grub/docs/grub.texi

\input texinfo  @c -*-texinfo-*-
@setfilename grub.info
@include version.texi

@c Unify all our little indices for now.
@syncodeindex fn cp
@syncodeindex vr cp
@syncodeindex ky cp
@syncodeindex pg cp
@syncodeindex tp cp

@dircategory Kernel
@direntry
* GRUB: (grub).                 The GRand Unified Bootloader.
@end direntry

@ifinfo
Copyright @copyright{} 1996 Erich Boleyn
Copyright @copyright{} 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

@ignore
Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
results, provided the printed document carries a copying permission
notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).

@end ignore

Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that
the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
@end ifinfo

@c @setchapternewpage odd
@settitle GRUB Manual
@titlepage
@finalout
@title The GRUB Manual
@author Gordon Matzigkeit
@author OKUJI Yoshinori
@page

@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
Copyright @copyright{} 1996 Erich Boleyn
Copyright @copyright{} 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that
the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
@end titlepage

@c The Top node appears only in Info.
@ifinfo

@node Top
@top GRUB

This file documents GNU GRUB, the Grand Unified Bootloader.  This
edition documents version @value{VERSION}.

@menu
* Introduction::                Capturing the spirit of GRUB.
* Installing::                  How to install GRUB on your computer.
* Using::                       Booting your operating systems.
* Filesystems::                 Filesystem syntax and semantics.
* Troubleshooting::             Error messages produced by GRUB.
* Multiboot::                   Standard boot interface.
* Hacking::                     Implementation details.
* Index::                       Index.

@detailmenu
 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---

Introduction

* History::                     From maggot to house fly.
* Features::                    How GRUB is different.
* Role of a bootloader::        Judging a system by its bootloader.

How to install GRUB on your computer

* Boot floppy::                 Creating a GRUB boot floppy.
* Automated install::           Installation via @code{install=}.
* Installation under Unix::     Installation by @file{/sbin/grub}.

Booting your operating systems

* Command-line::                The flexible command-line interface.
* Menu::                        The simple menu interface.
* Menu entry editor::           Editing a menu entry.
* Commands::                    The list of available commands.

Filesystem syntax and semantics

* Device syntax::               How to specify devices.
* Filename syntax::             How to specify files.

Error messages reported by GRUB

* Stage1 errors::               Errors reported by the Stage 1.
* Stage1.5 errors::             Errors reported by the Stage 1.5.
* Stage2 errors::               Errors reported by the Stage 2.

@end detailmenu
@end menu

@end ifinfo


@node Introduction
@chapter Introduction

Briefly, a @dfn{bootloader} is the first software program that runs when
a computer starts.  It is responsible for loading and transferring
control to the operating system @dfn{kernel} software (such as the Linux
or Hurd kernels).  The kernel, in turn, initializes the rest of the
operating system (usually GNU).

@menu
* History::                     From maggot to house fly.
* Features::                    How GRUB is different.
* Role of a bootloader::        Judging a system by its bootloader.
@end menu


@node History
@section History of GRUB

GRUB originated in 1995 when Erich Boleyn was trying to boot the GNU
Hurd with the University of Utah's Mach 4 microkernel (now known as GNU
Mach).  Erich and Brian Ford designed the Multiboot Standard (FIXME
xref), because they were determined not to add to the large number of
mutually-incompatible PC boot methods.

Erich then began modifying the FreeBSD bootloader so that it would
understand Multiboot.  He quickly realized that it would be a lot easier
to write his own bootloader from scratch than to keep working on the
FreeBSD bootloader, and so GRUB was born.

Erich added many features to GRUB, but other priorities prevented him
from keeping up with the demands of its quickly-expanding user base.  In
1999, Gordon Matzigkeit and OKUJI Yoshinori adopted GRUB as an official
GNU package, and opened its development by making the latest sources
available via anonymous CVS.@footnote{The repository is
@code{:pserver:anoncvs@@anoncvs.gnu.org:/gd/gnu/anoncvsroot}, module
@code{grub}.  Just hit return when prompted for a password.}


@node Features
@section GRUB features
technical.html: why another bootloader?


