



			    Choose-OS v0.4

			    	README


CONTENTS
	- LEGAL CRAP
	- WHAT IN THE "#$#"$^~% IS Choose-OS ?
	- HOW TO INSTALL IT 
	- CONFIGURATION FILE
	- COLOR NAMES
	- COMMAND LINE
	- LINUX COMMAND LINE
	- SPECIAL ERRORS 'N WARNINGS
	- BUGS, WHAT ARE THEY ?
	- BUGS THAT HAVE BEEN FIXED
	- CONTACTING THE AUTHOR


LEGAL CRAP
	Choose-OS IS A FREEWARE PROGRAM, WHICH MEANS U CAN GIVE IT TO
	ANYONE WHO WANTS IT, AS LONG AS U DON'T CHARGE HIM/HER.
	AS Choose-OS DISTRIBUTED ON AS-IS BASIS, I SHALL NOT BE LIABLE
	FOR ANY DAMAGE, DATA-LOSS OR WHATEVER IT MAY ACCIDENTALLY CAUSE
	TO YOUR SYSTEM. NOR SHALL I BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING IT MAY
	DO TO YOUR, YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS' OR YOUR FRIENDS SANITY OR HEALTH.



WHAT IN THE "#$%$#{^* IS Choose-OS ?
	Choose-OS, is a simple boot loader program for Linux.
	It does the exactly same things as LILO, but it looks nicer (IMHO)
	'n what is more, it is menu-based. U will also find a lot more 
	bugs... ( I hope there ain't any, though... )


HOW TO INSTALL IT
	So, to make it work ya gotta install it on yer system.

	Here's too good ;) step-by-step instructions :
		0) Login as 'root' 

		1) Untar-ungzip chos-<x>.<y>.tar.gz somewhere.
		   ("tar xzf chos-<x>.<y>.tar.gz" should do the job.
		   (<x>.<y> is the version number))
	 	   U should find the following files there:
			chos			The installer
			README			Ain't ya readin' it ?
			chos.bsect		Bootsector image
			chos.loader		The actual loader
			chos.conf.example	Example configuration file
			chos.1			Hmm... a man page ?
			Makefile		Installation makefile

		2) Type 'make' to automagically copy the appropriate files
		   to appropriate places.

		3) Create yerself a /etc/chos.conf file.
		   U may use "chos.conf.example" as a template.
	 	   See "CONFIGURATION FILE".

		4) Make sure U have a boot disk available. 
		   ( Failure to do this might get U to a nuthouse. ;-) ).
	
		5) Run 'chos'
	
		6) The last chance to make a boot recovery disk !!!!!!!!

		7) Type "reboot" or just simply press CTRL-ALT-DEL, 
		   whatever U like.

		8) Pray it works ;-) !!!

		9) Enjoy yer new mega-cool boot loader ;)



CONFIGURATION FILE
	'#' always tells that the rest of the line is comment.
	
	Each non-comment/non-blank line begings with a keyword followed by
	options. Choose-OS currently recognizes the following keywords:
		delay=<xx>
			Sets the delay to wait before bootin' the first 
			image to <xx> seconds. 
			Default: 30 secs.

		install=<device>
			Tells Choose-OS to install it's boot sector on 
			<device>. 
			Default: None. This is required!!
	
		linux=<filename>:<description>:<command line> [:<color>]
			Adds a Linux kernel to the list of boot images.
			<Filename> is the linux kernel (/vmlinuz or something).
			<Description> is what reads at the bootup menu for
			the image. Max- length of the field is 30-1 characters.
			<command line> 	is the default command line for the 
			image. See "LINUX COMMAND LINE".
			<Color> is optional 'n is used to specify the color
			used to display this <description>.
			See below for color names.
	
		bootsect=<device>:<description> [:<color>]
			Adds the bootsector of <device> to the list of
			boot images. <device> must be a block device.
			<Description> is what stands for the image at
			the bootup menu.
			<Color> is the same as above.
	
		bootfile=<filename>:<description> [:<color>]
			Adds a file <filename> to the list of boot images.
			The file must be 512 bytes long. 
			I think ya already know what <description> is.
			This could be used to boot the previous MBR.
			( assuming U install Choose-OS as MBR. )
			<Color> is the same as above.
			
