From nobody Tue Dec 16 19:59:08 2025 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.0 (2014-02-07) on aws-us-west-2-korg-lkml-1.web.codeaurora.org Received: from vger.kernel.org (vger.kernel.org [23.128.96.18]) by smtp.lore.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5D5D6C25B47 for ; Fri, 27 Oct 2023 07:12:20 +0000 (UTC) Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1345393AbjJ0HMU (ORCPT ); Fri, 27 Oct 2023 03:12:20 -0400 Received: from lindbergh.monkeyblade.net ([23.128.96.19]:43592 "EHLO lindbergh.monkeyblade.net" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1345378AbjJ0HMO (ORCPT ); Fri, 27 Oct 2023 03:12:14 -0400 Received: from mail-yw1-x112f.google.com (mail-yw1-x112f.google.com [IPv6:2607:f8b0:4864:20::112f]) by lindbergh.monkeyblade.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 26F4B1B4 for ; Fri, 27 Oct 2023 00:12:10 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-yw1-x112f.google.com with SMTP id 00721157ae682-5a7a80a96dbso25256497b3.0 for ; Fri, 27 Oct 2023 00:12:10 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=ncf.edu; s=google; t=1698390729; x=1698995529; darn=vger.kernel.org; h=content-transfer-encoding:mime-version:message-id:date:subject:cc :to:from:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=G+6JYgipUnQgerpfSAZJhJWQAoUFv0R8N4KbRED7JZQ=; b=TFCD76bJTTOalpacrGDiroB5VMGipJfvRCcoS4KeINJS5TTgbXmohr2oxib0cAi0ei a8pbdhf69J58NSrguYPHt7rIXNWYGLER5LVSZ2CyNM7kKT6biCY2/Zf4nMQp0tcjzwww A/D3KmEhev2iOCkXX2KJcEM96XGM6TTXKWtAlNWtrpTs0tkGqOQIp2FH5A83ZdkgvXRF Fzy7efg0DNjlVE3aWFLDLDTdizbr2dXXerI7cVO2mf2aTSaZnLxvNvNgminGoWCJJvZV lAQ65zckZMURRRH3ojmqZI9Tioq6vC5wfNKU6WHt8Kv3dStRa3c4UP3bP6PuBH6aTIPj UMfw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1698390729; x=1698995529; h=content-transfer-encoding:mime-version:message-id:date:subject:cc :to:from:x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id :reply-to; bh=G+6JYgipUnQgerpfSAZJhJWQAoUFv0R8N4KbRED7JZQ=; b=kr0WHmm6Zaha7mWd/gJ2gKOCDpzw2WCLcP20TlOp4eRyVyLYQfhes/zXjgUFs1YdoO 4X29aJoc8dlDme2c2/ddUBdqLHTWCkYgswIwZUrGvXA9AkqtMljTttogJLzkTkciFaQ8 fh2/yVWHmlW+kNF1sCxF5ruWZd1nu90gGE/+86Q9BmCMhsSbN4yaBCGIQoMSly2jZxJQ 6ZeUc1uYZk3fUx+JTRjWrw9jV5mXi2d+iGzBn472I4jUgOGV58oS3Jwkn9Xxb+Khg2Nn C/AjdsG6qO0lkIRtThMIoARORUoKFIILuh9Ww0va9HOlSOflvEHpiO3wfyy4gH6j5v/g sa0Q== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YxVT1B9alKXKMb/grf8Gp91LmTt/4d0f4vEL0gACKvRiIPLzyVt Th9T1mYHyug8eidFvdw5nkw+Kw== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IHvdAkBZzWU1B2W3UZIJe4fOzPtPabGLh4BLEloqyWPxNLz0AqTXTb8jdpqdBuef0Rj8uzHkg== X-Received: by 2002:a81:98d0:0:b0:5a7:fb66:61ff with SMTP id p199-20020a8198d0000000b005a7fb6661ffmr3214326ywg.21.1698390729204; Fri, 27 Oct 2023 00:12:09 -0700 (PDT) Received: from fedora.hsd1.fl.comcast.net ([2601:580:8201:d0::6331]) by smtp.gmail.com with ESMTPSA id w5-20020a0dd405000000b005a7ba08b2acsm477230ywd.0.2023.10.27.00.12.08 (version=TLS1_3 cipher=TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384 bits=256/256); Fri, 27 Oct 2023 00:12:08 -0700 (PDT) From: Hunter Chasens To: corbet@lwn.net Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, linux-doc@vger.kernel.org, Hunter Chasens Subject: [PATCH v2] docs: admin-guide: Update bootloader and installation instructions Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2023 03:12:02 -0400 Message-ID: <20231027071202.60888-1-hunter.chasens18@ncf.edu> X-Mailer: git-send-email 2.41.0 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Precedence: bulk List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Updates the bootloader and installation instructions in admin-guide/README.= rst to align with modern practices. Details of Changes: - Added guidance on using EFISTUB for UEFI/EFI systems. - Noted that LILO is no longer in active development and provides alternatives. - Kept LILO instructions but marked as Legacy LILO Instructions. Suggest removal in future patch. Signed-off-by: Hunter Chasens --- Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst | 69 ++++++++++++++++++---------- 1 file changed, 45 insertions(+), 24 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst b/Documentation/admin-gui= de/README.rst index 9a969c0157f1..eb25a0e0e741 100644 --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst @@ -262,9 +262,11 @@ Compiling the kernel - Make sure you have at least gcc 5.1 