INSTALLBOOT(8S) — MAINTENANCE COMMANDS

NAME

installboot − install bootblocks in a disk partition

SYNOPSIS

/usr/mdec/installboot [ −vlt ] bootfile protobootblk bootdevice

DESCRIPTION

The boot(8S) program is loaded from disk by bootblock code which resides in the bootblock area of a disk partition. In order for the bootblock code to read the boot program (usually /boot) it is necessary for it to know the block numbers occupied by the boot program. Previous versions of the bootblock code could find /boot by interpreting the file system on the partition from which it was being booted, but this is no longer so.

installboot plugs the block numbers of the boot program into a table in the bootblock code, and writes the modified bootblock code onto the disk. Note carefully that installboot must be run every time the boot program is reinstalled, since in general, the block list of the boot program will change each time it is written.

bootfile is the name of the boot program, usually /boot. protobootblk is the name of the bootblock code into which the block numbers of the boot program are to be inserted. The file read in must have an a.out(5) header, but it will be written out to the device with the header removed. bootdevice is the name of the disk device onto which the bootblock code is to be installed.

You can see how installboot works by making the destination a regular file instead of a device, and examining the result with od(1V).

OPTIONS

−v Verbose. Display detailed information about the size of the boot program, etc.

−l Print out the list of block numbers of the boot program.

−t Test. Display various internal test messages.

EXAMPLE

To install the bootblocks onto the root partition on a Xylogics disk:

example% cd /usr/mdec
example% installboot −vlt /boot bootxy /dev/xy0a

For an SD disk, you would use bootsd and /dev/sd0a, respectively, in place of bootxy and /dev/xy0a.

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