Re: Killing off the boot sector (was: [STATUS 2.5] January 8, 2002)

From: H. Peter Anvin (hpa@zytor.com)
Date: Wed Jan 08 2003 - 19:06:27 EST


Followup to: <200301082123.h08LNXSY003383@darkstar.example.net>
By author: John Bradford <john@grabjohn.com>
In newsgroup: linux.dev.kernel
>
> Shouldn't that part stay, incase somebody boots a machine from a
> floppy, and leaves it running for hours?
>

No; interrupts are enabled so the BIOS will time out the floppy and
turn off the motor if necessary. The only reason Linux (sort of)
needs that code is because the kernel takes control away from the
BIOS. I say "sort of" because it really only matters if the kernel
doesn't have a floppy driver.

        -hpa

-- 
<hpa@transmeta.com> at work, <hpa@zytor.com> in private!
"Unix gives you enough rope to shoot yourself in the foot."
http://www.zytor.com/~hpa/puzzle.txt	<amsp@zytor.com>
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