What Does Happen During Boot Process? - BIOS and MBR


 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Top Forums UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers What Does Happen During Boot Process? - BIOS and MBR
# 1  
Old 12-11-2009
What Does Happen During Boot Process? - BIOS and MBR

I'm talking about boot process in multi-boot Linux perceptive.

Please tell me whether my explanation is right or wrong? If wrong, please explain.

"The BIOS checks the system and loads this initial bootstrapping code into
memory. This initial bootstrap code searches for an active partition and looks for a first sector of that active partition.

After that, bootstrap code gets whatever boot code (usually GRUB Stage 1) in the VBR and loads it in memory, so GRUB Stage 1 in this case overrides the MBR initial bootstrap that's in memory.

Once GRUB Stage 1 is in memory, it takes GRUB Stage 2 from /boot/ and loads it memory. Thus, GRUB Stage 2 overrides the GRUB Stage 1.

Now once GRUB Stage 2 is in memory, it presents an interface where the user
can select which OS to boot.

Once OS is selected, the GRUB stage 2 loads the selected Kernel into Memory, so the chosen OS Kernel overrides GRUB Stage 2.

Now this Kernel has the control and finishes the process.
"

Thanks!
 
Login or Register to Ask a Question

Previous Thread | Next Thread

9 More Discussions You Might Find Interesting

1. Solaris

Trying to understand the boot process

I understand the OBP program looks for the boot-device, loads the bootblk (located on physical disk sectors 1 through 15). Then the secondary boot program, /platform/`arch -k`/ufsboot is run. This program loads the kernel core image files (genunix and unix). So how does it uses the ufsboot and... (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: MR.bean
1 Replies

2. Red Hat

Boot process hang

Hello, Sometime i see that the boot process hangs. I am using rhel 6.2. At that time in the console i see Probing EDD (edd=off to disable)... SSH service seems to be started but i can't login... ssh logs (last lines) in verbose mode level 3: debug2: we did not send a packet,... (3 Replies)
Discussion started by: @dagio
3 Replies

3. UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Understanding the boot process

Hey guys, I am working on a security module which checks signatures of binarys/shared libs. The Linux security framework (and thus my module) gets loaded early in the bootprocess. Right now all my module does is - whenever a binary gets mmap'ed for execution - print out a message using printk()... (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: disaster
1 Replies

4. Red Hat

Dual Boot Problem - Vista & Redhat -Incorrect BIOS geometry

Hi Folks, Initially I had vista and redhat 9 .. due to some reasons i had to re instal my vista again.. since then the dual boot menu disappeared.. i tried to re install redhat and changing the boot configuration of redhat 9 but i am not getting both the OS back .. I am not aboe to boot linux... (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: subhotech
2 Replies

5. Filesystems, Disks and Memory

Creating /boot partition & MBR concerns

I have 40GB HD with mepis8, swap, MBR and under flags word boot. I also have a 160 GB external with a few Linux OS, no swaps, no extended etc. I am total Linux no MS I would feel more secure by resizing that sda1 partition and creating a /boot partition with the MBR housed there. Is that a... (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: worthamtx
1 Replies

6. Programming

what would happen if a process wrote to its own stdin?

what would happen if a process wrote to its own stdin? #include<unistd.h> #include<fcntl.h> int main() { if((write(STDIN_FILENO,"arrgh!",6))==-1) { perror("error writing to file"); } } output: $ gcc temp.c $ ./a.out arrgh!$ (9 Replies)
Discussion started by: c_d
9 Replies

7. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

About MBR,Boot Loader programe.

Hi all, I am newbie here.I want to know what is MBR,boot loader & boot strap programe. What is procedure of loading OS in to memory. Thanx in advance:) (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: vishwasrao
1 Replies

8. UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Unix ID deleted - What happen to process

I have an unix id (AIX system) which is used to run a couple of processes. They also write some log files into a file system (that is not in the home directory of the user id, but in different location). One bad day, the id was deleted accidentally. But the home directory, files and everything... (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: cmgreat
1 Replies

9. Red Hat

Dual boot (Booting Windows from Linux MBR)

