[OT] -- Memory Vendors

Apr 14, 2009 31 Replies

What happens when a boot loader like XOSL starts? It SEES ALL partitions on ALL drives, and can load ANY OS from there. In the case of Linux, it subsequently runs that partition's boot loader (lilo or grub).

Sounds like Lilo is a bit of a cheat as opposed to a real boot loader as it "loads" a pre-compiled file, as opposed to actually reading a file (kernel) on a partition?

I like the "petitboot" boot loader that is used on the PS3 when it is running Linux. My PC uses XOSL, which I wish would be developed further as it is a really nice boot loader. The best IMNSHO.

^ lilo

Indeed. It eliminates the need to write drivers for all known filesystems (such drivers either need to run in real mode, or the bootloader needs to initialise protected mode, and be able to make BIOS calls from it).

If you can do most of the work when you already have an OS, it makes everything a lot simpler.

Well, one person's "cheat" is another's well-tailored application of limited resources.

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I use Newegg too. Even though I have to pay tax, their deals are generally worth it. I've been using Patriot and Gskill of late. I've used Mushkin in the past without a hitch, but they seem overpriced.

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Fries.com?

Search engines do not always yield the best prices. Ebay is actually pretty damned good.

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The odds of getting a fake on ebay are too high, and the chances of return are slim and none.

Fry's sells Patriot in their stores. The only reason I used Gskill in the last box I built was I used an Asus mobo and they have an approved vendor list. I think that is bull myself, that is, if the parts meet the spec, you don't need approved vendors. But when you only build a "one of", it's not worth your hassle to get cheap.

Someone did a write up on how to build a PC from Fry's specials. It turned out to be pretty accurate. One week Fry's sells a case at cost, but the memory price is crap. The next week memory is on sale, but cases are not. Another week they sell Sony burners at cost, but everything else has it's price raised. I think there is some truth to this.

Now that I've researched this, it turns out that you were right, & I was wrong. ;^)

W . | ,. w , "Some people are alive only because \|/ \|/ it is illegal to kill them." Perna condita delenda est ---^----^---------------------------------------------------------------

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Incorrect (IME). Lilo can read DOS partition tables (or) Lilo install program calculates the boot loader sectors for Lilo. (my money is on the former, i have repartioned disks and did NOT have to reinstall Lilo) Thus the bootable area of any partition is available for Lilo to start reading at. If in doubt check the source code.

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The LILO bootloader operates in terms of absolute sector addresses (LBA or CHS), referenced to the disk, not a partition (the BIOS calls don't understand partitions). It only needs to understand partition tables in order to chain-load DOS, Windows or OS/2 bootloaders.

If you repartition a disk without moving any of the files (a kernel or the first- and second-stage bootloaders), the bootloader is unaffected. If you move a file, it won't work.

The only data which LILO copies to the boot disk is the MBR. Subsequent stages are loaded through the BIOS using sector addresses which are embedded when /sbin/lilo is run.

Nobody Inscribed thus:

I think that Joseph is struggling with the fact that you don't need to partition a disk in order to read or write to it. Think of a floppy disk.

Partitioning came about as a means to extend the ability to access higher disk capacities than was possible without it. It also satisfied the need to be able to separate file systems.

Best Regards: Baron.

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