Quickstart for LOADLIN-1.6a
===========================

Version 1.6a of LOADLIN (as opposite to prior versions) normally needs no
special configuration and has been reported very stable by all ALPHA testers,
so I guess you will only need

   LOADLIN.EXE,

Copy this file to a DOS partition (e.g C:\LOADLIN).

To boot Linux you need also a compressed kernel image file such as
the "/vmlinuz" or the "/usr/src/zImage". In Slackware distribution you
can find a lot of kernels (bare, scsi, modern, ...) in the directory
..../slackware/kernels of the site you got it from.

Copy the image file to your DOS partion (e.g. C:\).

To boot type at dos prompt:

  1. For a Linux partition (ext2, minix, ...) to mount as root

         loadlin c:\vmlinuz root=/dev/hdb2 ro
                                           ==

  2. For an UMSDOS filesystem to mount as root

         loadlin c:\vmlinuz root=/dev/hda1 rw
                                           ==

  3. To boot for installation from a ramdisk image as a file
     (may be directly from CD) haveing a kernel >= 1.3.73

         loadlin c:zimage root=/dev/ram rw initrd=c:rootdsk.gz

  4. To boot from a SlackWare installation root floppy in drive A:
     having the kernel ( < 1.3.48 ) image file on the hard disk.

         loadlin c:bare root=/dev/fd0 rw ramdisk=1440

     The same, but with a kernel >= 1.3.48

         loadlin c:bare root=/dev/fd0 rw load_ramdisk=1

     Dito, but haveing a prompt before insertion of the floppy

         loadlin c:bare root=/dev/fd0 rw load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=1



NOTE: You must know what root partition to use, the above /dev/xxx
      are only examples !!!


If you didn't succeed, please read the file MANUAL.TXT.

Hans Lermen
<elserv.ffm.fgan.de>


