about linux, linuxbios and bootup times

[Dave Aubin]

Ok, I will add my 2 cents.

This is my setup.
1.  Linux bios configures the MB (takes about 1-2 seconds for me and my
Tyan) 
2.  Then it loads etherboot (add maybe another second here)
3.  Etherboot remotely loads Kernel from a machine already running thus
saving disk spin up time (4-5 seconds)
	A. I suppose you could have this in RAM and send over a gig pipe
or 10 gig pipe if speed is an issue
4.  Then Kernel runs (5-10 seconds later)
5.  Bash prompt with a well configured linux system

What is great about Linux bios is it is flexible.  It is also faster
than my standard bios as it doesn't
Do memory checks and such.  It just get's right on to it.  Although you
can add in your own tests in the
Bios or in the payload area.

FYI: I've heard a bproc setup gets going in about 10 seconds from power
on to running.

Here is an even faster plausible setup, you can't do this with a
proprietary bios;)
1.  Linux bios configures the MB (takes about 1-2 seconds for me and my
Tyan)
2.  Then it jumps to the linux kernel itself embedded on the BIOS itself
3.  Kernel is done loading about 5 to 10 seconds later and you're at cli
prompt.

This is an ideal case for speed if you have a big enough bios size.
M-Tech is
Supposed to have an LPC interface to their DOC (disk on chip).  This
would have made
My life so nice, but as far as I know it isn't ready yet.

Hope this helps.  Oh and the support from this email list is quite
awesome.  People
Here always help me so I try to return the favor as much as I can.

Dave




-----Original Message-----
From: linuxbios-admin at clustermatic.org
[mailto:linuxbios-admin at clustermatic.org] On Behalf Of linuxg33k
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 9:59 PM
To: linuxbios at clustermatic.org
Subject: about linux, linuxbios and bootup times

Hi everyone.

I'm a new member, I joined the list to learn more about the Linuxbios
project.  A question for anyone that can point me in the right direction
to information:

Q: I read everything on linuxbios.org as well as googled until i got a
nosebleed, but i can't find any real world examples of linuxbios +
linuxdistro setups.  I am looking right now to purchase a linux bios
compatable mobo based on the list from linuxbios.org to play around
with, but what i was wondering is, just how can linuxbios speed up the
boot process of a linux based system?  Pardon my newbieness, but I have
never had a bios be anything more than a fraction of the total bootup
time on any linux system, so does linuxbios have the capability to
litterally boot a linux system to cli login prompt of any distro within
seconds or not?  I realize it's a general question, assume I'm running
debian base install ( no x, no desktop environment, boot staright to
command line), most of the bootup process is taken up by the bootup
scripts checking the hardware and starting up various services (I
probably have too many and unoptimized i'm sure but thats another issue 
alltogether).   From everything that I have read, I am understanding 
that basically its a faster bios that jumps to the distros bootloader
when done?  Or does this redefine the bootup process where the linuxbios
is the bootloader and upon coming to life jumps straight to the distro
kernel?  If it jumps to the distro bootloader surely the time savings
are a few seconds at best?  If linuxbios takes over some of the
bootloader functions, how does this affect a typicall install if at all?

Sorry for the overgeneralized questions, I just need a few answers here,
even if vague to help me create a knowledge sandbox into which i can
then drill down to proper understanding.

By the way, i read an article recently of an interview with the
president of Tyan.  According to the interview Tyan will be shipping all
motherboards with Linuxbios.  I have no idea if they are using the real
deal from cvs, or forking it, or what, but goddamn that really cool 
stuff.   I'm hoping some of the answers to my question will mean that 
linux on the desktop has a bright future vis a vis Tyan at least.  If
anyone wants a copy of it, email me and I will attach the html document
- I knew they would take it down as indeed they have.

Thanks aforehand!!!!

- Rob


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