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Guy Harris (talk | contribs) →System startup: BIOS is specific to IBM-compatibles; UEFI isn't, but, for now, discuss UEFI on IBM-compatibles. Split up the text into (sometimes small) paragraphs. |
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* [[LILO (boot loader)|LILO]] does not understand or parse filesystem layout. Instead, a configuration file (<code>/etc/lilo.conf</code>) is created in a live system which maps raw offset information (mapper tool) about ___location of kernel and ram disks (initrd or initramfs). The configuration file, which includes data such as boot [[Disk partitioning|partition]] and [[Kernel (computer science)|kernel]] pathname for each, as well as customized options if needed, is then written together with bootloader code into MBR bootsector. When this bootsector is read and given control by BIOS, LILO loads the menu code and draws it then uses stored values together with user input to calculate and load the Linux kernel or [[Chain loading|chain-load]] any other [[Booting#Boot-loader|boot-loader]].
* GRUB 1 includes logic to read common file systems at run-time in order to access its configuration file.<ref name="redhat_startup">{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830065326/http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/ref-guide/s1-boot-init-shutdown-process.html |title=Product Documentation |publisher=Redhat.com |date=2013-09-30 |access-date=2014-01-22}}</ref> This gives GRUB 1 ability to read its configuration file from the filesystem rather than have it embedded into the MBR, which allows it to change the configuration at run-time and specify disks and partitions in a human-readable format rather than relying on offsets. It also contains a [[command-line interface]], which makes it easier to fix or modify GRUB if it is misconfigured or corrupt.<ref name="redhat_lilo">{{cite web|url=http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/ref-guide/s1-grub-lilo.html |title=Product Documentation |publisher=Redhat.com |date=2013-09-30 |access-date=2014-01-22}}</ref>
* [[Loadlin]] is a bootloader that can replace a running [[DOS]] or [[Windows 9x]] kernel with the Linux kernel at run time. This can be useful in the case of hardware that needs to be switched on via software and for which such configuration programs are proprietary and only available for DOS. This booting method is less necessary nowadays, as Linux has drivers for a multitude of hardware devices, but it has seen some use in [[mobile device]]s. Another use case is when the Linux is located on a storage device which is not available to the BIOS for booting: DOS or Windows can load the appropriate drivers to make up for the BIOS limitation and boot Linux from there.
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