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Re: Loadlin and Squeeze kernel 2.6.32



On Sat, 14 Jul 2012 19:11:41 -0400 (EDT), Tom H wrote:
> 
> Thanks for the info and the links. You've misunderstood me. I didn't
> say that Linux could boot without a bootloader. I said that I didn't
> understand the purpose of the "Generic Boot Code" since other
> distributions don't use it when installing grub to a PBR.

I realize that your remarks above are directed to Camaleón, but some
kind of boot code has to be in the Master Boot Record (MBR).  Otherwise,
the BIOS cannot boot from the hard disk.  If you install GRUB2 (or any
other boot loader for that matter) to a Volume Boot Record, then
some kind of generic boot code, boot code which chain loads whichever
partition is marked active, must be installed in the Master Boot Record.
Either other distributions install such boot code without asking, or
they either assume or verify that such boot code is already there.

For example, an install of Linux on a hard disk that already has Windows
(and only Windows) installed on it would not need to install "generic
boot code", since it is already there by means of Windows.  On the other
hand, if you have a hard disk that has been wiped clean by DBAN, or
something similar, then there is no generic boot code in the MBR.
If you have previously installed a Linux boot loader to the hard disk's
MBR, then you probably need to install generic boot code in the MBR
to wipe out whatever boot loader used to be there if you now want
to install GRUB2 (or any other Linux boot loader) to a VBR.

-- 
  .''`.     Stephen Powell    
 : :'  :
 `. `'`
   `-


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