21 replies to this topic

[Panarchy]

Hello

A couple of months ago, I noticed that there was no wiki page for GRUB4DOS.

So pretty recently I created one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GRUB4DOS

Have added little tidbits here and there, nothing that can't be referenced.

Please help me, by making the article a little larger, with more info.

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

[allanf]

Seems to be a very worthy cause.

I know nothing of GRUB4DOS - but keen to learn - and can be your best critic.

The grammar of the quote from the home page can probably be improved. A translation from a language other than English may have lead to some awkward wording.

GRUB4DOS is an universal boot loader based on GNU GRUB. It can boot off DOS/LINUX, or via Windows boot manager/syslinux/lilo, or from MBR/CD.

"boot off", "boot... via", "boot... from". These terms should be explained, and any differences expanded. If they have the same meaning, then stick to one explained term, and bullet-point the alternatives.

BTW, you'd probably get more help if we could all see a concerted effort to reduce your famous list... ...

[Panarchy]

LOL, what?





Also, I don't want to do to much changing of the actual grammar, as everything I've written so far is referenced

However, since the article is [still] pretty short, it may be best if someone else can edit it and create more information on the article.

Thanks in advance,

Panarchy

[allanf]

LOL, what?

Seems my grammar is not real good either.

Your reference to the home page does not need to be quoted verbatim. The least you can do is remove the 'n' from 'an universal'.

How about the following?

GRUB4DOS is a universal boot loader based on GNU GRUB.

There are three different ways it can be booted.

• off DOS or LINUX
• via Windows boot manager, syslinux or lilo.
• from MBR or CD.

Is that what you, as the contributor, are meaning to say? I don't think so ... ...

What do you mean? The first paragraph in the wiki should be brief, but should also be clear and inviting... ...

I'd like to try GRUB4DOS, but have no idea what it does.

• GRUB4DOS is a universal boot loader based on GNU GRUB.
• GRUB4DOS can be booted from MBR or CD
• GRUB4DOS can be booted off DOS via Windows Boot Manager, or off LINUX via syslinux or lilo.

Is that getting closer to what you are trying to say?

Regards

[Panarchy]

Hmm...

Well Wikipedia can be edited by anyone (that's the point) so if you think changes need to be made, be my guest!

Thanks,

Panarchy

[allanf]

Well Wikipedia can be edited by anyone (that's the point) so if you think changes need to be made, be my guest!

With no disrespect to the author(s) of the GRUB4DOS home page, there does seem to be a presumption that the reader has a certain degree of knowledge.

I believe that the Wikipedia page should presume nothing so that the millions of dummies like me who rely on Wikipedia might better understand GRUB4DOS - what it does, how to implement it, how to roll back out of it, etc

You are probably aware that some of the most fluent expositions of GRUB4DOS are very close at hand. TODO: Read them.

Regards

[Panarchy]

If my wikipedia page for GRUB4DOS isn't the way you think it should be... then edit it!

[allanf]

If my wikipedia page for GRUB4DOS isn't the way you think it should be... then edit it!

Hmmm...

Well, I was about to remove the 'n' from 'an universal', and noticed this in the editing page.

Do not copy text from other websites without a GFDL-compatible license. It will be deleted.

Only public domain resources can be copied without permission — this does not include most web pages or images.

Not wishing to be complicite in any wrong-doing I refrained from my task. Could you (or anyone else) clarify the situation?

Regards

[Panarchy]

Well I'm sure that everything I copied (and referenced) was from a GNU source.

[allanf]

Well I'm sure that everything I copied (and referenced) was from a GNU source.

Yeah. I assumed the same. But the required license for copying text is GFDL, not GPL.

Actually, I was going to copy a sentence that even I can comprehend from:

http://diddy.boot-la...os/Grub4dos.htm.

But thought, I better not, after trying to read through the policy, guidelines and legal mumbo-jumbo.

In the end, it seems to me that contributions and editing of the Wikipedia pages would be best left to people who have some idea about the subject and who can actually make statements in their own words.

Regards

[Panarchy]

Hello

You should take them as guidelines, not rules.

I suppose you were going to put this in?

Grub4dos it is a Multiboot boot loader, used to select which Operating System to load when multiple Operating Systems have been installed on the system.

GRUB4DOS is a universal boot loader based on GNU GRUB. It can be used via a command line interface or menu, and has many features including:

• Boot Master Boot Record (MBR)
• Boot partition boot sector
• Load DOS 6.22/7.x/8.0 (read Windows 9x/Me) loader (io.sys)
• Load FREEDOS loader (kernel.sys)
• Load Windows NT/2000/XP loader (ntldr)
• Load Windows Vista loader (bootmgr)
• Load Linux kernel file
• Supports multiple filesystem types
• Boot from any device accessible by the BIOS, including -
• Hard disk drive (HDD)
• CD/DVD drive
• USB Flash drive
• Floppy Disk drive
• Boot disk images (of type HDD or Floppy)
• Change hard disk order (using map command)
• Boot images from a network
• lba mode support
• Use as PXE boot file

Unlike GNU GRUB, which relies on several Stage files, the Grub4dos functions are built into a single file grldr (or grub.exe if booting from DOS or Linux). grldr can be loaded via an existing operating system - e.g. via the NT loader ntldr, during the Windows NT/W2K/XP boot process. Alternatively, the grub4dos mbr (file grldr.mbr included with the Grub4dos package) can be written to a device (HDD, floppy disk drive, USB drive) and grldr can be loaded via the device's MBR.

