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128 lines
4.3 KiB
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<HTML>
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<HEAD>
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<TITLE>The Linux Bootdisk HOWTO: Introduction</TITLE>
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</HEAD>
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<BODY>
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<IMG SRC="prev.gif" ALT="Previous">
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<A HREF="Bootdisk-HOWTO-2.html"><IMG SRC="next.gif" ALT="Next"></A>
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<A HREF="Bootdisk-HOWTO.html#toc1"><IMG SRC="toc.gif" ALT="Contents"></A>
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<HR>
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<H2><A NAME="s1">1. Introduction</A></H2>
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.1">1.1 Why Build Boot Disks?</A></H2>
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<P>Linux boot disks are useful in a number of situations, such as:
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<UL>
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<LI>Testing a new kernel.</LI>
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<LI>Recovering from disk or system failure. Such a failure could be
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anything from a lost boot sector to a disk head crash.</LI>
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</UL>
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</P>
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<P>There are several ways of producing boot disks:
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<UL>
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<LI>Use one from a distribution such as Slackware. This will at
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least allow you to boot.</LI>
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<LI>Use a rescue package to set up disks designed to be used
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as rescue disks.</LI>
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<LI>Learn what is required for each of the various types of disk
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to operate, then build your own.</LI>
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</UL>
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</P>
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<P>I originally chose the last option - learn how it works so that you
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can do it yourself. That way, if something breaks, you can work out
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what to do to fix it. Plus you learn a lot about how Linux works along
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the way. Once I understood how it all worked, then I changed to using
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the Bootkit rescue package to maintain my boot disks.</P>
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<P>Experienced Linux users may find little of use in this
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document. However users new to Linux system administration who
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wish to protect against root disk loss and other mishaps may find
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it useful.</P>
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<P>A note on versions - this document has been updated to support the
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following packages and versions:
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<UL>
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<LI>Linux 1.2.0</LI>
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<LI>LILO 0.15</LI>
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</UL>
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</P>
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<P>Copyright (c) Graham Chapman 1995.</P>
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<P>Permission is granted for this material to be freely
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used and distributed, provided the source is acknowledged.
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No warranty of any kind is provided. You use this material
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at your own risk.</P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.2">1.2 Feedback and Credits</A></H2>
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<P>I welcome any feedback, good or bad, on the content of this document.
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Please let me know if you find any errors or omissions.</P>
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<P>I thank the following people for correcting errors and providing
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useful suggestions for improvement:</P>
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<PRE>
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Randolph Bentson
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Grant R. Bowman
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Scott Burkett
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Bruce Elliot
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HARIGUCHI Youichi
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Bjxrn-Helge Mevik
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Dwight Spencer
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Cameron Spitzer
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Johannes Stille
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</PRE>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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</P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.3">1.3 Change History</A></H2>
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<P>v1.02, 25 June 1995
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<UL>
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<LI>Add: FAQ question on oversize ramdisk filesystems.</LI>
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<LI>Add: if using mkfs, use the -i option.</LI>
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<LI>Add: can use cp as well as dd to copy to raw disk.</LI>
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<LI>Chg: correct explanation of /dev/fd0 vs /dev/fd0H1440.</LI>
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<LI>Chg: use "zImage" terminology to conform to standard usage.</LI>
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<LI>Add: mke2fs -m 0 will provide more usable disk space.</LI>
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<LI>Add: re-run LILO if the kernel has changed.</LI>
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<LI>Add: move rescue packages to new section under "References".</LI>
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<LI>Add: new rescue packages Bootkit and CatRescue. </LI>
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<LI>Add: FAQ question on <CODE>cannot execute</CODE> errors.</LI>
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<LI>Add: shell scripts are samples only - I now use Bootkit.</LI>
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<LI>Chg: stop using < and > in command examples - too confusing.</LI>
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<LI>Chg: sample directory listings are now of diskettes, not model.</LI>
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<LI>Chg: use more consistent terminology with ramdisks.</LI>
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</UL>
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v1.01, 6 February 1995
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<UL>
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<LI>Fix: DO NOT cp kernel_filename /dev/fd0 - this
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will overwrite any file system on the diskette.</LI>
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<LI>Fix: Put LILO boot.b and map files on target disk.</LI>
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<LI>Add: -dp flags to cp commands to avoid problems.</LI>
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<LI>Chg: restructure to try to improve readability.</LI>
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<LI>Add: can now use ext2 filesystem on root diskettes.</LI>
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<LI>Chg: can now separate boot and root diskettes.</LI>
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<LI>Add: credits section in Introduction.</LI>
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<LI>Add: FAQ.</LI>
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</UL>
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</P>
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<P>v1.0, 2 January 1995
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<UL>
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<LI>Converted to conform to HOWTO documentation standards.</LI>
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<LI>Added new section - Change History.</LI>
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<LI>Various minor corrections.</LI>
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</UL>
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</P>
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<P>v0.10, 1 November 1994
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Original version, labelled "draft".</P>
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