@node Role of a bootloader
@section The role of a bootloader

The following is a quotation from Gordon Matzigkeit, a GRUB fanatic:

@quotation
Some people like to acknowlege both the operating system and kernel when
they talk about their computers, so they might say they use
``GNU/Linux'' or ``GNU/Hurd''.  Other people seem to think that the
kernel is the most important part of the system, so they like to call
their GNU operating systems ``Linux systems.''

I, personally, believe that this is a grave injustice, because the
@emph{bootloader} is the most important software of all.  I used to
refer to the above systems as either ``LILO''@footnote{The LInux LOader,
a bootloader that everybody uses, but nobody likes.} or ``GRUB''
systems.

Unfortunately, nobody ever understood what I was talking about; now I
just use the word ``GNU'' as a pseudonym for GRUB.

So, if you ever hear people talking about their alleged ``GNU'' systems,
remember that they are actually paying homage to the best bootloader
around@dots{} GRUB!
@end quotation

We, the GRUB maintainers, do not (usually) encourage Gordon's level of
fanaticism, but it helps to remember that bootloaders deserve careful
design.  We hope at least that you enjoy using GNU GRUB as much as we
did writing it.


@node Installing
@chapter How to install GRUB on your computer

Due to the nature of a @dfn{bootloader}, you need to install GRUB on
bootable media, such as a floppy disk. The installation can be performed
by @code{dd} or @code{rawrite} for a boot floppy, or the @code{install=}
command at the GRUB command line (@pxref{Using}).

@menu
* Boot floppy::                 Creating a GRUB boot floppy.
* Automated install::           Installation via @code{install=}.
* Installation under Unix::     Installation by @file{/sbin/grub}.
@end menu


@node Boot floppy
@section Creating a GRUB boot floppy

@quotation
@strong{Caution:} This procedure will destroy any data currently stored
on the floppy.
@end quotation

If you install GRUB using this method, it will only have access to the
command-line interface, since there is no filesystem in which to find a
configuration file (FIXME: ref). If you want to use the menu interface, see
@ref{Automated install}.

Under an UNIX-like operating system, such as GNU, use @code{dd} as
follows, where @file{/dev/fd0} is the floppy device:

@example
dd if=stage1/stage1 of=/dev/fd0 bs=512 count=1
dd if=stage2/stage2 of=/dev/fd0 bs=512 seek=1
@end example

Under DOS-based systems, such as Windows, use @code{copy} and
@code{rawrite}:

@example
copy /b stage1 + stage2 grub.raw
rawrite grub.new a:
@end example

@code{rawrite} is available as a part of the installation tools that
come with many GNU and GNU/Linux distributions.


@node Automated install
@section Installation via the @code{install=} command

@quotation
@strong{Caution:} Installing GRUB's stage1 in this manner will erase the
normal boot-sector used by an OS.  GRUB can boot GNU Mach, Linux,
FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD directly, so this may be
desired.  Generally, it is a good idea to back up the first sector of the
partition on which you are installing GRUB's stage1.  This isn't as
important if you are installing GRUB on the first sector of a hard disk,
since it's easy to reinitialize it (by running @code{FDISK /MBR} from DOS).
@end quotation

GRUB has a command called @code{install=} which is described in
@xref{Using}. The purpose of this section is to give examples and
describe how to use the command in different situations.

First, make a GRUB boot floppy (@pxref{Boot floppy}).  This is simply a
way to get the process started easily; any bootable copy of the same
version GRUB will work fine.

Then, make a @file{/boot/grub} directory (@file{\boot\grub} under DOS)
in the @dfn{install partition}.  Place the GRUB @file{stage2} file, any
optional @file{stage1.5} files, and the configuration file
(@file{menu.lst}) in that directory.

