Understanding the Linux System Boot Process
The article outlines the Linux boot sequence: BIOS performs hardware detection and self‑test, selects the boot device, runs the MBR boot loader (such as GRUB), loads the kernel which probes hardware and starts init, and finally init prepares the environment, starts services, and launches the login prompt.
When a Linux machine powers on, the BIOS first reads hardware information, performs a self‑test, and selects the first bootable device.
The BIOS then reads the Master Boot Record (MBR) and executes the boot loader (e.g., GRUB, spfdisk), which loads the kernel into memory according to its configuration.
After the kernel starts, it probes the hardware, loads the necessary drivers, and finally invokes the init process. init obtains the current run‑level, runs /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit to set up the environment (network, timezone, etc.), starts all services for that run‑level, executes /etc/rc.d/rc.local, and then launches the terminal emulator mingetty to start the login program, where it waits for a user to log in.
In this sequence, BIOS (Basic Input Output System) loads CMOS data, performs POST, and the boot loader is the program that loads the kernel into memory for execution.
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