available. For more information, refer to :ref:`Documentation/process/changes.rst = `. =20 - - Do a ``make`` to create a compressed kernel image. It is also - possible to do ``make install`` if you have lilo installed to suit the - kernel makefiles, but you may want to check your particular lilo setup = first. + - Do a ``make`` to create a compressed kernel image. It is also possible = to do + ``make install`` if you have lilo installed or if your distribution has= an + install script recognised by the kernel's installer. Most popular + distributions will have a recognized install script. You may want to + check your distribution's setup first. =20 To do the actual install, you have to be root, but none of the normal build should require that. Don't take the name of root in vain. @@ -301,32 +303,51 @@ Compiling the kernel image (e.g. .../linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage after compilation) to the place where your regular bootable kernel is found. =20 - - Booting a kernel directly from a floppy without the assistance of a - bootloader such as LILO, is no longer supported. - - If you boot Linux from the hard drive, chances are you use LILO, which - uses the kernel image as specified in the file /etc/lilo.conf. The - kernel image file is usually /vmlinuz, /boot/vmlinuz, /bzImage or - /boot/bzImage. To use the new kernel, save a copy of the old image - and copy the new image over the old one. Then, you MUST RERUN LILO - to update the loading map! If you don't, you won't be able to boot - the new kernel image. - - Reinstalling LILO is usually a matter of running /sbin/lilo. - You may wish to edit /etc/lilo.conf to specify an entry for your - old kernel image (say, /vmlinux.old) in case the new one does not - work. See the LILO docs for more information. - - After reinstalling LILO, you should be all set. Shutdown the system, + - Booting a kernel directly from non-volatile memory (e.g. a hard drive) + without the assistance of a bootloader such as LILO or GRUB, is no long= er + supported in BIOS (non-EFI systems). On UEFI/EFI systems, however, you = can + use EFISTUB which allows the motherboard to boot directly to the kernel. + On modern workstations and desktops, it's generally recommended to use a + bootloader as difficulties can arise with multiple kernels and secure b= oot. + For more details on EFISTUB, + see :ref:`Documentation/admin-guide/efi-stub.rst`. + + - It's important to note that as of 2016 LILO (LInux LOader) is no longer= in + active development, though as it was extremely popular, it often comes = up + in documentation. Popular alternatives include GRUB2, rEFInd, Syslinux, + systemd-boot, or EFISTUB. For various reasons, it's not recommended to = use + software that's no longer in active development. + + - Chances are your distribution includes an install script and running + ``make install`` will be all that's needed. Should that not be the case + you'll have to identify your bootloader and reference its documentation= or + configure your EFI. + +Legacy LILO Instructions +------------------------ + + + - If you use LILO the kernel images are specified in the file /etc/lilo.c= onf. + The kernel image file is usually /vmlinuz, /boot/vmlinuz, /bzImage or + /boot/bzImage. To use the new kernel, save a copy of the old image and = copy + the new image over the old one. Then, you MUST RERUN LILO to update the=20 + loading map! If you don't, you won't be able to boot the new kernel ima= ge. + + - Reinstalling LILO is usually a matter of running /sbin/lilo. You may wi= sh + to edit /etc/lilo.conf to specify an entry for your old kernel image + (say, /vmlinux.old) in case the new one does not work. See the LILO docs + for more information. + + - After reinstalling LILO, you should be all set. Shutdown the system, reboot, and enjoy! =20 - If you ever need to change the default root device, video mode, - etc. in the kernel image, use your bootloader's boot options - where appropriate. No need to recompile the kernel to change - these parameters. + - If you ever need to change the default root device, video mode, etc. in= the + kernel image, use your bootloader's boot options where appropriate. No = need + to recompile the kernel to change these parameters. =20 - Reboot with the new kernel and enjoy. =20 + If something goes wrong ----------------------- =20 --=20 2.41.0