Now figure out how to use the @code{install=} command appropriately, and
you're done!

Examples of how to use the @code{install=} command:

@itemize @bullet
@item
@strong{Make a hard disk bootable with GRUB's stage2 on PC partition
number 2:} Make a directory in the partition called @file{/boot/grub},
place the @file{stage2} (and if desired, your configuration file called
@file{menu.lst}), then run the following command at GRUB's command line
(after booting from the GRUB floppy):

@example
install= (fd0)+1 (hd0) (hd0,2)/boot/grub/stage2 0x8000 p
@end example

This tells GRUB to grab the first sector of the floppy and use it as the
stage1, create a blocklist using the file @file{/boot/grub/stage2} on
the first hard disk (partition number 2), merge them together, set the
load address correctly for a stage2 (0x8000), save the @dfn{install
partition} in the first sector of the stage2 (the @samp{p} at the end),
then write the result to the first sector of the hard disk.

@item
@strong{Same as above, but place the stage1 on the floppy, then have
it start the stage2 on the hard disk:} The difference here is you're
telling GRUB's stage1 to read from the first hard disk no matter where
the stage1 was loaded from:

@example
install= (fd0)+1 d (fd0) (hd0,2)/boot/grub/stage2 0x8000 p
@end example

The @samp{d} option near the beginning is what sets the @emph{forced}
loading from the disk where the stage2 was installed from.  Also, the
@dfn{destination device} is changed to place the finished stage1 on the
floppy disk.

@item
@strong{Installing from an @emph{install directory} to the second hard
disk:} Here we're loading the stage1 from a file on the first hard disk,
installing stage2 from the first BSD @samp{a} partition on the second
hard disk, and setting the stage2's @dfn{configuration file} to
@file{(hd1,a)/grubdir/configfile}:

@example
install= (hd0,2)/boot/grub/stage1 (hd1) (hd1,a)/boot/grub/stage2 0x8000 p /grubdir/configfile
@end example
@end itemize

You can automate these steps by using a GRUB floppy with a filesystem
and a configuration file which contains entries such as:

@example
# Start of entries
title= GNU/Linux installation

# install command
install= (fd0)+1 (hd0) (hd0,1)/boot/grub/stage2 0x8000 p

# actually boot here
root= (hd0,1)
kernel= /zImage root=/dev/hda2
@end example

@dots{} then have the install script continue from there after boot of
the OS.


@node Installation under Unix
@section Installation by @file{/sbin/grub}

FIXME


@node Using
@chapter Booting your operating system

GRUB has both a simple menu interface for choosing preset entries from a
configuration file, and a highly flexible command-line for performing
any desired combination of boot commands.

GRUB looks for its configuration file as soon as it is loaded.  If one
is found, then the full menu interface is activated using whatever
entries were found in the file.  If you choose the `command line' menu
option, or if the configuration file was not found, then GRUB drops into
the command-line interface.

@menu
* Command-line::                The flexible command-line interface.
* Menu::                        The simple menu interface.
* Menu entry editor::           Editing a menu entry.
* Commands::                    The list of available commands.
@end menu


@node Command-line
@section The flexible command-line interface

The command-line interface provides a prompt and after it an editable
text area much like a command-line in Unix or DOS. Each command is
immediately executed after it is entered @footnote{However, this
behavaior will be changed in the future version, in an user-invisible
way.}. The commands are a subset of those available in the configuration
file, used with exactly the same syntax.

@c The list of available keys should be listed in @table, and should be
@c explained exactly. Current explanation is obscure.
Cursor movement and editing of the text on the line can be done via a
subset of the functions available in the BASH (FIXME: ref) shell
(@kbd{C-f} forward, @kbd{C-b} backward, @kbd{C-a} beginning of line,
@kbd{C-e} end of line, @kbd{C-k} delete to end, @kbd{C-u} delete to
beginning; the PC left and right arrow keys, @key{HOME}, @key{DEL}, and
@key{END} work as well).

