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authorhpa <hpa>1998-05-07 07:03:17 +0000
committerhpa <hpa>1998-05-07 07:03:17 +0000
commit39f77fa8a1f5e7a1ef43b2eaaf3eae032060081f (patch)
tree7eff9bcb4f88b7ff94de688511d91c7f76543ec1 /syslinux.doc
parent6126a647e3fa26d918f015c8a2f5943d743fe616 (diff)
downloadsyslinux-39f77fa8a1f5e7a1ef43b2eaaf3eae032060081f.tar.gz
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@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
SYSLINUX
Version 1.40
- May 6, 1998
+ May 7, 1998
A bootloader for Linux using MS-DOS floppies
@@ -24,13 +24,15 @@ created.
++++ WHAT SYSLINUX IS NOT ++++
-SYSLINUX is *not* intended to be used as a general purpose boot
-loader, since it neither has the ability to boot another operating
-system (e.g. DOS/Windows), nor can it boot Linux from a non-FAT
-filesystem, such as ext2. Since a native Linux implementation will
-typically use ext2, and a mixed DOS/Linux implementation probably
-wants to be able to boot either filesystem, another boot loader such
-as LILO or LOADLIN may be more appropriate.
+SYSLINUX is probably not suitable as a general purpose boot loader.
+It can only boot Linux from a FAT filesystem, and not, for example,
+ext2. Since a native Linux implementation will typically use ext2,
+another boot loader (e.g. LILO) is probably more suitable. In a
+system which actually contains DOS or Windows, LOADLIN may be simpler
+to use.
+
+However, SYSLINUX has shown itself to be quite useful in a number of
+special-purpose applications.
++++ CREATING A BOOTABLE LINUX FLOPPY +++
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ In order to create a bootable Linux floppy using SYSLINUX, prepare a
normal MS-DOS formatted floppy. Copy one or more Linux kernel files to
it, then execute the DOS command:
- SYSLINUX [-s] a:
+ syslinux [-s] a:
(or whichever drive letter is appropriate; the [] meaning -s is optional)
@@ -205,7 +207,7 @@ eliminating the 500K size limit of the zImage kernel format. bzImage
format kernels are detected automatically and handled transparently to
the user.
-This version of SYSLINUX also supports a boottime-loaded ramdisk
+This version of SYSLINUX also supports a boot-time-loaded ramdisk
(initrd). An initrd is loaded from a DOS file if the option
"initrd=filename" (where filename is the filename of the initrd image;
the file must be located in the root directory on the boot floppy) is
@@ -433,8 +435,15 @@ disk by running the command:
Then use the FDISK command to mark the appropriate partition active.
-SYSLINUX, like DOS, requires that the partition which contains it
-lives entirely below cylinder 1024 for proper operation.
+ ++++ KNOWN BUGS ++++
+
+SYSLINUX will have problems with disks with more than 65536 tracks
+(cylinders * heads) or 1024 cylinders if the filesystem on which
+SYSLINUX is installed extends beyond either of these two maxima.
+
+Furthermore, SYSLINUX will not work (and will refuse to install) on
+filesystems with a cluster size of more than 16K (typically means a
+filesystem of more than 1 GB.)
++++ COMPATIBILITY WITH SYSLINUX 1.0 ++++
@@ -448,12 +457,6 @@ prompt 1
# Mimic SYSLINUX 1.0 with BOOTMSG.TXT file present:
display bootmsg.txt
- ++++ KNOWN BUGS ++++
-
-SYSLINUX will have problems with disks with more than 65536 tracks
-(cylinders * heads) or 1024 cylinders if the filesystem on which
-SYSLINUX is installed extends beyond either of these two maxima.
-
++++ BUG REPORTS ++++
I would appreciate hearing of any problems you have with SYSLINUX. I