First page Back Continue Last page Summary Graphic
Boot device + MBR
The MBR on a PC's bootable device
is not (usually) device-specific
is not (usually) interactive
selects (usually) at most a partition,
not a kernel
and (usually) can't pass options to kernel.
Notes:
PC MBRs contain a boot program
which is not usually device specific.
It is usually only automatic, not
interactive. (But see Debian or
FreeBSD MBRs.) Usually it can
select only the partition to boot, not
the kernel. And usually it is not able
to pass options to a kernel. (But
LILO and GRUB can, though they are
bigger than an MBR.)