When typing commands interactively, if the cursor is before the @samp{=}
character in a command being typed, pressing the @key{TAB} key will
display a listing of the available commands, and if the cursor is after
the @samp{=} character, the @key{TAB} will provide a completion listing
of disks, partitions, and filenames depending on the context.
@c But I want to stop this stupid hack and provide more BASH-like
@c interface. I don't think commands ending with @samp{=} are
@c beautiful.


@node Menu
@section The simple menu interface

The menu interface is quite easy to use.  It's commands are both
reasonably intuitive and described onscreen.

Basically, the menu interface provides a list of @dfn{boot
configurations} to the user to choose from.  Use the arrow keys to
select the entry of choice, then press @key{RET} to run it.  An optional
timeout is available to boot the default entry (the first one if not
set), which is aborted by pressing any key.

Commands are available to enter a bare command-line (operating exactly
like the non-config-file version of GRUB, but allowing one to return to
the menu if desired) or to edit any of the @dfn{boot configurations},
respectively by pressing @key{c} or @key{e}.


@node Menu entry editor
@section Editing a menu entry

This looks much like the main menu interface, but with the lines in the
menu being individual commands of the selected configuration instead of
configuration names.

If an @key{ESC} is pressed in the editor, it aborts all the changes made
to the configuration entry and goes back to the main menu interface.

When a particular line is selected, then it places the user in a special
version of the command-line for editing that line.  When the user is
finished, GRUB replaces the line in question in the @dfn{boot
configuration} with the changes (unless it was aborted via @key{ESC},
and in that case the changes are thrown away).


@node Commands
@section The list of available commands

In this section, we list the available commands, both in the
configuration file and in the command-line.

The configuration file should follow these rules:

@enumerate
@item
The configuration file specific commands have to be used before any
others.

@item
A multiboot kernel must be loaded before modules can be.

@item
A kernel must be loaded before either the configuration file entry ends,
or any @samp{boot} command is issued in any case.
@end enumerate

The semantics are as follows:

@itemize @bullet
@item
The files @emph{must} be in plain-text format.

@item
@samp{#} at the beginning of a line means it is a comment line in a
configuration file only.

@item
Options are separated by spaces.

@item
All numbers can be either decimal or hexidecimal. A hexidecimal number
must be preceeded by @samp{0x}, and is case insensitive.

@item
Extra options/text at the end of the line is ignored unless otherwise
specified.

@item
Bad commands generally get included in the current entry being added to,
except before entries start, where they are ignored.
@end itemize

Commands usable in configuration files only.

@table @code
@item timeout= @var{sec}
Set a timeout, in @var{sec} seconds, before automatically booting the
default entry (normally the first entry defined).

@item default= @var{num}
Set the default entry to entry number @var{num} (otherwise it is 0, the
first entry).

@item fallback= @var{num}
Go into unattended boot mode: if the default boot entry has any errors,
instead of waiting for the user to do anything, it immediately starts
over using the @var{num} entry (same numbering as the @code{default=}
command). This obviously doesn't help if the machine was in the middle
of the boot process (after leaving GRUB's code) and rebooted.

@item password= @var{passwd} @var{new_config_file}
Disable all interactive editing control (menu entry editor and
command-line). If the password @var{passwd} is entered, it loads the
@var{new_config_file} as a new config file and restarts the GRUB Stage
2.

@item title= @dots{}
Start a new menu entry, and set its name to the contents of the rest of
the line, starting with the first non-space character.
@end table

Commands usable in configuration files and interactively.

@table @code
@item pause= @dots{}
Print the entirety to the end of its line, then wait until a key is
pressed. Note that placing a ^G in it will cause the speaker to emit the
standard beep sound, which is useful when asking the user to change
floppies, etc.

@item uppermem= @var{kbytes}
Force GRUB to ignore what it found during the autoprobe of the memory
available to the system, and to use @var{kbytes} as the number of
kilobytes of upper memory installed. Any address range maps of the
system are discarded.

