1. Preface.

Note: This document may be outdated. If the date on the title page is more than six months ago, please check the Linux Documentation Project homepage http://linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Bootdisk-HOWTO.html to see if a more recent version exists.

Although this document should be legible in its text form, it looks much better in Postscript (.ps) or HTML because of the typographical notation used. We encourage you to select one of these forms. The Info version, as of this writing, ends up so damaged as to be unusable.

1.1 Version notes.

Graham Chapman (grahamc@zeta.org.au) wrote the original Bootdisk-HOWTO and he supported it through version 3.1. Tom Fawcett (fawcett@croftj.net) added a lot of material for kernel 2.0, and he is the document's maintainer as of version 3.2. Much of Chapman's original content remains.

This document is intended for Linux kernel 2.0 and later. If you have an older kernel (1.2.xx or before), please consult previous versions of the Bootdisk-HOWTO archived on Graham Chapman's homepage.

This information is intended for Linux on the Intel platform. Much of this information may be applicable to Linux on other processors, but we have no first-hand experience or information about this. If anyone has experience with bootdisks on other platforms, please contact us.

1.2 Yet to do.

Any volunteers?

1. Describe (or link to another document that describes) how to create other bootable disk-like things, such as CDROMs, ZIP disks and LS110 disks.
2. Describe how to deal with the huge libc.so shared libraries. The options are basically to get older, smaller libraries or to cut down existing libraries.
3. Re-analyze distribution bootdisks. Upgrade the "How the Pros do it" section.
4. Delete section that describes how to upgrade existing distribution bootdisks. This is usually more trouble than it's worth.
5. Rewrite/streamline the Troubleshooting section.

1.3 Feedback and credits.

We welcome any feedback, good or bad, on the content of this document. We have done our best to ensure that the instructions and information herein are accurate and reliable. Please let us know if you find errors or omissions.

We thank the many people who assisted with corrections and suggestions. Their contributions have made it far better than we could ever have done alone.

Send comments, corrections and questions to the author at the email address above. I don't mind trying to answer questions, but please read section Troubleshooting first.

1.4 Distribution policy.

Copyright © 1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000 by Tom Fawcett and Graham Chapman. This document may be distributed under the terms set forth in the Linux Documentation Project License at http://linuxdoc.org/copyright.html. Please contact the authors if you are unable to get the license.

This is free documentation. It is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.