<!DOCTYPE RefEntry PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook V4.1//EN">
<refentry id="aboot.conf">

<refmeta>
<refentrytitle>aboot.conf</refentrytitle>
<manvolnum>5</manvolnum>
<refmiscinfo>aboot.conf</refmiscinfo>
</refmeta>

<refnamediv>
<refname>aboot.conf</refname>
<refpurpose>The configuration file for <application>aboot</application>(8)
</refpurpose>
</refnamediv>

<refsect1><title>DESCRIPTION</title>
<para>
<indexterm><primary>aboot.conf</primary></indexterm>
<filename>aboot.conf</filename> contains a list of boot settings
for <application>aboot</application>(8). Each boot setting
has a unique number which can be supplied at the SRM-Prompt.
<indexterm><primary>SRM</primary></indexterm>.
</para>
<para>
<filename>aboot.conf</filename> must be in a directory called
<filename>etc</filename> on the <emphasis>same partition</emphasis>
as your kernels reside on unless you explicitly list the partitions
for your kernels (see below for details). So if you create a separate
boot partition (called <filename>/boot</filename>) then
<filename>aboot.conf</filename> should reside in <filename>/boot/etc/</filename>.
</para>
<para>
In the following example the kernels reside on a different partition (hda4)
then <filename>/</filename> belongs to (hda5), while in the fifth
line <filename>/boot</filename> is on the same partition (hda6) as
<filename>/</filename>.
Therefore <filename>aboot.conf</filename> can be located on any of the
three partitions but <emphasis>always</emphasis> in a directory
<filename>etc</filename> at the top level of the file system on that
partition. You can change the partition to use with
<application>abootconf</application>(8).
</para>
<para><example>
<title>Example <filename>aboot.conf</filename></title>
<blockquote>
<literallayout>
0:4/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda5
1:4/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda5 single
2:4/vmlinuz.old ro root=/dev/hda5
3:4/vmlinuz-2.4.9-32 root=/dev/sdc3 initrd=/initrd-2.4.9-32.img console=tty0
8:6/boot/vmlinuz ro root=/dev/hda6
</literallayout>
</blockquote>
</example></para>
<para>
The first number is a unique identifier for each boot configuration.
To boot a certain configuration at the SRM-Prompt you would issue
</para>
<para>
<command>
boot <parameter>dka0 -fl "0"</parameter>
</command>
</para>
<para>
where dka0 has to be replaced by your boot device and the boot configuration
(0 in this case) can be replaced by any defined in 
<filename>etc/aboot.conf</filename>.
</para>

<para>
After the colon the number of the partition the kernel resides on is given. 1
corresponds to the BSD partition labeled A:, 2 to B: and so on. 
</para>

<para>
After the slash the name of the kernel to boot is given, including a possible
path. If your kernel does not reside on a file system but is located directly
after <application>aboot</application>(8) at the beginning of the hard disk
you would omit the number, the slash and the kernel name.
</para>

<para>
Next the name of the partition to mount as <filename>/</filename> is given.
Other kernel parameters follow as required. As shown also an initrd can be
specified.
</para>

<para>
The contents of this file can be shown before booting if necessary by
using the interactive
mode of <application>aboot</application>(8) (booting with the flag "i")
and then issuing "h" at the <application>aboot</application>-prompt.
</para>

</refsect1>
<refsect1><title>AUTHOR</title>
<para>
This man page was written by Helge Kreutzmann
<email>debian@helgefjell.de</email> for the Debian GNU/Linux project but
may be used by others.
</para>
</refsect1>
<refsect1><title>SEE ALSO</title>
<para><application>aboot</application>(8), <application>abootconf</application>(8), <application>swriteboot</application>(8), HP SRM Manual (<ULink URL="http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/download/srm_reference.pdf"></ULink>)
</refsect1>
</refentry>
