Can I boot Linux without GRUB/Lilo/other (single disk/single OS setup)

[Amn]

Hi all,

I am setting up new machine from scratch to use Linux, which I will bootstrap myself - i.e. no distribution used. I am trying to learn Linux, but have experience with hardware and am a C/C++ programmer, plus I have read a fair share of Linux material.

I want the system to boot silently straight to desktop/shell, without any menus, since I only will be having a single harddrive and a single OS - Linux.

Can one boot the system without a bootloader such as GRUB or Lilo? Can i put the kernel image somewhere on the drive and trust that it will bootstrap the OS? If, so how can it be done?

IF, and only IF it cannot be done, can one configure GRUB or Lilo to boot non-interactively?

The machine is a new Thinkpad T61 2007 model, the drive is a SATA 100Gb Seagate drive.

Thanks.

[rcgreen]

It can be done. People used to put the kernel raw onto
floppy disk without format, and it would load on boot.
You need some code in the MBR that points to your kernel
image. If you know assembly language and BIOS calls
it would be no big problem, but LILO or GRUB could
be set up non interactive and boot the linux kernel with
no menus or options.

http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/lab/labman/l...man.cgi?LILO(8)

GRUB Manual: Table of Contents

[Juan Pablo]

Add the string "hiddenmenu" anywhere on your grub.conf or menu.lst file

[Amn]

Thanks guys, I am guessing GRUB/Lilo noninteractive boot would be fast enough.

I do not wish to do the assembly code I could, but i dont see it is worth it in my case...

[Amn]

I forgot to ask, do I need to make a partition of < 1024 cylinders, or the limitation does no longer apply ? Not sure yet whether i will use GRUB or Lilo, but I am sure a BIOS of 2007 laptop model handles whatever earlier BIOS models couldnt regarding the boot process.

[Juan Pablo]

No, use a partition with whatever size you want