@strong{Caution:} This should be used with great caution, and should
only be necessary on some old machines. GRUB's BIOS probe can pick up
all @sc{ram} on all new machines the author has ever heard of. It can
also be used for debugging purposes to lie to an OS.

@item root= @var{device} [@var{hdbias}]
Set the current @dfn{root partition} to the device @var{device}, then
attempt to mount it to get the partition size (for passing the partition
descriptor in @code{ES:ESI}, used by some chainloaded bootloaders), the
BSD drive-type (for booting BSD kernels using their native boot format),
and fixup automatic determination of the PC partition where a BSD
sub-partition is located. The optional @var{hdbias} parameter is a
number to tell a kernel which is using one of the BSD boot methodologies
how many BIOS drive numbers are on controllers before the current
one. An example is if there is an IDE disk and a SCSI disk, then set the
root partition normally, except for a kernel using a BSD boot
methodology (FreeBSD or NetBSD), then use a @samp{1} for @var{hdbias}.

@item rootnoverify= @var{device} [@var{hdbias}]
Similar to @command{root=}, but don't attempt to mount the
partition. This is useful for when an OS is outside of the area of the
disk that GRUB can read, but setting the correct root partition is still
desired. Note that the items mentioned in @command{root=} above which
derived from attempting the mount will NOT work correctly.

@item chainloader= @var{file}
Load @var{file} as a chainloader. Like any other file loaded by the
filesystem code, it can use the blocklist notation to grab the first
sector of the current partition with @samp{+1}.

@item kernel= @var{file} @dots{}
Attempt to load the primary boot image (Multiboot a.out or @sc{elf},
Linux zImage or bzImage, FreeBSD-a.out, or NetBSD-a.out) from
@var{file}. This command ignores the rest of the contents of the line,
except that the entire line starting with the kernel filename is passed
varbatim as the @dfn{kernel command-line}. The module state is reset by
this (i.e. reload any modules).

@item module= @var{file} @dots{}
Load a boot module for a Multiboot format boot image (no interpretation
of the file contents are made, so that user of this command/writer of
the configurtion file must know what the kernel in question works
with). The rest of the line is passed as the @dfn{module command-line}
much like with the @command{kernel=} command.

@item modulenounzip= @var{file} @dots{}
Exactly like @command{module=}, except that automatic decompress is
disabled.

@item initrd= @var{file} @dots{}
Load an initial ramdisk for a Linux format boot image and set the
appropriate parameters in the Linux setup area in memory.

@item install= @var{stage1_file} [d] @var{dest_dev} @var{file} @var{addr} [p] [@var{config_file}]
This command is fairly complex, and for detailed examples one should
look at @ref{Automated install}. In short, it will perform a full
install presuming the stage1.5 or stage2 (they're loaded the same way,
I'll just refer to it as a stage2 from now on) is in its final install
location (pretty much all other edits are performed by the
@command{install=} command).

In slightly more detail, it will load @var{stage1_file}, validate that
it is a GRUB stage1 of the right version number, install blocklist for
loading @var{file} (if the option @samp{d} is present, the stage1 will
always look for the actual disk @var{file} was installed on, rather than
using the booting drive) as a stage2 into memory at address
@var{addr} (for a stage1.5, an address of @samp{0x2000} should be
used, and for a stage2, an address of @samp{0x8000} should be used),
then write the completed stage1 to the first block of the device
@var{dest_dev}. If the options @samp{p} or @var{config_file} are
present, then it reads the first block of stage2, modifies it with the
values of the partition @var{file} was found on (for @samp{p}) or places
the string @var{config_file} into the area telling the stage2 where to
look for a configuration file at boot time. Finally, it preserves the
DOS BPB (and for hard disks, the partition table) of the sector the
stage1 is to be installed into.

@item makeactive
Set the active partition on the root disk to GRUB's root partition (on a
floppy this is a NO-OP). This is limited to working with @emph{primary}
PC partitions.

