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diff --git a/sys-boot/milo/files/README-gentoo b/sys-boot/milo/files/README-gentoo new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..0d184804c706 --- /dev/null +++ b/sys-boot/milo/files/README-gentoo @@ -0,0 +1,99 @@ +# Copyright 1999-2004 Gentoo Foundation +# Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2 +# $Id$ +# +############################################## +# Gentoo Linux MILO images. +#################################################### +# +# What is MILO? +# +### + +MILO is an AlphaLinux bootloader, which is usually used to load the Linux +Operating System on Alpha machines that dont have SRM. + +There are two families of firmware on Alpha, ARC and SRM. ARC was developed +for use with Windows NT, and cannot support Linux. Some Alpha's were +distributed with only ARC firmware, for use specifically with Windows NT, +these machines would not be able to run any OS except for Windows NT without +MILO. + +If you do have SRM, or the option of using SRM, you should be using the aboot +bootloader, unless you really know what you are doing. + +NOTE: if you have srm, but would like to dual boot with Windows NT, or use ARC + firmware, you might find MILO more useful than aboot. There are other + reasons also, booting a kernel from a reiserfs partition, for example. + +NOTE: The Gentoo MILO images are slightly different to the standard + MILO images, they have been patched to compile with gcc3 and + work with the latest linux-2.2 kernel and drivers. You can + also optimise your MILO image, to maximise the performance of the + MILO pager! woooo! + +FIXME: will there be a boot speed improvement from optimising MILO? +FIXME: what about performance of the call_pal routines (or at least the + overhead of calling them, as they are hand coded asm), will + that improve system performance? + +##################################################### +# +# How do i use these images to boot? +# +#### + +NOTE: Read the MILO-HOWTO in this directory now! + There is an explanation and description of all the ways you can + start MILO, including SRM, Floppy, Flash and Debug Monitor. + +In this directory you will find the MILO images, you can use these to +make MILO boot floppies, or install them to a FAT partition. + +There are instructions below for making a MILO boot floppy. + + +1. insert the disk you would like to make a MILO floppy. + +2. fdformat /dev/fd0 + + Obviously, if the disk is already formatted you can skip + this step. + +3. mformat a: + + this will create a MSDOS file system (FAT) on the floppy. + +4. mcopy milo-2.4.18-gentoo-<your alpha> a:\milo + + install the milo image for your machine onto the new floppy. + +5. mcopy linload.exe a:\linload.exe + _OR_ if you have a Ruffian machine: + mcopy ldmilo.exe a:\ldmilo.exe + + install the milo loader, note that ruffians dont use ldlinux.exe + by default, if your system expects ldlinux.exe, just copy that file + instead. the ldmilo included in this ebuild contains the fixes by Jay + Eastabrook, sometimes called "Jay's Hacked Version". + +6. echo -ne '\125\252' | dd of=/dev/fd0 bs=1 seek=510 count=2 conv=notrunc + + this might not be nescessary on all machines, but some ARCs expect the + floppy to be marked bootable, this fakes the magic. + +7. reboot, and set ARCs to boot your shiny new MILO floppy! + +##################################################### +# +# BUGS +# +#### + +These MILO images are not extensively tested, if you use one +PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell me! i need to know which systems +it works on and which ones it doesnt. + +if you dont want to enter a bug in http://bugs.gentoo.org/ + +you can just email me a quick note to taviso@gentoo.org |