YABOOTCONFIG(8)             System Manager's Manual            YABOOTCONFIG(8)



NAME
       yabootconfig - generates a simple /boot/yaboot.conf

SYNOPSIS
       yabootconfig [ -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
       /boot/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,
       especially 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.
       mkofboot 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>/boot/yaboot.conf and
              pass the “-C <chroot>/boot/yaboot.conf” arguments to
              mkofboot(8).  Example: yabootconfig --chroot /target

       -r, --root device
              Normally yabootconfig will automatically determine the root
              partition 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
              distribution 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
              /boot/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
              messages 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>/boot/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
       /boot/yaboot.conf - bootloader/ybin configuration file

AUTHORS
       yabootconfig and this man page was written by Ethan Benson.
       yaboot was written by Benjamin Herrenschmidt.

REPORTING BUGS
       Report bugs to <erbenson@alaska.net>

SEE ALSO
       bootstrap(8), fstab(5), mkofboot(8), ofpath(8), yaboot(8),
       yaboot.conf(5),



GNU/Linux PowerPC              24 November 2001                YABOOTCONFIG(8)