

'label' => 'my_linux',

'root' => '/dev/hda6',

'initrd' => '/boot/initrd.img',

'append' => undef,

'read-write' => 0,

}

]

},

Descriptions:

'methods'

this entry defines the boot loader options the PowerPC and must be 'yaboot'.

'append'

if present, it is placed in the yaboot.conf and used as yaboot's default for any per image entry that does not contain an 'append'. It is used to specify parameters to be passed to the kernel. eg. 'mem=128M serial=0,9600n8'.

'boot'

this allows you to specify the disk drive that it to be used as the boot device. Do not include the partition number. eg. '/dev/hda' or '/dev/hde'.

'delay'

the time, in seconds, for the Open Firmware Delay.

'default'

this is used to specify the default kernel image to boot. The value here is the 'label' value of one of the defined 'entries'. eg. 'my_linux'.

'defaultos'

is one of 'linux', 'macos', 'macosx' or 'darwin'.

'enablecdboot' => 1,

enables booting from CD.

'enableofboot' => 1,

enables booting using Open Firmware.

'init-message'

this allows you to create a customized boot message. It is optional and if included, will causes the file boot loader to display your string. Also use double quotes (").

'message'

this allows you to create a customized boot message. It is optional and if included, causes the file /boot/message to be created containing your string (don't forget to include '\n' where appropriate. Also use double quotes (") ). If it is not included, then DrakX creates a default message for you.

'perImageAppend' => '',

if this is present, then DrakX uses the values here as the append for each entry it automatically creates. Note, DrakX creates this if it detects that there are any IDE CDRW or CD Burrners installed, if the 'miscellaneous' => { 'HDPARM '} is set, if it detects that you used mem= at the boot prompt or, if the syslinux.cfg file contains either mem= or console= in the append directive.

'timeout'

the time, in tenths (0.1) of seconds, to wait for the user to enter a desired image. eg. '10'. Also, this forces a prompt for the 'label' name to boot.

'xfsroot' => 1,

causes initrd-size=6144 to be added to every entry with a type of 'image'.

'entries'

this is an array of 'per image' entries describing selectable boot images. DrakX installs a number of default entries and normally you should not need to add any. However if you do add a new one and it has the same label as an internally defined one (linux, linux-2.2, linux-hack, failsafe, failsafe-2.2, failsafe-hack, default, linux-up, linux-2.2up, linux-hackup, linux-nonfb, linux-2.2nonfb, linux-hacknonfb, NT, dos, windows) DrakX will rename your new one to old_... when it adds yours. So be careful.

Each entry has one of two forms:

'type' => 'image',

specifies that this image describes a Linux kernel image to boot.

'kernel_or_dev'

specifies the location and name of the kernel image to boot.
eg. '/boot/vmlinuz'.

'label'

specifies the name associated with this image. eg. 'my_linux'.

'root'

specifies the partition to be mounted as 'root'. eg. '/dev/hda6'.

'initrd'

if present, specifies the location and name of the initial ram disk to be loaded.
eg. '/boot/initrd.img'.

'append'

if present, specifies the kernel parameters for this image.
eg. 'ramdisk=8192K'.

'read-write' => 1,

if present, indicates the root file system is to be mounted read-write. If it is NOT present, then the root file system is mounted read-only.

or

'type' => 'other',

causes an entry to be added to yaboot.conf with the 'label=' set to the Open Firmware device.

Examples (for x86):

This first one is the simplest and I use it on a server to obtain a simple text based boot prompt, rather than the default graphic one. This also lets DrakX fill in all the auto detected stuff for me.

'bootloader' => {


'method' => 'lilo-text'

'crushMbr' => 1

},



I use the 'crushMbr' here to make sure that whatever is on the disk is replaced with lilo's boot loader. This may not be suitable for everyone (such as dual boot or if you want to keep the existing MBR). Your installation needs may be different, so use with caution.

This one adds an additional boot image that I use on my test machine to increase the size of the default ram disk.

'bootloader' => {


'method' => 'lilo-text'


'entries' => [

{

'type' => 'image',

'kernel_or_dev' => '/boot/vmlinuz',

'label' => 'bigdisk',

'root' => '/dev/hda6',

'initrd' => '/boot/initrd.img',

'append' => 'ramdisk=8192k'

}

]

},

If I had wanted to make this new image the one which is automatically booted, then I would have added 'default' => 'bigdisk', just before the 'entries'.

Related Option Entries:

miscellaneous










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