how GRUB loads during booting

[maheshp86]

Hi ,
i am newer to linux
i have a doubt in linux boot process

in my machine RHEL5 has installed,


in bootig GRUB will load in 3 steps

stage 1--> stage1.5 --->stage2

stage1
=======
1st stage1 of grub is located in the 412 bytes of MBR)

also there is a file
/boot/grub/stage1 ( then what is this???)

stage1.5
=========( where does stage1.5 file located ? i found certain files in /boot/grub/)
like

e2fs_stage1_5

fat_stage1_5

ffs_stage1_5

iso9660_stage1_5

jfs_stage1_5

minix_stage1_5

reiserfs_stage1_5

ufs2_stage1_5

( i think these all are needed for accessing appropriate filesystems in stage 2 )

stage 2
===========


i found there is a file
/boot/grub/stage2

and i read that this file is needed for grub stage2





but my qusetn is




is GRUB loads from among these files??



i removed the above mentioned files from /boot/grub ,but my system is still booting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


how it is???


then how stage1.5 and stage2 take place??


pls give reply

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

Have you checked GRUB Wiki?

[Lostfarmer]

The absolute start sector loacation for the stage1.5 and stage 2 are used to load , not the names. The names are only used duing grub install. As long as the data is not over written it will work.

Dueing install stage 1 will have the absolute start sector # for next stage embbeded into its code.