Anatomy of the Linux Boot Process

Donna writes "This article discusses detailed similarities and differences involved in booting Linux on an x86-based platform (typically a PC-compatible SBC) and a custom embedded platform based around PowerPC, ARM, and others. It discusses suggested hardware and software designs and highlights the tradeoffs of each. It also describes important design pitfalls and best practices."

I have a computer science degree

[Claire-plus-plus]

But I still found that article as boring as hell!

Fire safety and misdirected arrows?

[Anonymous Coward]

Lewin A.R.W. Edwards works for a Fortune 50 company as a wireless security/fire safety device design engineer.

Time to stop trusting that the arrows if emergency exit signs are right now too?

Re:I have a computer science degree

[j1bb3rj4bb3r]

But I still found that article as boring as hell!

If you had an EE degree, you might find it more interesting... but then likely everyone else would find *you* boring as hell.

The BSD boot process

[Anonymous Coward]

And here i Present you the BSD boot process

1) birth
2) death (confirmed by netcraft)

Damn right

[SweetAndSourJesus]

The last thing we want to see is more people using Linux.

Frickin' noobs, eh?

Re:More discussion?

[Anonymous Coward]

"My impression, from the article, is that x86 versions of Linux are carrying quite a lot of legacy (from DOS et al). Does this mean that Linux on other architectures is "better" in any sense? I don't know, but I'd be interested if someone can inform."

Once Linux has booted, it should not matter much.

It is more the overall architecture that is better in the sense that it is "cleaner".

For example, you don't need an extended/logical partition hack, you can have 32-64 equivalent partitions on a PowerPC with OpenFirmware (~BIOS~).

If you take a Mac for example. To boot, the OpenFirmware can read directly the HFS (MacOS) and load the kernel. Actually, you could put your Linux kernel on OS X partition to boot it... But most people install a boot loader on a bootstrap partition (minimum is 800KB, compare that with a max of less than 512 bytes on x86 for first stage...). The boostrap is actually a HFS filesystem.

So the boot for Linux on Mac hardware is:
OpenFirmware ---> boot loader (in one stage) ---> load Linux kernel on ext2, reiserfs or other. With 800KB you have enough space to put code to read on several file system type.

In the IBM article, they are talking about embedded system, the firmware loads directly the kernel in mem no need to load "intermediate software" called the boot loader.

What is really stupid is the lengthy/complex process for x86-embedded. Windows for embedded stuff (Win CE?) is flexible and does not need the BIOS... neither does Linux...

Re:The good thing about Linux

[Quasar1999]

Or hardware installation :)

About that... I've unsuccessfully tried hotswapping an AGP video card once... I spent the rest of the day looking up motherboard, ram, and video card prices online... using another computer... I'll let you figure out why...

My boot process

[i.r.id10t]

Open the office, turn on the computer, walk out of the office, walk across campus to the cafeteria while ogling the young college chicks, get a cup of coffee, walk back, log in, do work.

Re:The article:

[Anonymous Coward]

Because IBM is so easily slashdotted.

Re:describes important design pitfalls

[psetzer]

How the mighty have fallen! I'd never expect to see Andrew Tanenbaum trolling Slashdot as AC.

Re:The good thing about Linux

[Taladar]

...and then he had to reboot to change the description of his PC in the Network Neighbourhood...

Re:The article:

[grozzie2]

I _think_ the ibm site can handle a /. swarm. No need to karma whore this one.

funny....

[zogger]

...I alway find that is one of the funner things with linux from day one after my first install, even if I haven't a clue what the hell is going on. I just sit there hyp-mo-tized -> LOOKATHERGO! DANGTHASCOOL!

kinda fun in an admittedly strange way, it's also cool to see how your leet speed reading is, if you can keep up.

Imposter!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Small Block Chevy

You're not a nerd! I bet you even have a girlfriend and/or tattoo!

Re:The good thing about Linux

[WinterpegCanuck]

I've always been partial to pulling out running CPU's. . . The system just kind of stops. No errors. Just peace. Like a portrait in time.

I think I need to write a poem.

PS. be careful what web page you were viewing at the time, as it isn't so easy to close.