6 2012-09-11
Making your Choice Introduction

Now that your kernel is configured and compiled and the necessary system configuration files are filled in correctly, it is time to install a program that will fire up your kernel when you start the system. Such a program is called a bootloader.

Installing the SPARC Bootloader: SILO

It is now time to install and configure SILO, the Sparc Improved boot LOader. 

# emerge silo

Now open up your favorite editor (we use nano as an example) and create /etc/silo.conf. 

# nano -w /etc/silo.conf

Below you'll find an example silo.conf file. It uses the partitioning scheme we use throughout this book, kernel- as kernelimage and as initramfs. 

partition = 1         # Boot partition (= root partition)
root = /dev/sda1      # Root partition
timeout = 150         # Wait 15 seconds before booting the default section

image = /boot/
  label = linux
  append = "initrd=/boot/ real_root=/dev/sda1"

If you use the example silo.conf delivered by Portage, be sure to comment out all lines that you do not need.

If the physical disk on which you want to install SILO (as bootloader) differs from the physical disk on which /etc/silo.conf resides, you must copy over /etc/silo.conf to a partition on that disk. Assuming that /boot is a separate partition on that disk, copy over the configuration file to /boot and run /sbin/silo: 

# cp /etc/silo.conf /boot
# /sbin/silo -C /boot/silo.conf
/boot/silo.conf appears to be valid

Otherwise just run /sbin/silo: 

# /sbin/silo
/etc/silo.conf appears to be valid
You have to run silo (with parameters) again each time you update or reinstall the sys-boot/silo package.

Now continue with Rebooting the System.

Rebooting the System

Exit the chrooted environment and unmount all mounted partitions. Then type in that one magical command you have been waiting for: reboot. 

# exit
cdimage ~# cd
cdimage ~# umount -l /mnt/gentoo/dev{/shm,/pts,}
cdimage ~# umount -l /mnt/gentoo{/usr,/home,/var,/proc,}
cdimage ~# reboot

Of course, don't forget to remove the bootable CD, otherwise the CD will be booted again instead of your new Gentoo system.

Once rebooted in your Gentoo installation, finish up with Finalizing your Gentoo Installation.