Is Grub the best bootloader?

[rawbeefman]

Someone told me that XOSL is much better than Grub as a bootloader. Grub hasn't failed me yet, but I like to get my hands dirty with stuff like this. Anyone used it, or know its compatitbility with Gentoo? Anyone know if changing a bootloader is difficult?

Thanks.
Eschmann

[Naib]

grub is "a" bootloader, thats all I will say on this topic
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[GurliGebis]

Both GRUB and LILO are great bootloaders.
Grub are easies to set up, and you don't have to run lilo every time you update your kernel etc.
Lilo are easies to use when using hardware RAID controllers, since grub has problems with these.
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Queen Rocks.

[Moofed]

From what I can tell, the "newest" version of xosl is 1.1.5 ans was released on December 3rd, 2000. I think it only supports booting linux in the same way that grub supports booting winxp: by handing off to another bootloader. You would still need to use lilo, there would just be another screen before the lilo screen slowing down the boot.

[niffs]

If you have to chainload Linux, I'd say it isn't worth it... I'd just stick with grub (for now at least).
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No matter where you are... everyone is always connected.
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[Frodg]

Grub is definitely the easiest to maintain.
(Once you work out that the first partion on the first HDD is actually (hd0,0)......... )
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Aerosolo ergo sum - I spray therefore I am

Gentoo - Registered Linux User # 361400

[mijenix]

Hi

I use Grub and LILO. I had never problems with lilo.
But I had a Box with grub and dual boot (Linux, Windows) and grub can't boot Windows. Then once after many time I spend, someone said it's a BIOS that doesn't work. So I decided: I use grub where Linux is alone and lilo for dual boot.

--Mathias

[zieloo]

Indeed - I was using grub since all of the users were installing lilo:), and I agree it's well maintained piece of software and by far the best choice as a bootloader.

[rawbeefman]

Is there any way to get a more decent 'splash image' baclground with grub? The clouds are a little too girly for my taste.

I wanted something like a naked chic or a wildebeast or something that says the person that is maintaining this computer is bad ass.

[Ateo]

Grub looks nicer than lilo. But in the end, both are the same. After a kernel install/upgrade, both bootloaders need to be edited in some form or another. IMO, both are equally as good.

[pablo_supertux]

Th reasons why I use grub:

• configuration is easier
  
• you have a bash-like environment where you can test command before putting them on grub.lst/grub.conf without restarting your pc
  
• you don't need to reinstall grub on the MBR when the configuration files are changed
  
• you are able to start a bash-like environment at boot time
  
• you are able to edit boot entries at boot time before the kernel is loaded
  
• the bash-like environment has TAB-completition, you don't even have to knwo how many partition do you have, using TAB allow you to see your partition and their contents
  

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A! Elbereth Gilthoniel!
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o menel aglar elenath,
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[Konsti]

Both are great. But only lilo has the sometimes very very important -R switch!

[niffs]

You can make your own splash image for grub. It needs to follow these specifications:
- 16 colors
- 640x480
- XPM format (optionally gzipped)

You can take you favorite picture and convert it to grub format using imagemagick like this:

[vvlly]

You can tell grub what to boot next time too. At least with 0.96, not sure what version was the first to have grub-set-default.

/boot/grub/menu.lst or grub.conf

[Konsti]