@item boot
This boots the OS/chainloader which has been loaded. Only necessary if
running the fully interactive command-line (it is implicit at the end of
a config-file entry).
@end table

Commands usable in configuraton files and interactively which are only
available in the debug version of the GRUB Stage 2.

@table @code
@item testload= @var{file}
Read the entire contents of @var{file} in several different ways and
compares them, to test the filesystem code. The output is somewhat
cryptic (see the @samp{T} subcommand of @command{syscmd=} below), but if
no errors are reported and the part right at the end which reads
@samp{i=@var{X}, filepos=@var{Y}} has @var{X} and @var{Y} equal, then it
is definitely consistent, and very likely works correctly subject to a
consistent offset error. A good idea if this works is then to try
loading a kernel with your code.

@item read= @var{addr}
Read a 32-bit unsigned value at address @var{addr} and displays it in
hex format.

@item displaymem
Display what GRUB thinks the system address space map of the machine is,
including all regions of physical @sc{ram} installed. The
@dfn{upper/lower memory} thing GRUB has uses the standard BIOS
interface for the available memory in the first megabyte, or @dfn{lower
memory}, and a synthesized number from various BIOS interfaces of the
memory starting at 1MB and going up to the first chipset hole for
@dfn{upper memory} (the standard PC @dfn{upper memory} interface is
limited to reporting a maximum of 64MB).

@item impsprobe
Probe Intel MPS spec 1.1 or 1.4 configuration table and boot the various
other CPUs which are found into a tight loop.

@item fstest
Toggle filesystem test mode.

Filesystem test mode, when turned on, prints out data corresponding to
all the device reads and what values are being sent to the low-level
routines. The format is @samp{<@var{sector}, @var{byte_offset},
@var{byte_len}>} for high-level reads inside a partition (so
@var{sector} is an offset from the start of the partition), and
@samp{[@var{sector}]} for low-level sector requests from the disk (so
@var{sector} is offset from the start of the disk).

Filesystem test mode is turned off by any uses of the @command{install=}
or @command{testload=} commands.
@end table


@node Filesystems
@chapter Filesystem syntax and semantics

GRUB uses special syntax for specifying disk drives, that can be
accessed by BIOS. Because of BIOS limitations, GRUB cannot distinguish
IDE, ESDI, SCSI, etc. So you must know which BIOS device is equivalent
to which OS device.

@menu
* Device syntax::               How to specify devices.
* Filename syntax::             How to specify files.
@end menu


@node Device syntax
@section How to specify devices

The device syntax is like this:

@example
@code{(@var{bios_device}[,@var{part_num}][,@var{bsd_subpart_letter}])}
@end example

@samp{[]} means the parameter is optional. @var{bios_device} should be
either @samp{fd} or @samp{hd} followed by a digit, like @samp{fd0}.
But you can also set @var{bios_device} to a hexidecimal or a decimal,
which is a BIOS drive number, so these are equivalent:

@example
(hd0)
(0x80)
(128)
@end example

@var{part_num} represents the partition number of @var{bios_device},
starting from zero, and @var{bsd_subpart_letter} represents the BSD
sub-partition, like @samp{a} or @samp{e}.

A shortcut for specifying BSD sub-partitions is
@code{(@var{bios_device},@var{bsd_subpart_letter})}, in this case, GRUB
searches for the first PC partition containing BSD sub-partitions, then
finds the subparitition @var{bsd_subpart_letter}. Here is an example:

@example
(hd0,a)
@end example


@node Filename syntax
@section How to specify files

There are two ways to specify files, @dfn{absolute pathname} and
@dfn{blocklist}.

Absolute pathname resembles a Unix absolute pathname. Use @samp{/} for
the directory separator but not @samp{\} like DOS. For example,
@samp{/boot/grub/menu.lst}.