Hi , I have two disk installed with Linux(disk 1) and WinXP(disk 2) .Now i am changing Hardisk jumbper manualy to get in to Linux/Windows .I want to configure my REDHAT linux boot manager to list Linux and WindowXP and wanna boot according to my choice . Here is what my fdisk -l shows (Only... (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: gkrishn
2 Replies
Login or Register to Ask a Question
GPTBOOT(8)						    BSD System Manager's Manual 						GPTBOOT(8)

NAME
gptboot -- GPT bootcode for UFS on BIOS-based computers DESCRIPTION
gptboot is used on BIOS-based computers to boot from a UFS partition on a GPT-partitioned disk. gptboot is installed in a freebsd-boot par- tition with gpart(8). IMPLEMENTATION NOTES
The GPT standard allows a variable number of partitions, but gptboot only boots from tables with 128 partitions or less. PARTITION ATTRIBUTES
gptboot checks and manages several attributes of GPT UFS partitions. bootme Attempt to boot from this partition. If more than one partition has the bootme attribute set, gptboot will attempt to boot each one until successful. bootonce Attempt to boot from this partition only one time. Setting this attribute with gpart(8) automatically also sets the bootme attribute. Multiple partitions may have the bootonce and bootme attributes set. bootfailed The bootfailed attribute marks partitions that had the bootonce attribute set, but failed to boot. This attribute is managed by the system. See BOOTING and POST-BOOT ACTIONS below for details. USAGE
For normal usage, the user does not have to set or manage any of the partition attributes. gptboot will boot from the first UFS partition found. The bootonce attribute can be used for testing an upgraded operating system on an already-working computer. The existing system partition is left untouched, and the new version of the operating system to be tested is installed on another partition. The bootonce attribute is set on that new test partition. The next boot is attempted from the test partition. Success or failure will be shown in the system log files. After a successful boot of the test partition, a user script can check the logs and change the bootme attributes so the test partition becomes the new system partition. Because the bootonce attribute is cleared after an attempted boot, a failed boot will not leave the system attempting to boot from a partition that will never succeed. Instead, the system will boot from the older, known-working operating system that has not been modified. If the bootme attribute is set on any partitions, booting will be attempted from them first. If no partitions with bootme attributes are found, booting will be attempted from the first UFS partition found. BOOTING
gptboot first reads the partition table. All freebsd-ufs partitions with only the bootonce attribute set, indicating a failed boot, are set to bootfailed. gptboot then scans through all of the freebsd-ufs partitions. Boot behavior depends on the combination of bootme and bootonce attributes set on those partitions. bootonce + bootme Highest priority: booting is attempted from each of the freebsd-ufs partitions with both of these attributes. On each partition, the bootme attribute is removed and the boot attempted. bootme Middle priority: booting is attempted from each of the freebsd-ufs partitions with the bootme attribute. If neither bootonce nor bootme attributes are found on any partitions, booting is attempted from the first freebsd-ufs partition on the disk. POST-BOOT ACTIONS The startup script /etc/rc.d/gptboot checks the attributes of freebsd-ufs partitions on all GPT disks. Partitions with the bootfailed attribute generate a ``boot from X failed'' system log message. Partitions with only the bootonce attribute, indicating a partition that successfully booted, generate a ``boot from X succeeded'' system log message. The bootfailed attributes are cleared from all the partitions. The bootonce attribute is cleared from the partition that successfully booted. There is normally only one of these. FILES
/boot/gptboot bootcode binary /boot.config parameters for the boot blocks (optional) EXAMPLES
gptboot is installed in a freebsd-boot partition, usually the first partition on the disk. A ``protective MBR'' (see gpart(8)) is typically installed in combination with gptboot. Install gptboot on the ada0 drive: gpart bootcode -b /boot/pmbr -p /boot/gptboot -i 1 ada0 gptboot can also be installed without the PMBR: gpart bootcode -p /boot/gptboot -i 1 ada0 Set the bootme attribute for partition 2: gpart set -a bootme -i 2 ada0 Set the bootonce attribute for partition 2, automatically also setting the bootme attribute: gpart set -a bootonce -i 2 ada0 SEE ALSO
boot.config(5), rc.conf(5), boot(8), gpart(8) HISTORY
gptboot appeared in FreeBSD 7.1. AUTHORS
This manual page written by Warren Block <wblock@FreeBSD.org>. BSD
February 5, 2014 BSD