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25 .\" $FreeBSD: src/sys/boot/forth/loader.conf.5,v 1.18 2002/08/27 01:02:56 trhodes Exp $
32 .Nd system bootstrap configuration information
36 contains descriptive information on bootstrapping the system.
37 Through it you can specify the kernel to be booted,
38 parameters to be passed to it,
39 and additional kernel modules to be loaded;
40 and generally set all variables described in
45 must contain the following lines for
47 to be automatically processed:
49 .Dl include defaults/loader.conf
50 .Dl optinclude loader.conf
51 .Dl optinclude loader.conf.local
55 exists at installworld time, one with the above lines will be installed.
59 format was defined explicitly to resemble
63 some settings are treated in a special fashion.
64 Also, the behavior of some settings is defined by the setting's suffix;
65 the prefix identifies which module the setting controls.
67 The general parsing rules are:
70 Spaces and empty lines are ignored.
74 sign will mark the remainder of the line as a comment.
76 Only one setting can be present on each line.
79 All settings have the following format:
83 This assigns value to a local variable.
84 If variable is in a list of known kernel environment variables or
86 it is also assigned to the kernel environment variable of the given name.
88 The settings that receive special treatment are listed below.
89 Settings beginning with
91 below define the kernel modules to be loaded.
92 All such settings sharing a common
93 prefix refer to the same module.
94 .Bl -tag -width indent
96 Name of the kernel to be loaded.
97 If no kernel name is set, no additional
98 modules will be loaded.
100 Flags to be passed to the kernel (see
102 .It Ar verbose_loading
105 module names will be displayed as they are loaded.
106 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _load
109 that kernel module will be loaded.
111 .Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _name
112 is defined (see below), the
113 module's name is taken to be
115 Only modules necessary for mounting the root file system should be loaded from
117 due to memory limitations in the early boot phase.
118 Other modules can be loaded later via similar entries in
120 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _name
121 Defines the name of the module.
122 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _type
123 Defines the module's type.
124 If none is given, it defaults to a
127 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _flags
128 Flags and parameters to be passed to the module.
129 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _before
130 Commands to be executed before the module is loaded.
133 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _after
134 Commands to be executed after the module is loaded.
137 .It Ao Ar module Ac Ns Ar _error
138 Commands to be executed if the loading of a module fails.
142 which aborts the bootstrap process, use of this setting should be avoided.
146 .Pa /boot/defaults/loader.conf
150 The few of them which are important
152 .Bl -tag -width indent
157 a bitmap will be loaded to be displayed on screen while booting.
160 Name of the bitmap to be loaded.
161 Any other name can be used.
166 to enable verbose booting.
170 selects serial console,
172 selects the video console, and
174 selects a mute console
175 (useful for systems with neither a video console nor a serial port).
177 When using a comconsole the kernel defaults to allowing a console on sio0.
178 To change this to sio1 you must specify
182 in addition to setting the console to the comconsole.
183 You can also set the baud rate with (for example)
185 or simply inherit the baud set in the boot code.
186 Normally these must be set if you want to use a stock kernel in a
188 When setting the serial console you must specify the serial port
190 .Va sio1.port=0x3e8 .
191 Typically sio0 is on 0x3f8 and sio1 is on 0x2f8, but IPMI consoles
192 on sio1 are often on 0x3e8 (instead of sio2), which can be confusing.
193 Be sure to specify the correct port
194 if you want early kernel boot messages to work.
195 If you do not specify the port the console will still operate on
196 the serial port but only after the kernel has started init.
198 Some IPMI environments do not enable sio1 during the BIOS boot,
199 which can cause the loader to get confused and not pass RB_SERIAL
201 Setting console=comconsole in this situation also does not work because
202 then the loader is inacessible. Instead, set the sioX fields as shown
204 .Va set boot_serial="YES"
205 to cause the kernel to use the serial port without also forcing the
206 boot loader to use the serial port.
208 The boot1/boot2 code uses BIOS calls to read and write the screen but also
209 mirrors output to and monitors COM1 @ 9600.
210 In an IPMI environment you do not usually have to adjust the boot code
211 at all, instead using the IPMI feature to redirect the video output.
212 In non-IPMI setups if you want the boot code to be available on
213 COM2 at 57600 baud instead of COM1, for example, you must set the variables
214 .Va BOOT_COMCONSOLE_PORT=0x2f8
216 .Va BOOT_COMCONSOLE_SPEED=57600
219 and recompile and install the boot code at
220 .Pa /usr/src/sys/boot ,
221 then install the bootcode to the partition via
224 Note that in comconsole mode the kernel will pick up the baud rate
225 from the boot loader, so no kernel recompile is needed.
230 Unlike in the past, the loader defaults to displaying Fred, the official
232 mascot, in color when the boot menu appears, unless
238 or in the environment. If set to
240 Fred will always be displayed in monochrome.
243 Under color mode, Fred is depicted as a blue dragonfly with cyan wings
244 by default. If set to
246 Fred will be shown as a red dragonfly with red wings instead.
249 Fred is displayed with the menu by default. If set to
251 Fred will not be shown. The area will simply be blank.
256 Fred will be displayed on the left side of the menu rather than the right side.
257 .It Va fred_separated
261 a line will be drawn between Fred and the menu block.
262 .It Va splash_bmp_load
266 will load the splash screen module, making it possible to display a bmp image
267 on the screen while booting.
268 .It Va splash_pcx_load
272 will load the splash screen module, making it possible to display a pcx image
273 on the screen while booting.
276 Generally speaking machines with IPMI capabilities are capable of
277 redirecting the BIOS POST to a fake serial port controlled by the BMC.
278 It is then possible to use
282 to access the console.
284 kernels adjust the video mode in a way that the BMC cannot usually
285 redirect, so your best bet is to set the boot loader AND the kernel up to
286 use a serial port via the
287 .Va console=comconsole
288 feature described above.
289 Often the IPMI controller, called the BMC, is not sitting on COM1 so
291 default console parameters and baud rate will not work.
293 .Bl -tag -width ".Pa /boot/defaults/dloader.menu" -compact
294 .It Pa /boot/defaults/dloader.menu
295 default settings for menu setup -- do not change this file.
296 .It Pa /boot/defaults/loader.conf
297 default settings -- do not change this file.
298 .It Pa /boot/dloader.menu
299 defines the commands used by
302 .It Pa /boot/loader.conf
303 user defined settings.
304 .It Pa /boot/loader.conf.local
305 machine-specific settings for sites with a common loader.conf.
306 .It Pa /boot/dloader.rc
307 contains the instructions to automatically process.
318 This manual page was written by
319 .An Daniel C. Sobral Aq Mt dcs@FreeBSD.org .