Close. The SRM defines what a "boot block" for an SRM compliant
boot disk should look like. A "DOS style" partition table happens
to reside in the same place that the SRM defines for something else
(a 4 quadword overlap I think). A BSD disklabel does not have this
problem.
When you say 'boot dka0', SRM loads aboot from the defined bootstrap
location and then transfers control to aboot. aboot examines the BSD
label and looks for the partition where the kernel should reside
and then tries to find the kernel and load it.
I believe the Alpha Architecture Handbook has a section on the SRM.
Try
http://www.support.compaq.com/alpha-tools/documentation/alpha-architecture.pdf
> Hi James,
>
> As far as I know :
>
> The SRM requires a BSD disk label on the disk you wish to boot from,
> so if you wish to type :
>
> boot dka0
>
> Then the dka0 disk must have the BSD disk label, or else the SRM can't load
> aboot.
>
>
> Regards
> Alan Keane
> akeane@quadrics.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Jamesvi@asu.edu>
> To: <axp-list@redhat.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 4:30 PM
> Subject: Re: Newbie question about booting.
>
>
> > So if I only wanted to run Linux on my alpha, booting from the SRM, then I
> > 1) still need to use BSD Disk labeling?
> > 2) it doesn't matter that I set up the BSD disk label because Linux
> doesn't
> > care about it?
> >
> > Sorry I'm a little slow. Most of the info that I have comes from the FAQs
> > that I have read. I thought that aboot can't find the boot block on the
> > harddrive unless BSD style disklabeling is used. I understand the
> implication
> > (yes BSD; no whole disk label) I just want to have the concept right so I
> can
> > be operating from the right assumptions when I try things with my alpha -
> or
> > read about what others are doing. Thanks for the responses.
> > james
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
> > James Fowler
> > Graduate Student Political Science & Latin America
> > Arizona State University
> > jamesvi@asu.edu ICQ: 22088266
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---
> >
> >
> > On Wed, 5 Apr 2000, Hannes Reinecke wrote:
> >
> > > Jamesvi@asu.edu wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Just a curiosity, but I recall (as I had to do it again last week)
> that c:
> > > > should be the BSD disk label that encompasses the entire disk no?
> Please
> > > > help me out if I am mistaken because I would like to better understand
> BSD
> > > > disklabeling. Without that aboot would be unable to actually boot the
> > > > device no? Just curious.
> > >
> > > Actually, no.
> > > OSF/1 (or whatever its current name ist) uses partition 'c' for
> > > accessing the whole disk (much like /dev/sda in linux). Therefore you
> > > probably won't be able to start OSF/1.
> > > Everyone else does boot happily with any layout you care to do.
> > >
> > >
> > > HTH,
> > >
> > > Hannes
> > > --
> > > Hannes Reinecke <civhr@civ.hw.ac.uk>
> > > Fluid Loading and Instrumentation Center Tel: (+44) 131 449 5111 x4430
> > > Dept. of Civil & Offshore Engineering Fax: (+44) 131 451 3154
> > > Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS
> > >
> > > --
> > > To unsubscribe: send e-mail to axp-list-request@redhat.com with
> > > 'unsubscribe' as the subject. Do not send it to axp-list@redhat.com
> > >
> > >
> >
> > --
> > To unsubscribe: send e-mail to axp-list-request@redhat.com with
> > 'unsubscribe' as the subject. Do not send it to axp-list@redhat.com
> >
> >
>
> --
> To unsubscribe: send e-mail to axp-list-request@redhat.com with
> 'unsubscribe' as the subject. Do not send it to axp-list@redhat.com
>
>
______________________________________________________________________
Larry Sendlosky ATS
larry@scrugs.lkg.dec.com (978) 506-6640 Compaq
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