Blocklist is used for specifying a file that doesn't appear in the
filesystem, like a chainloader. The syntax is a bit complex, like this:

@example
@code{1+100,200+1,300+300}
@end example

This represents that GRUB should read 100 blocks from the offset 1, 1
block from the offset 200, and 300 blocks from the offset 300. The
offset is counted from the start of a partition, so the length must be
within the partition size. If you omit a offset, then GRUB assumes the
offset is zero.


@node Troubleshooting
@chapter Error messages reported by GRUB

This chapter describes the meanings of the error messages reported by
GRUB when you encounter some troubles.

@menu
* Stage1 errors::               Errors reported by the Stage 1.
* Stage1.5 errors::             Errors reported by the Stage 1.5.
* Stage2 errors::               Errors reported by the Stage 2.
@end menu


@node Stage1 errors
@section Errors reported by the Stage 1

The general way that the Stage 1 handles errors is to print an error
string and then halt. Pressing @kbd{@key{CTRL}-@key{ALT}-@key{DEL}} will
reboot.

The following is a comprehensive list of error messages for the Stage 1:

@table @asis
@item Hard Disk Error
This error message will occur if the Stage 2 or Stage 1.5 is being read
from a hard disk, and the attempt to determine the size and geometry of
the hard disk fails.

@item Floppy Error
This error message will occur if the Stage 2 or Stage 1.5 is being read
from a floppy disk, and the attempt to determine the size and geometry
of the floppy disk fails. It's listed as a different error since the
probe sequence is different than for hard disks.

@item Read Error
This error message will occur if a disk read error happens while trying
to read the Stage 2 or Stage 1.5.

@item Geom Error
This error message will occur if the location of the Stage 2 or Stage
1.5 is not in the area supported by reading the disk with the BIOS
directly. This could occur because the BIOS translated geometry has been
changed by the user or the disk is moved to another machine or
controller after installation, or GRUB was not installed using itself
(if it was, the Stage 2 version of this error would have been seen
during that process and it would not have completed the install).
@end table


@node Stage1.5 errors
@section Errors reported by the Stage 1.5

The general way that the Stage 1.5 handles errors is to print an error
number in the form @code{Error: @var{num}} and then halt. Pressing
@kbd{@key{CTRL}-@key{ALT}-@key{DEL}} will reboot.

The error numbers correspond to the @ref{Stage2 errors} in the listed
sequence.


@node Stage2 errors
@section Errors reported by the Stage 2

The general way that the Stage 2 handles errors is to abort the
operation in question, print an error strng, then (if possible) either
continue based on the fact that an error occured or wait for the user to
deal with the error.

The followng is a comprehensive list of error messages for the Stage 2
(error numbers for the Stage 1.5 are listed before the colon in each
description):

@table @asis
@item 1 : Selected item won't fit into memory
This error is returned if a kernel, module, or raw file load command is
either trying to load its data such that it won't fit into memory or it
is simply too big.

@item 2 : Selected disk doesn't exist
This error is returned if the device part of a device- or full filename
refers to a disk or BIOS device that is not present or not recognized by
the BIOS in the system.

@item 3 : Disk read error
This error is returned if there is a disk read error when trying to
probe or read data from a particular disk.

@item 4 : Disk write error
This error is returned if there is a disk write error when trying to
write to a particular disk. This would generally only occur during an
install of set active partition command.

@item 5 : Disk geometry error
This error is returned when a read is attempted at a linear block
address beyond the end of the BIOS translated area. This generally
happens if your disk is larger than the BIOS can handle (512MB for
(E)IDE disks on older machines or larger than 8GB in general).

@item 6 : Attempt to access block outside partition
This error is returned if a linear block address is outside of the disk
partition. This generally happens because of a corrupt filesystem on the
disk or a bug in the code handling it in GRUB (it's a great debugging
tool).

@item 7 : Partition table invalid or corrupt
This error s returned if the sanity checks on the integrity of the
partition table fail. This is a bad sign.

