YBIN(8) System Manager's Manual YBIN(8)
NAME
ybin - install the yaboot(5,8) boot loader to a bootstrap partition.
SYNOPSIS
ybin [ -b|--boot device ] [ -o|--ofboot of-path ] [ -i|--install boot-
file(1,n) ] [ -C|--config config-file ] [ -m|--magicboot chrp-file ]
[ --filesystem hfs|msdos|raw(3x,7,8,3x cbreak) ] [ --nobless ] [ -M|--mount ] [ --hide ]
[ --protect ] [ --nonvram ] [ --force ] [ -v|--verbose ] [ --debug ]
[ -h|--help ] [ -V|--version ]
DESCRIPTION
This manual page explains ybin the installer for the yaboot(5,8)(8) boot
loader enabling GNU/Linux to be booted by OpenFirmware. Specifically
it copies the yaboot(5,8) binary and yaboot.conf(5) and usually a "magic-
boot" script to a bootstrap(8) partition.
Ybin will set(7,n,1 builtins) attributes on the boot loader files and to the boot-
strap(8) partition itself to allow OpenFirmware to recognise it as
bootable, [usually] without requiring alterations to OpenFirmware's
configuration.
Ybin will also set(7,n,1 builtins) the OpenFirmware boot-device variable to the device
path of the bootstrap(8) partition using nvsetenv(8) when a NewWorld
compatible version(1,3,5) of nvsetenv(8) is available.
Ybin requires that the bootstrap(8) partition have an HFS filesystem
already on it. For IBM hardware there is no filesystem on the boot-
strap(8) partition, in(1,8) this case use fstype=raw. When using the raw(3x,7,8,3x cbreak)
filesystem type ybin requires that an ELF binary have already been
installed on the bootstrap(8) partition. Use the companion mkofboot(8)
utility to install the boot loader onto a new bootstrap(8) partition.
The bootstrap(8) need not and should not be mounted anywhere on your
filesystem, especially not on top of /boot. Yaboot is able to load(7,n) the
kernels from the ext2fs root partition so that is where they should be
kept. Ybin will refuse to operate on the bootstrap(8) partition if(3,n) it
is mounted.
OPTIONS
-b, --boot device
Install the boot loader onto the specified device, this device
should be that of your bootstrap(8) partition. For example, if(3,n)
your bootstrap partition is located on your first primary IDE
drive in(1,8) the second partition, your device would be: /dev/hda2.
-o, --ofboot of-path
The OpenFirmware device path to the bootstrap(8) partition. This
is needed so the first stage ofboot loader can be configured
properly. It should include the OpenFirmware path including the
partition number (but not any filename). Example: if(3,n) your boot-
strap(8) partition is /dev/hda2 the OF path will likely be hd:2.
As of ybin 0.18 you no longer are required to specify this
option, if(3,n) left undefined ybin will attempt to figure out the
OpenFirmware path automatically using the ofpath(8) utility.
You should only need to define this option if(3,n) ofpath(8) fails.
-i, --install boot-file
Use boot-file as the primary boot loader executable, instead of
the default /usr/local/lib/yaboot(5,8)/yaboot(5,8).
-C, --config config-file
Use config-file as the ybin/yaboot(5,8)(8) configuration file(1,n) instead
of the default /etc/yaboot.conf.
-m, --magicboot chrp-script
Use chrp-script as the boot loader "wrapper". This script is
needed to either provide a boot menu(3x,n,n tk_menuSetFocus) for dual boot with MacOS or
to load(7,n) yaboot(5,8) (due to an OpenFirmware bug).
--filesystem hfs|msdos|raw(3x,7,8,3x cbreak)
Set the filesystem type that ybin expects to find on the boot-
strap(8). The "raw(3x,7,8,3x cbreak)" filesystem type causes ybin to copy the
bootloader (the value of install= directly to the bootstrap(8)
partition without creating a filesystem. "raw(3x,7,8,3x cbreak)" is required on
IBM hardware. CAUTION: this will destroy any data or filesystem
on the bootstrap partition (value of boot=) if(3,n) you specify some-
thing like boot=/dev/sda you will destroy the partition table
and lose ALL data on the disk. The default is HFS.
-M, --mount
Do not use the userspace hfsutils(1) to modify the bootstrap(8),
instead try and mount(2,8) the filesystem directly. NOTE: Attributes
cannot be set(7,n,1 builtins) on the filesystem or the boot loader files using
this method, your system will NOT be bootable without modifying
OpenFirmware's "boot-device" variable to something like:
"hd:2,ofboot" (no quotes).
--nobless
Do not "bless" the root directory of the bootstrap(8) parti-
tion's filesystem. Only use this option if(3,n) the bootstrap(8)
partition is actually a MacOS boot partition. This option is
ignored unless the filesystem is HFS, and is ignored when used
with --mount.
--hide
Set the invisible bit on all the boot loader files once copied
to the bootstrap(8) partition. This setting is useful if(3,n) you
must install the boot loader onto a MacOS boot partition and do
not with to see the boot loader files cluttering up the MacOS
root directory. This option is ignored unless the filesystem is
HFS, and will not work with --mount.
--protect
Set the read-only bit on all boot loader files once copied to
the bootstrap(8) partition. This setting is useful if(3,n) you must
install the bootloader onto a MacOS boot partition and want to
discourage alterations/deletion of the boot loader. This option
works for both HFS and MSDOS filesystems.
--nonvram
Prevent ybin from setting the OpenFirmware boot-device variable
with nvsetenv(8).
-v, --verbose
This option causes ybin to be more verbose as it proceeds.
-f, --force
This option suppresses any confirmation questions.
--debug
This option causes ybin to output some boring details useful
only for debugging ybin itself.
-h, --help
Print out usage information and exit.
-V, --version
Print out the version(1,3,5) number and exit.
FILES
/usr/local/lib/yaboot(5,8)/yaboot(5,8) - boot loader executable
/usr/local/lib/yaboot(5,8)/ofboot - OpenFirmware boot script
/etc/yaboot.conf - boot loader/ybin configuration file(1,n)
ENVIRONMENT
TMPDIR
The temporary directory ybin will use.
SECURITY
Temporary files are created with mktemp(1,3)(1). It is important that your
system use a secure mktemp(1,3)(1) program, otherwise ybin will be vulnera-
ble to race conditions. The Debian mktemp(1,3) is derived from OpenBSD and
thus should be secure.
/usr/local/lib/yaboot(5,8)/ofboot now contains code executed by /bin/sh (by
ybin). It is thus critical that it not be writable by anyone but root.
It is also critical that /etc/yaboot.conf not be writable by anyone but
root since a different ofboot script could be specified there.
BUGS
Ybin should be able to take care of OpenFirmware variables as needed on
IBM hardware.
AUTHORS
ybin and this man(1,5,7) page was written by Ethan Benson.
yaboot(5,8) was written by Benjamin Herrenschmidt.
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to <erbenson@alaska.net>
SEE ALSO
bootstrap(8), hfsutils(1), mkofboot(8), mktemp(1,3)(1), nvsetenv(8),
ofpath(8), yaboot(5,8)(8), yaboot.conf(5),
GNU/Linux PowerPC 21 November 2001 YBIN(8)