Re: [ANNOUNCE] Gujin graphical bootloader 0.4

H. Peter Anvin (hpa@zytor.com)
9 Aug 2001 10:48:24 -0700


Followup to: <Pine.LNX.4.33.0108060228220.10664-100000@hp.masroudeau.com>
By author: Etienne Lorrain <etienne@masroudeau.com>
In newsgroup: linux.dev.kernel
>
> - Loads Linux kernel images (zImage and bZimage) without the help
> of LILO, and short-circuit all real-mode code in the kernel to
> start at the first protected mode instruction of the kernel.
>

This is a very bad idea. The kernel entry point is in real mode for a
reason: it means that the kernel doesn't have to rely on the boot
loader to provide the services it needs from real mode before
entering protected mode once and for all. The interface to the real
mode entry point is narrow and stable, the protected mode entrypoint
is a kernel internal and doesn't have an interface that is guaranteed
to be stable -- again, for good reason.

-hpa

-- 
<hpa@transmeta.com> at work, <hpa@zytor.com> in private!
"Unix gives you enough rope to shoot yourself in the foot."
http://www.zytor.com/~hpa/puzzle.txt	<amsp@zytor.com>
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