@item 8 : No such partition
This error is returned if a partition is requested in the device part of
a device- or full filename which isn't on the selected disk.

@item 9 : Bad filename (must be absolute pathname or blocklist)
This error is returned if a filename is requested which doesn't fit the
syntax/rules listed in the @ref{Filesystems}.

@item 10 : Bad file or directory type
This error is returned if a file requested is not a regular file, but
something like a symbolic link, directory, or FIFO.

@item 11 : File not found
This error is returned if the specified filename cannot be found, but
everything else (like the disk/partition info) is OK.

@item 12 : Cannot mount selected partition
This error is returned if the partition requested exists, but the
filesystem type cannot be recognized by GRUB.

@item 13 : Inconsistent filesystem structure
This error is returned by the filesystem code to denote an internal
error caused by the sanity checks of the filesystem structure on disk
not matching what it expects. This is usually caused by a corrupt
filesystem or bugs in the code handling it in GRUB.

@item 14 : Filesystem compatibility error, can't read whole file
Some of the filesystem reading code in GRUB has limits on the length of
the files it can read. This error is returned when the user runs into
such a limit.

@item 15 : Error while parsing number
This error is returned if GRUB was expecting to read a number and
encountered bad data.

@item 16 : Device string unrecoginizable
This error is returned if a device string was expected, and the string
encountered didn't fit the syntax/rules listed in the @ref{Filesystems}.

@item 17 : Invald device requested
This error is returned if a device string is recognizable but does not
fall under the other device errors.

@item 18 : Invalid or unsupported executable format
This error is returned if the kernel image being loaded is not
recognized as Multiboot or one of the supported native formats (Linux
zImage or bzImage, FreeBSD, or NetBSD).

@item 19 : Loading below 1MB is not supported
This error is returned if the lowest address in a kernel is below the
1MB boundary. The Linux zImage format is a special case and can be
handled since it has a fixed loading address and maximum size.

@item 20 : Unsupported Multiboot features requested
This error is returned when the Multiboot features word in the Multiboot
header requires a feature that is not recognized. The point of this is
that the kernel requires special handling which GRUB is likely usable to
provide.

@item 21 : Unknow boot failure
This error is returned if the boot attempt did not suceed for reasons
which are unknown.

@item 22 : Must load Multiboot kernel before modules
This error is returned if the module load command is used before loading
a Multiboot kernel. It only makes sense in this case anyway, as GRUB has
no idea how to communicate the presense of location of such modules to a
non-Multiboot-aware kernel.

@item 23 : Must load Linux kernel before initrd
This error is returned if the initrd command is used before loading a
Linux kernel. Similar to the above error, it only makes sense in that
case anyway.

@item 24 : Cannot boot without kernel loaded
This error is returned if GRUB is told to execute the boot sequence
without having a kernel to start.

@item 25 : Unrecognized command
This error is returned if an unrecognized command is entered into the
command-line or in a boot sequence section of a configuration file and
that entry is selected.

@item 26 : Bad or incompatible header on compressed file
This error is returned if the file header for a supposedly compressed
file is bad.

@item 27 : Bad or corrupt data while decompressing file
This error is returned the run-length decompression code gets an
internal error. This is usually from a corrupt file.

@item 28 : Bad or corrupt version of stage1/stage2
This error is returned if the install command is pointed to incompatible
or corrupt versions of the stage1 or stage2. It can't detect corruption
in general, but this is a sanity check on the version numbers, which
should be correct.
@end table


@c In my opinion, Multiboot Standard should be separated and should have
@c its own manual, because Multiboot is not only for GRUB. Perhaps we
@c should write the Multiboot manual "multiboot.texinfo", and then
@c include it here.  - okuji
@node Multiboot
@chapter Standard booting interface

boot-proposal.html


@node Hacking
@chapter Implementation details

technical.html
embedded_data.txt
PC_partitioning.txt


@node Index
@unnumbered Index

@c Currently, we use only the Concept Index.
@printindex cp

@contents
@bye