loader.conf -- system bootstrap configuration information
The file loader.conf contains descriptive information on bootstrapping
the system. Through it you can specify the kernel to be booted, parameters
to be passed to it, and additional modules to be loaded; and generally
set all variables described in loader(8).
The file /boot/loader.rc must contain the following two lines for
loader.conf to be automatically processed:
include /boot/loader.4th
start
If no /boot/loader.rc exists at installworld time, one with the above
lines will be installed.
Though loader.conf's format was defined explicitly to resemble
rc.conf(5), and can be sourced by sh(1), some settings are treated in a
special fashion. Also, the behavior of some settings is defined by the
setting's suffix; the prefix identifies which module the setting controls.
The general parsing rules are:
+o Spaces and empty lines are ignored.
+o A # sign will mark the remainder of the line as a comment.
+o Only one setting can be present on each line.
All settings have the following format:
variable="value"
Unless it belongs to one of the classes of settings that receive special
treatment, a setting will set the value of a loader(8) environment variable.
The settings that receive special treatment are listed below. Settings
beginning with "*" below define the modules to be loaded and may
have any prefix; the prefix identifies a module. All such settings sharing
a common prefix refer to the same module.
exec Immediately executes a loader(8) command. This type of setting
cannot be processed by programs other than loader(8),
so its use should be avoided. Multiple instances of it will
be processed independently.
loader_conf_files
Defines additional configuration files to be processed
right after the present file.
kernel Name of the kernel to be loaded. If no kernel name is set,
no additional modules will be loaded.
kernel_options
Flags to be passed to the kernel.
password Provides a password to be required by check-password before
execution is allowed to continue.
verbose_loading
If set to ``YES'', module names will be displayed as they
are loaded.
*_load If set to ``YES'', that module will be loaded. If no name
is defined (see below), the module's name is taken to be
the same as the prefix.
*_name Defines the name of the module.
*_type Defines the module's type. If none is given, it defaults to
a kld module.
*_flags Flags and parameters to be passed to the module.
*_before Commands to be executed before the module is loaded. Use of
this setting should be avoided.
*_after Commands to be executed after the module is loaded. Use of
this setting should be avoided.
*_error Commands to be executed if the loading of a module fails.
Except for the special value ``abort'', which aborts the
bootstrap process, use of this setting should be avoided.
Most of loader.conf's default settings can be ignored. The few of them
which are important or useful are:
bitmap_load
(``NO'') If set to ``YES'', a bitmap will be loaded to be
displayed on screen while booting.
bitmap_name
(``/boot/splash.bmp'') Name of the bitmap to be loaded.
Any other name can be used.
console (``vidconsole'') ``comconsole'' selects serial console,
``vidconsole'' selects the video console, and
``nullconsole'' selects a mute console (useful for systems
with neither a video console nor a serial port).
kernel (``/boot/kernel/kernel'')
loader_conf_files
(``/boot/loader.conf /boot/loader.conf.local'')
splash_bmp_load
(``NO'') If set to ``YES'', will load the splash screen
module, making it possible to display a bmp image on the
screen while booting.
splash_pcx_load
(``NO'') If set to ``YES'', will load the splash screen
module, making it possible to display a pcx image on the
screen while booting.
userconfig_script_load
(``NO'') If set to ``YES'', will load the userconfig
data.
vesa_load
(``NO'') If set to ``YES'', the vesa module will be
loaded, enabling bitmaps above VGA resolution to be displayed.
/boot/defaults/loader.conf default settings -- do not change this file.
/boot/loader.4th defines the commands used by loader to read
and process loader.conf.
/boot/loader.conf user defined settings.
/boot/loader.conf.local machine-specific settings for sites with a
common loader.conf.
/boot/loader.rc contains the instructions to automatically
process loader.conf.
boot(8), loader(8), loader.4th(8)
The file loader.conf first appeared in FreeBSD 3.2.
This manual page was written by Daniel C. Sobral <[email protected]>.
FreeBSD 5.2.1 April 18, 1999 FreeBSD 5.2.1 [ Back ] |
