GRUB

 

Introduction: GNU GRUB is a Multiboot boot loader. It was derived from GRUB, GRand Unified Bootloader, which was originally designed and implemented by Erich Stefan Boleyn.

 

Briefly, bootloader is the first software program that runs when a computer starts. It is responsible for loading and transferring control to the operating system kernel software (such as the Hurd or the Linux). The kernel, in turn, initializes the rest of the operating system (e.g. GNU).

GNU GRUB follows these requirements below:

• Compliant with the Multiboot Specification.
• Basic functions are easy for an end-user to use.
• Rich functionality for OS experts/designers.
• Compatibility for booting FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and GNU/Linux. Proprietary OS's such as Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP, and OS/2 are supported via a chain-loading function.

In addition to the requirements above, GNU GRUB has the following features:

• Support multiple executable formats.
• Support non-Multiboot OS's.
• Load multiple modules.
• Support a human-readable configuration file.
• Menu interface.
• Flexible command-line interface.
• Support multiple filesystem types.
• Support automatic decompression.
• Access data on any installed device.
• Geometry translation independent.
• Detect all installed RAM.
• Support Logical Block Address (LBA) mode.
• Download OS images from a network.
• Support diskless systems.
• Support remote terminals.

Requirements

GNU GRUB requires GCC and GNU binutils 2.9.1.0.23 or later, which is available from ftp.varesearch.com:/pub/support/hjl/binutils/ .

Download

For now, GNU GRUB is not released publicly yet, but you can still get the test releases from alpha.gnu.org:/gnu/grub/, and the latest version from the CVS. See our project page on Savannah, for more information.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question or a trouble, see GNU GRUB FAQ first.

Documentation

You can browse the documentation of GNU GRUB by "info grub" on your shell prompt (or use your favorite Info browser, if you don't like info).

Also, you can find it in GNU Manuals Online with your web browser.

Links

Here are some useful resources:

• Etherboot is a free software package for booting x86 PCs over a network.
• The original GRUB site.
• GRUB/98 is a port to NEC PC9800 series.
• http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue64/kohli.html
• http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/other-formats/html_single/Linux+Win9x+Grub-HOWTO.html#AEN54
• http://home.nyc.rr.com/computertaijutsu/grub.html
• The splash image (Gentoo's) is at http://home.nyc.rr.com/computertaijutsu/splash.xpm.gz