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The second-stage loader (stage2, the /boot/grub/ files) is loaded by the stage1.5 and displays the GRUB startup menu that allows the user to choose an operating system or examine and edit startup parameters. After a menu entry is chosen and optional parameters are given, GRUB loads the linux kernel into memory and passes control to it.
LILO (Linux Loader) is a bootloader for Linux and was the default boot loader for most Linux distributions [when? Unlike loadlin , it allowed booting Linux without having DOS on the computer. [ 3 ] As of 2009, most distributions have switched to GRUB as the default boot loader. [ 4 ]
GNU GRUB (short for GNU GRand Unified Bootloader, commonly referred to as GRUB) is a boot loader package from the GNU Project.GRUB is the reference implementation of the Free Software Foundation's Multiboot Specification, which provides a user the choice to boot one of multiple operating systems installed on a computer or select a specific kernel configuration available on a particular ...
Some boot loaders can also load other boot loaders; for example, GRUB loads BOOTMGR instead of loading Windows directly. Usually a default choice is preselected with a time delay during which a user can press a key to change the choice; after this delay, the default choice is automatically run so normal booting can occur without interaction.
A BIOS boot partition is needed on GPT-partitioned storage devices to hold the second stages of GRUB. On traditional MBR -partitioned devices, the disk sectors immediately following the first are usually unused, as the partitioning scheme does not designate them for any special purpose and partitioning tools avoid them for alignment purposes.
A multi-boot configuration allows a user to use all of their software on one computer. This is often accomplished by using a boot loader such as NTLDR, LILO, or GRUB which can boot more than one operating system. Multi-booting is also used by software developers when multiple operating systems are required for development or testing purposes ...
Note: The column MBR (Master Boot Record) refers to whether or not the boot loader can be stored in the first sector of a mass storage device. The column VBR (Volume Boot Record) refers to the ability of the boot loader to be stored in the first sector of any partition on a mass storage device.
In x86 computers, a first-stage bootloader is a compact 512-byte program that resides in the master boot record (MBR) and executes when a computer starts. Running in 16-bit real mode at address 0x7C00, it performs minimal hardware initialization, sets up a basic execution environment, and locates the second-stage bootloader.