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25 .\" $FreeBSD: src/sys/boot/forth/loader.conf.5,v 1.18 2002/08/27 01:02:56 trhodes Exp $
31 .Nd system bootstrap configuration information
35 contains descriptive information on bootstrapping the system.
36 Through it you can specify the kernel to be booted,
37 parameters to be passed to it,
38 and additional kernel modules to be loaded;
39 and generally set all variables described in
44 must contain the following lines for
46 to be automatically processed:
48 .Dl include defaults/loader.conf
49 .Dl optinclude loader.conf
50 .Dl optinclude loader.conf.local
54 exists at installworld time, one with the above lines will be installed.
58 format was defined explicitly to resemble
62 some settings are treated in a special fashion.
63 Also, the behavior of some settings is defined by the setting's suffix;
64 the prefix identifies which module the setting controls.
66 The general parsing rules are:
69 Spaces and empty lines are ignored.
73 sign will mark the remainder of the line as a comment.
75 Only one setting can be present on each line.
78 All settings have the following format:
82 This assigns value to a local variable.
83 If variable is in a list of known kernel environment variables or
85 it is also assigned to the kernel environment variable of the given name.
87 The settings that receive special treatment are listed below.
88 Settings beginning with
90 below define the kernel modules to be loaded.
91 All such settings sharing a common
92 prefix refer to the same module.
93 .Bl -tag -width indent
95 Name of the kernel to be loaded.
96 If no kernel name is set, no additional
97 modules will be loaded.
99 Flags to be passed to the kernel (see
101 .It Ar verbose_loading
104 module names will be displayed as they are loaded.
105 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _load
108 that kernel module will be loaded.
110 .Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _name
111 is defined (see below), the
112 module's name is taken to be
114 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _name
115 Defines the name of the module.
116 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _type
117 Defines the module's type.
118 If none is given, it defaults to a
121 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _flags
122 Flags and parameters to be passed to the module.
123 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _before
124 Commands to be executed before the module is loaded.
127 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _after
128 Commands to be executed after the module is loaded.
131 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _error
132 Commands to be executed if the loading of a module fails.
136 which aborts the bootstrap process, use of this setting should be avoided.
140 .Pa /boot/defaults/loader.conf
144 The few of them which are important
146 .Bl -tag -width indent
151 a bitmap will be loaded to be displayed on screen while booting.
154 Name of the bitmap to be loaded.
155 Any other name can be used.
160 to enable verbose booting.
164 selects serial console,
166 selects the video console, and
168 selects a mute console
169 (useful for systems with neither a video console nor a serial port).
171 When using a comconsole the kernel defaults to allowing a console on sio0.
172 To change this to sio1 you must specify
176 in addition to setting the console to the comconsole.
177 You can also set the baud rate with (for example)
179 or simply inherit the baud set in the boot code.
180 Normally these must be set if you want to use a stock kernel in a
182 When setting the serial console you must specify the serial port
184 .Va sio1.port=0x3e8 .
185 Typically sio0 is on 0x3f8 and sio1 is on 0x2f8, but IPMI consoles
186 on sio1 are often on 0x3e8 (instead of sio2), which can be confusing.
187 Be sure to specify the correct port
188 if you want early kernel boot messages to work.
189 If you do not specify the port the console will still operate on
190 the serial port but only after the kernel has started init.
192 Some IPMI environments do not enable sio1 during the BIOS boot,
193 which can cause the loader to get confused and not pass RB_SERIAL
195 Setting console=comconsole in this situation also does not work because
196 then the loader is inacessible. Instead, set the sioX fields as shown
198 .Va set boot_serial="YES"
199 to cause the kernel to use the serial port without also forcing the
200 boot loader to use the serial port.
202 The boot1/boot2 code uses BIOS calls to read and write the screen but also
203 mirrors output to and monitors COM1 @ 9600.
204 In an IPMI environment you do not usually have to adjust the boot code
205 at all, instead using the IPMI feature to redirect the video output.
206 In non-IPMI setups if you want the boot code to be available on
207 COM2 at 57600 baud instead of COM1, for example, you must set the variables
208 .Va BOOT_COMCONSOLE_PORT=0x2f8
210 .Va BOOT_COMCONSOLE_SPEED=57600
213 and recompile and install the boot code at
214 .Pa /usr/src/sys/boot ,
215 then install the bootcode to the partition via
218 Note that in comconsole mode the kernel will pick up the baud rate
219 from the boot loader, so no kernel recompile is needed.
222 Shows a monochrome version of Fred, the official
226 To make his life a bit more colorful, consider setting
232 Shows Fred on the left side of the menu rather than the right side.
239 you'll meet Fred, the official
241 mascot, in technicolor when the
242 boot menu appears (remember to set
247 .It Va splash_bmp_load
251 will load the splash screen module, making it possible to display a bmp image
252 on the screen while booting.
253 .It Va splash_pcx_load
257 will load the splash screen module, making it possible to display a pcx image
258 on the screen while booting.
259 .It Va userconfig_script_load
263 will load the userconfig data.
268 the vesa module will be loaded, enabling bitmaps above VGA resolution to
272 Generally speaking machines with IPMI capabilities are capable of
273 redirecting the BIOS POST to a fake serial port controlled by the BMC.
274 It is then possible to use
278 to access the console.
280 kernels adjust the video mode in a way that the BMC cannot usually
281 redirect, so your best bet is to set the boot loader AND the kernel up to
282 use a serial port via the
283 .Va console=comconsole
284 feature described above.
285 Often the IPMI controller, called the BMC, is not sitting on COM1 so
287 default console parameters and baud rate will not work.
289 .Bl -tag -width ".Pa /boot/defaults/dloader.menu" -compact
290 .It Pa /boot/defaults/dloader.menu
291 default settings for menu setup -- do not change this file.
292 .It Pa /boot/defaults/loader.conf
293 default settings -- do not change this file.
294 .It Pa /boot/dloader.menu
295 defines the commands used by
298 .It Pa /boot/loader.conf
299 user defined settings.
300 .It Pa /boot/loader.conf.local
301 machine-specific settings for sites with a common loader.conf.
302 .It Pa /boot/dloader.rc
303 contains the instructions to automatically process.
314 This manual page was written by
315 .An Daniel C. Sobral Aq Mt dcs@FreeBSD.org .