		
	NEW FOR 0.3:
		banner=<banner>
			This is what Choose-OS shows on top of the menu.
			The default is "Choose-OS v<x>.<y> BootUp Menu."
			'n I'm sure U wanna change it to a more interesting
			one, like "Whatcha wanna play today with ?",
			"Good morning, whatcha wanna have for breakfast?" or
			something... Oh, BTW, the maximum length of the 
			banner is 64-1 characters...

		infoline=<on_off>
			Do ya wanna see copyright 'n key help at the
			bottom of the screen at bootup ? If not, set this
			to "off". Else set it to "on"

	NEW FOR 0.4:
		color=<color>
			Let's you specify color used for normal text.
			
		selection=<color>
			Highlight color of selected image. It can only
			be one of the 8 first colors.

	[ Remember: CaSe SeNSiTiVe !!! ]


COLOR NAMES
	Choose-OS accepts the following color names :
		black		blue		green		cyan
		red		magenta		brown		lightgray
		darkgray	lightblue	lightgreen	lightcyan
		lightred	lightmagenta	yellow		white
		
	[ AGAIN: CaSe SenSiTiVE !!! ]


COMMAND LINE
	Choose-OS accepts the following command line options:
	
		-h
			Show version,copyright 'n usage.
			
		-v
			verbose
	
		-c <config_file>
			Uses <config_file> as configuration file.
			Default is /etc/chos.conf.
		
		-b <boot_sector>
			Uses <boot_sector> as Choose-OS boot sector.
			Default is /boot/chos.bsect.
			
		-l <loader>
			Uses <loader> as Choose-OS image loader.
			Default is /boot/chos.loader.
			
		-m <map_file>
			Uses <map_file> as boot image map file.
			Default is /boot/chos.map.


LINUX COMMAND LINE
	This section describes the syntax of Linux command line.

	The command line is simply a string of parameters to transfer to Linux.
	Valid parameters are for example:
		ro		Mount root device read-only.
		rw		Mount root device read-write.
		root=<device>	Tells Linux to use <device> as root device.
				This can be a hexadecimal number or a path 
				name. Overrides the one hard-coded to kernel.
		
		There are lotsa others too depending on what drivers U have 
		but it's not the purpose of this document to describe 'em.
	
	Choose-OS interpretes "vga=<mode>" parameter itself. 
	The valid values for <mode> are:
		NORMAL		normal 80x25
		ASK		Tell Linux to ask for the mode
		EXTENDED	EGA 80x43 / VGA 80x50
		0x<????> 	where <????> is a hexadecimal number for the 
				mode.


The default command line specified in the configuration file can be
overridden by pressing space,not enter, at the bootup menu and typing 
another one.



SPECIAL ERRORS 'N WARNINGS

	"?????????? might NOT be accessible by thy BiOS!!!"
		This warning occurs when a sector of a file is outside the
	 	stinkin' bios 1024 cylinder limit and it cannot be accessed 
		by BiOS, unless it tells different geometry what Linux.

	"filename: NOT valid Choose-OS bootsector/2nd stage loader file !!!"
		This occurs when chos.bsect/chos.loader doesn't have the right
		signature/version number. 
     	
	"ERROR: Impossible internal error !!!"
		or
	"ERROR: Internal error !!!"
     		Hopefully these never occur...

	"PREViOUS iNSTALLATiON OF Choose-OS MiGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BOOT !!!" 
	"PLEASE RE-RUN Choose-OS !!!"
		This only occurs if Choose-OS couldn't write it's 
		boot sector and had already overwritten previous map file.
 
 	"ERROR: hole found in <xx>"
 		Choose-OS had discovered uncoverable hole in <xx>.


BUGS, WHAT ARE THEY ?:
		
	- Hmmm.... dunno any...
	
	Report me, if ya notice any ....


BUGS THAT HAVE BEEN FIXED:

	( 0.3 -> 0.4 )
	- U can't any longer fool Choose-OS to use loader and/or boot sector
	  of previous incompatible version of Choose-OS.


CONTACTING THE AUTHOR:
	Yeah, U might wanna contact me in the case U notice a *big bad bug*, 
	if U have a good suggestion on improving Choose-OS
	or if ya just wanna gimme money =-) .

	My address is:
		tuv1@freenet.hut.fi
	
	Note: I don't read the mail very often.

	Don't bother me with lame questions like "What's a boot loader?"...
	
	I don't want no SnailMail unless there's money...
	or something else cool...


		- Tuomo Valkonen (tuv1@freenet.hut.fi)