[LinuxBIOS] Using GRUB as a payload

[Stefan Reinauer]

* Jamey <jamey at vodafone.net.nz> [060904 12:59]:
> I have just started reading up on LinuxBIOS and am keen to use it on my
> EPIA-M powered Linux server (for... speed! - ok, and coolness-factor)...
> and wondered why GRUB isn't listed (or suggested) as a payload option...

The problem with grub (v0.9x) is that it makes heavy use of 16bit bios
callbacks that do not work with 32bit LinuxBIOS. But you can use FILO as
LinuxBIOS payload. FILO has an option to display a grub menu by reading
menu.lst. Check out http://www.linuxbios.org/index.php/FILO

> seems an obvious choice to me (not knowing the inner workings of
> LinuxBIOS), also, has anyone started working on a keyboard based config
> utility such as is found by pressing F2 or similar at bootup in
> proprietory BIOS'?

Such a configuration utility exists. But since the CMOS format is open
and can be changed at compile time, the utility is not built into
LinuxBIOS but available as a (Linux) userspace program, so you can
use it in shell scripts and programs to automatically trigger certain
behavior. It is called lxbios. See http://lxbios.sourceforge.net/


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