YABOOTCONFIG(8) System Manager's Manual YABOOTCONFIG(8)NAMEyabootconfig - generates a simple /etc/yaboot.conf
SYNOPSISyabootconfig [ -t|--chroot directory ] [ -b|--boot device ]
[ -r|--root device ] [ --kernel-args "kernel_args" ] [ -q|--quiet ]
[ --noinstall ] [ --debug ] [ -h|--help ] [ -V|--version ]
DESCRIPTION
This manual page explains yabootconfig the configurator for the
yaboot(8) boot loader enabling GNU/Linux to be booted by OpenFirmware.
Specifically it inspects the running system, generates a working
/etc/yaboot.conf(5) and then runs mkofboot(8) to make the system
bootable.
yabootconfig requires an 800K bootstrap partition on the same disk as
the root partition. It must be type “Apple_Bootstrap” for PowerMacs,
and type “0x41 PPC PReP Boot” for IBM CHRP hardware.
The bootstrap(8) must not be mounted anywhere on your filesystem, espe‐
cially not on top of /boot. Yaboot is able to load the kernels from
the ext2fs root partition so that is where they should be kept. mkof‐
boot will refuse to operate on the bootstrap(8) partition if it is
mounted.
yabootconfig requires ofpath(8) in order to get the OpenFirmware device
name for the root disk on PowerMacs.
OPTIONS-t, --chroot directory
Cause yabootconfig to work as if directory is the / directory.
This is useful when booting from a rescue floppy or CDROM in
which case you mount your true root filesystem on /target or
/mnt. yabootconfig will generate <chroot>/etc/yaboot.conf and
pass the “-C <chroot>/etc/yaboot.conf” arguments to mkofboot(8).
Example: yabootconfig--chroot /target
-r, --root device
Normally yabootconfig will automatically determine the root par‐
tition by inspecting <chroot>/etc/fstab(5). This option forces
it to use device instead of auto-detecting it. This option is
only intended to be used by distribution installers which should
already know with absolute certainty what the root partition
device is.
-b, --boot device
Normally yabootconfig will automatically find your bootstrap
partition, this option forces it to use device instead of auto-
detecting it. This option is only intended to be used by dis‐
tribution installers which should already know with absolute
certainty what the bootstrap partition device is. The bootstrap
partition is where mkofboot(8) will install the bootloader onto,
this device should be that of your bootstrap(8) partition. For
example, if your bootstrap partition is located on your first
primary IDE drive in the second partition, your device would be:
/dev/hda2. IMPORTANT: The bootstrap partition WILL BE ERASED
when yabootconfig runs mkofboot(8).
--kernel-args
This option allows you to specify additional kernel arguments
which will be placed in an append= configuration variable in
/etc/yaboot.conf(5). You must quote the arguments you supply to
this option. Example: --kernel-args "video=ofonly"
-q, --quiet
Normally yabootconfig will ask permission and explain what it is
about to do before proceeding, this option prevents yabootconfig
from asking any questions or displaying any informational mes‐
sages except errors. This option also prevents yabootconfig
from interactively asking the user to locate a kernel image if
it fails to find one in the standard locations. This option is
only intended to be used by distribution installers which may
run yabootconfig in the background in order to make the disk
bootable after OS installation.
--noinstall
Normally yabootconfig will automatically run mkofboot(8) after
it successfully generates a valid <chroot>/etc/yaboot.conf.
This option causes yabootconfig to only generate the config file
without installing the bootstrap.
--debug
This option causes yabootconfig to output some boring details
useful only for debugging yabootconfig itself.
-h, --help
Print out usage information and exit.
-V, --version
Print out the version number and exit.
FILES
/etc/fstab - static information about the filesystems
/etc/yaboot.conf - bootloader/ybin configuration file
AUTHORSyabootconfig and this man page was written by Ethan Benson.
yaboot was written by Benjamin Herrenschmidt.
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to <erbenson@alaska.net>
SEE ALSObootstrap(8), fstab(5), mkofboot(8), ofpath(8), yaboot(8),
yaboot.conf(5),
GNU/Linux PowerPC 24 November 2001 YABOOTCONFIG(8)
