Clean BIOS booting Mandrake 9 via LILO

Good news, the 256KByte Clean BIOS (cromwell) is booting up a normal Mandrake 
9 install here, without needing the boot CD or any FATX contact.

The two commands needed on the Linux side after install are

lilo -M /dev/hda
lilo

You also need to set /etc/lilo.conf to:

suppress-boot-time-BIOS-data
boot=/dev/hda2
root=/dev/hda2
install=/boot/boot-text.b
map=/boot/map
vga=normal
delay=00
timeout=00
image=/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 append="devfs=mount kbd-reset"
initrd=/boot/initrd 
label=Linux 
read-only

after this the clean ROM is able to bring in the MBR (thanks to Michael and 
Milosch's work with integrating Bochs) which brings in the active bootsector 
and starts up Linux.  The result is a fully functional and active boot, 
except for the one remaining fly in the ointment: video is not properly 
inited yet.  We are getting some syncs from the video chip to the encoder, 
but right now they are the wrong frequency and the frequency changes from 
boot to boot.  Ryan's work with Dirk Thierbach, the author of nvtv may give 
us a second way to achieve proper init.

I tried bringing up nvtv via SSH and fiddling with it, but it did not have any 
effect on what was being issued by the video chip.

If you are asking yourself why this at all important since Linux is already 
running on peoples' machines via the XBE loader, the answer is that the Clean 
BIOS is the first and only BIOS that you can put into a modchip and run in 
your box 100% legally.  Microsoft can have no complaint about this BIOS since 
it includes none of their code, nor does it run native games.  It has an 
importance outside of its obvious application in that it is a clear and 
unarguably legitimate use for all flash-based modchips.

-Andy



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