The Linux BootPrompt-HowTo
by Paul Gortmaker.
v1.4, Mar 21, 2003This is the BootPrompt-Howto, which is a compilation of all the possible boot time arguments that can be passed to the Linux kernel at boot time. A discussion of how the kernel sorts boot time arguments, along with an overview of some of the popular software used to boot Linux kernels is also included.
1. Introduction
2. Overview of Boot Prompt Arguments
- 2.1 LILO (LInux LOader)
- 2.2 LoadLin
- 2.3 The ``rdev'' utility
- 2.4 How the Kernel Sorts the Arguments
- 2.5 Setting Environment Variables.
- 2.6 Passing Arguments to the `init' program
3. General Non-Device Specific Boot Args
- 3.1 Root Filesystem options
- 3.2 Options Relating to RAM Disk Management
- 3.3 Boot Arguments Related to Memory Handling
- 3.4 Other Misc. Kernel Boot Arguments
4. Boot Arguments to Control PCI Bus Behaviour (`pci=')
- 4.1 The `pci=assign-busses' Argument
- 4.2 The `pci=bios' and `pci=nobios' Arguments
- 4.3 The `pci=conf1' and `pci=conf2' Arguments
- 4.4 The `pci=irqmask=' Argument
- 4.5 The `pci=lastbus=' Argument
- 4.6 The `pci=noacpi' Argument
- 4.7 The `pci=nopeer' Argument
- 4.8 The `pci=nosort' Argument
- 4.9 The `pci=off' Argument
- 4.10 The `pci=usepirqmask' Argument
- 4.11 The `pci=rom' Argument
5. Boot Arguments for Video Frame Buffer Drivers
- 5.1 The `video=map:...' Argument
- 5.2 The `video=scrollback:...' Argument
- 5.3 The `video=vc:...' Argument
6. Boot Arguments for SCSI Peripherals.
7. Hard Disks
- 7.1 IDE Disk/CD-ROM Driver Parameters
- 7.2 Old MFM/RLL/Standard ST-506 Disk Driver Options (`hd=')
- 7.3 XT Disk Driver Options (`xd=', `xd_geo=')
8. The Sound Drivers
9. CD-ROMs (Non-SCSI/ATAPI/IDE)
10. Serial and ISDN Drivers
11. Other Hardware Devices
- 11.1 Ethernet Devices (`ether=', `netdev=')
- 11.2 The Floppy Disk Driver (`floppy=')
- 11.3 The Bus Mouse Driver (`bmouse=')
- 11.4 The MS Bus Mouse Driver (`msmouse=')
- 11.5 The Printer Driver (`lp=')
- 11.6 The Parallel port IP driver (`plip=')
12. Copying, Translations, Closing, etc.
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