contents of a grub.conf file

bgryderclock · 06-25-2006, 01:03 AM

This is a general question about the contents of a grub.conf file.
Why does some examples of a grub.conf file look like this with a simple title,root,chainloader scheme:

Code:

title          Suse 9.1 pro @ hda9
root           (hd0,8)
chainloader    +1

title          eLive 0.3 @ hda10
root           (hd0,9)
chainloader    +1

title          Red Hat 9 @ hda11
root           (hd0,10)
chainloader    +1

and other examples have title, root, kernel, and initrd in them:

Code:

title Fedora Core (2.6.11-1.27_FC3)
root (hd1,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.11-1.27_FC3 ro root=LABEL=/1 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.11-1.27_FC3.img

title Fedora Core (2.6.9-1.667)
root (hd1,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-1.667 ro root=LABEL=/1 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-1.667.img

I plan on setting up a dual boot system (XP,ubuntu,FC5 and opensuse) and i need to better understand this.

terracotta · 06-25-2006, 03:56 AM

You might find the GRUB MANUAL useful. Or you can get a pdf HERE

penguintutor · 06-26-2006, 06:29 AM

A chainloader is where one bootloader calls another. So instead of different distros fighting over who gets to update grub, they could create their own installer on their root partition and use that instead.

So rather than telling grub where to find the kernel file, you tell it where to find the next boot loader. This is the same as when you include Windows on your bootloader, as NT based Windows come with their own bootloader on their partition.