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Re: RFC: What should be done about kernel-image's bootloader questions



I'd like to be able to simply boot off of the hard disk from with only
an ext2 partition on the disk and nothing else.  I must admit that I'm
new to the PPC architecture so if this is already possible please let me
know.

thanks,
Andy

Michel Dänzer wrote:
> 
> Ethan Benson wrote:
> 
> > I have been thinking about the way kernel-images currently handle the
> > standard bootloader and boot-floppy questions on installation.
> >
> > Right now its rather deficient on powerpc as it assumes all PowerPCs
> > are created equal which is far from the truth:
> >
> > it assumes all powerpcs use quik as the bootloader
> > it assumes all powerpcs have floppy drives
> > it assumes its possible to create a boot floppy on all powerpcs.
> >
> > NewWorld powermacs all lack floppy drives so it would seem logical to
> > simply default to do_bootfloppy = False if the machine is a NewWorld
> > powermac.
> >
> > however its impossible to really make a very useful bootfloppy on
> > powermac in general, for oldworld we can copy the .coff kernel to a
> > floppy which might be manually bootable via OF, but thats about it.  i
> > don't know about other powerpc subarchs.
> >
> > the bootloader stuff is what i am not entirely sure should be done
> > with.  yaboot/ybin does not really require anything to be done on
> > kernel installation assuming /etc/yaboot.conf references the /vmlinux
> > or /boot/vmlinux symlinks, kernel-image will update those
> > automatically.  the same is true of silo too but kernel-image does do
> > a little bit with silo at least.
> >
> > I would like to hear what people thing the kernel-image packages
> > should do on non-OldWorld PowerMacs as far as bootloader setup, and
> > boot-floppy creation.  at that point filing a bug against
> > kernel-package asking for the changes will be done.
> 
> APUS has its own, BootX/loadlin-style bootloader which resides on the AmigaOS
> side completely. I already contacted the kernel-package maintainer about this,
> asking him about his thoughts on just prompting the user to undertake the
> necessary steps to boot the new kernel (it currently thinks we use LILO
> *shudder*), but haven't got any response yet.
> 
> --
> Earthling Michel Dänzer (MrCooper)    \   Debian GNU/Linux (powerpc) developer
> CS student, Free Software enthusiast   \        XFree86 and DRI project member
> 
> --
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-- 
Andrew D. Dixon
Software Engineer
Seranao Networks
978-8973434 x231



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