boot loader and Kernel info

[zaryk]

I was wondering how a boot loader and kernel works.  I would like a general view of it, not specifically how linux kernel works like google brings up.  how does the boot loader find the kernel?  What are the most important areas of a computer that the kernel accesses and registers to make it work (do the minimum, but still work)?

[Dias de verano]

Have you heard of "books"?

[Dias de verano]

how does the boot loader find the kernel? 

The boot loader is a machine code program. It is written to look in a standard location for named files.

What are the most important areas of a computer that the kernel accesses and registers to make it work (do the minimum, but still work)?

Sounds like homework, hence my previous remark.

[zaryk]

Yeeaaaa, you are right it is homework?  Mental Homework.  To research and study it, and one day make it.  You, the World, is my teacher, and you will judge it.  But, school related, I don't have any computer classes.

[BC_Programmer]

first the computer is all like, "hey, there a boot sector with valid data in the shizzouse?" and the boot sector is all like, "WASSAP!" and then the computer reads the boot sector, which complains about being tickled. The boot loader looks in predesignated locations (usually on the root of the drive, because most boot loaders are too small to include directory traversal abilities), so, then it loads the OS, and the OS is all like, "hey d00ds!" to all the hardware:

Video Card:mmm, colours.

network card: must talk. Must network. Socialize. OPEN THE CONNECTION! LOAD MY DRIVER!

Sound Card: Hey, you guys ever met my aunt santa cruz? Man, she's a big one, but she makes a darn good pie, if you ask me. Why I remember this o....

Chipset: Shut up already, god, you're always making sound.

Sound Card: It's what I do. Hey, anybody got an IRQ?

Chipset, oh yeah, here I'll give you guys some. OK, Video Card

Video Card: What up?

Chipset: You're gonna be IRQ 9

Video Card: Aww man. OK.

Chipset: Network card? You'll be IRQ12.

Network card: OK. can I start communicating yet?

Chipset: Timer, you'll be IRQ 0, but you know that, you're always IRQ 0.

Timer: Took you long enough. You know I'm timing you.

Chipset: Ok, now whats left here- parallel port at IRQ 7, Com ports at addresses 0x...

Sound Card: Hey, I want an IRQ!

Chipset: Oh yeah, I forgot about you- hmm, I guess you'll share a IRQ with the network card, IRQ 12

Network card:hey buddy.

Sound Card: I ain't sharin with a stinking network card! what if I get Networkually transmitted diseases?

Network card: Don't worry, I've got protection, a Firewall. Might hurt a bit though.

Computer: stop you're squabbling! The boot loader wants to issue some commands!

Boot loader: Hard Drive. load NTLDR.

Hard Drive: you are NTLDR. Burp.

Boot Loader: ACK! you've burped on the drive!

Hard Drive: bah, it's wasn't important, just user data.

Boot Loader: Oh ok, try not to damage my files though.

Hard Drive: I really should not have talked to that USB enclosure. I think I caught something.

HDD interface: What! you've been cheating on me?

Hard Drive: uhh, Not this again. Hey, the DVD drive is a lot more promiscuous then I am, and I don't hear you complain to him!

HDD Interface: Don't make excuses, the DVD drive also uses removable media.

DVD Drive: yeah, there is one in here to. looks like a XP CD.

Boot loader: woah woah- hold on a sec- a XP CD?

DVD Drive: yeah- it's shiny. I'll spin it faster for no reason.... psychedelic!

Boot loader: Ok ok, well let's get on with this- Hard Drive! load the OS, just like last time.

HDD: OK.

...
...
...
Boot Loader: what are you doing?

HDD: oh, sorry, I detected a SMART error. what were you saying?

Boot Loader: of course their is a SMART error, because your STUPID! now load the OS.


and FINALLY after the POST, the boot begins. Of course that whole discussion (or more precisely, a more verbose version of it) occurs everytime the computer boots! what fun!

[zaryk]

haha love the personification.  Cool, thanks.

[BC_Programmer]

Wow- I read my own post and laughed my *censored* off. That is so sad, and yet endearing at the same time.

[Dias de verano]

Wow- I read my own post and laughed my *censored* off. That is so sad, and yet endearing at the same time.

I agree about the sad part, not so sure about the endearing. "Profoundly irritating" was the phrase that sprang into my mind.

I can't believe you wrote this

and the OS is all like, "hey d00ds!"

 

Not wishing to be offensive, but your post was so, er, North American...

[BC_Programmer]

I was writing that way for comedic effect, because people that talk that way piss me off. "And I was all like" "and he was like"

LIKE WHAT? a weasel? a paint can? like is for comparisions people! NOT as a random word to lengthen sentences unnecessarily.

</RANT>

[Dias de verano]

Boy they piss me off too. People who say that everything is "awesome" get on my *censored* too.