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diff --git a/doc/extlinux.doc b/doc/extlinux.doc new file mode 100644 index 00000000..78f0910e --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/extlinux.doc @@ -0,0 +1,96 @@ +EXTLINUX is a new syslinux derivative, which boots from a Linux +ext2/ext3 filesystem. + +It works the same way as SYSLINUX, with a few slight modifications. + +1. The installer is run on a *mounted* filesystem. Run the extlinux + installer on the directory in which you want extlinux installed: + + extlinux -i /boot + + Specify --install (-i) to install for the first time, or + --update (-U) to upgrade a previous installation. + + NOTE: this doesn't have to be the root directory of a filesystem. + If /boot is a filesystem, you can do: + + mkdir -p /boot/extlinux + extlinux -i /boot/extlinux + + ... to create a subdirectory and install extlinux in it. + + +2. The configuration file is called "extlinux.conf", and is expected + to be found in the same directory as extlinux is installed in. + + +3. Pathnames can be absolute or relative; if absolute (with a leading + slash), they are relative to the root of the filesystem on which + extlinux is installed (/boot in the example above), if relative, + they are relative to the extlinux directory. + + extlinux supports subdirectories, but the total path length is + limited to 511 characters. + + +4. EXTLINUX now supports symbolic links. However, extremely long + symbolic links might hit the pathname limit. Also, please note + that absolute symbolic links are interpreted from the root *of the + filesystem*, which might be different from now the running system + would interpret it (e.g. in the case of a separate /boot + partition.) Therefore, use relative symbolic links if at all + possible. + + +Note that EXTLINUX installs in the filesystem partition like a +well-behaved bootloader :) Thus, it needs a master boot record in the +partition table; the mbr.bin shipped with SYSLINUX should work well. +To install it just do: + + cat mbr.bin > /dev/XXX + +... where /dev/XXX is the appropriate master device, e.g. /dev/hda, +and make sure the correct partition in set active. + + +If you have multiple disks in a software RAID configuration, the +preferred way to boot is: + +- Create a separate RAID-1 partition for /boot. Note that the Linux + RAID-1 driver can span as many disks as you wish. + +- Install the MBR on *each disk*, and mark the RAID-1 partition + active. + +- Run "extlinux -i /boot" to install extlinux. This will install it on + all the drives in the RAID-1 set, which means you can boot any + combination of drives in any order. + + + +It is not required to re-run the extlinux installer after installing +new kernels. If you are using ext3 journalling, however, it might be +desirable to do so, since running the extlinux installer will flush +the log. Otherwise a dirty shutdown could cause some of the new +kernel image to still be in the log. This is a general problem for +boot loaders on journalling filesystems; it is not specific to +extlinux. The "sync" command does not flush the log on the ext3 +filesystem. + + +The SYSLINUX series boot loaders support chain loading other operating +systems via a separate module, chain.c32 (located in +com32/modules/chain.c32). To use it, specify a LABEL in the +configuration file with KERNEL chain.c32 and +APPEND [hd|fd]<number> [<partition>] + +For example: + +# Windows CE/ME/NT, a very dense operating system. +# Second partition (2) on the first hard disk (hd0); +# Linux would *typically* call this /dev/hda2 or /dev/sda2. +LABEL cement + KERNEL chain.c32 + APPEND hd0 2 + +See also README.menu. |
