Linked by Thom Holwerda on Mon 5th Mar 2007 23:00 UTC, submitted by jmmv
Multiboot is a specification that defines a protocol between boot loaders and operating system kernels. The idea behind it is to let any compliant boot loader load and execute any compliant OS kernel, decoupling these two system components. This way, boot loaders can be simpler by only having to know a single load protocol, and OS development is easier because there is no need to write a custom boot loader. This article details how NetBSD was made Multiboot-compliant, allowing it to be booted directly from within GRUB, and thus making it easier to install NetBSD alongside a Linux system in a single machine.
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Member since:2006-03-06
About Windows, I just would like to post a link: http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2005/12/20/505887.aspx Anyway, it's true we can't do anything about it, and that the sanest option to boot it continues to be to chainload its own boot loader.
However, there is people that loves to install tons of OSes in their machines just to play around with them, and if all were Multiboot-compliant, things would be easier. Also, there are some developers that would like to attempt to write a kernel. If they make it Multiboot-compliant, they can get up to work fairly quickly, without writing a boot loader.
Sure, Multiboot does not solve all problems, but things could be better overall if at least all free OSes supported it :-)
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Member since:
2005-08-10
but Microshaft is not going to play with it, just as it always does with ALL version of windows.
The weakest link in the Multiboot spec is that it still relies on BIOS to boot up MBR. All version of windows (except EFI version) just overwrite the MBR with it's own crap. How elegant the rest of the MBS is irrelevant with MBR screwed.
All it need to bring down a MBS system is 1 non co-operative OS or disk utility. With old software around and monopolistic company like MS who don't want to co-operate the situation is not going to improve with this new MBS effort.