If the Grub4dos MBR is installed to the boot device then the root of all supported devices (see supported partition types below) is scanned for the Grub4dos file grldr – if located the file is loaded. Once grldr is loaded devices are then scanned for the configuration file menu.lst – if this is not found a command shell is loaded. When booting via the Grub4dos MBR the boot and configuration files do not have to be on the boot drive and can be moved to any local disk, as long as the file system is supported. Supported partition types include:

• FAT12\FAT16\FAT32
• NTFS
• EXT2\EXT3

Well the person who wrote the aforementioned documentation thanked Jaclaz, which means he should be contactable via a forum. We could ask for permission to use the above information within the GRUB4DOS wikipedia page, or we could tell him we are using it, and if he doesn't like it he can just take it off. We'll reference him of course.

What do you think?

Panarchy

[allanf]

Hello

You should take them as guidelines, not rules.

I suppose you were going to put this in?

.....

Well the person who wrote the aforementioned documentation thanked Jaclaz, which means he should be contactable via a forum. We could ask for permission to use the above information within the GRUB4DOS wikipedia page, or we could tell him we are using it, and if he doesn't like it he can just take it off. We'll reference him of course.

What do you think?

It looks pretty good. (I was thinking of adding the first sentence only ... ... )

However, it is still not comprehensible to a complete novice, but adding more would probably do more harm than good. It could probably be assumed that the target audience would not be complete dummies. Links to definitions for some of the technical terms would be beneficial.

As for copying and pasting it, I think the matter is a rule or policy, rather a guideline, although I can't find a clear statement about it other than what I copied and pasted (under GFDL ... ...) from the Wikipedia editing page.

Perhaps wait. Both jaclaz and diddy make the occasional appearance on the forum. ... ...

[Panarchy]

Sure, I'm happy to wait.

Should you send the PM to diddy, or should I?

[allanf]

You can notify diddy. I was only here to see if I could understand the wiki, ask for clarification when needed, and check for spelling mistakes.

I hope your TODO list ... ahhh ... never mind!

Good luck.

[Panarchy]

You can notify diddy. I was only here to see if I could understand the wiki, ask for clarification when needed, and check for spelling mistakes.

I hope your TODO list ... ahhh ... never mind!

Good luck.

Well I've got a job now, so I'll be making much slower progress with my TODO list from now on!

PM sent.

Panarchy

[was_jaclaz]

Well I've got a job now, so I'll be making much slower progress with my TODO list from now on!

Hmmm, how much does it amount to "slower" (than 0% over a 5 months time span)?

Maybe down-under you have an even more flexible idea of time than Latin Mediterranean one?

Congratulations for your new job!



jaclaz

[pscEx]

Well I've got a job now, so I'll be making much slower progress with my TODO list from now on!

Congratulations to your new job.

But if you now stop to follow your ToDo list, maybe you'll never become a good programmer

Peter

[Panarchy]

Congratulations for your new job!



jaclaz

Thanks

Congratulations to your new job.

But if you now stop to follow your ToDo list, maybe you'll never become a good programmer

Peter

Thanks, yeah... well I've only been at work for a week so far, just give me a chance, and I'll see how good I am at managing different things.

Industry certifications first (of course) as that will allow for promotion.

The rest will (at least at first) just be hobbies.

Panarchy

PS: Back on topic!!!

[Panarchy]

Excellent news, I've been given permission directly from diddy.

Hello

Please have a look;

http://www.boot-land...?showtopic=7736
http://www.boot-land...?...=7736&st=10

We were discussing if you'd allow us to add some information you have documented onto the GRUB4DOS wikipedia page (which I created)

No problems - you have my permission to add anything you want.

I don't always log in but I do check the forum regularly (at least two/three times a week) and had noticed your thread already.

Good luck with the wiki.

diddy

[was_jaclaz]

Remember, besides using parts of the Guide, to add a link to the "full" version:
http://diddy.boot-la...os/Grub4dos.htm

and to official grub4dos Wiki:
http://grub4dos.sour...x.php/Main_Page



jaclaz

[Icecube]

It contains errors and is missing some key features:

Add the following to GRUB4DOS is a universal boot loader based on GNU GRUB. It can be used via a command line interface or menu, and has many features including:

• Chainload ISOLINUX (isolinux.bin)
• Change Load to Chainload in all cases.
• Boot iso images (INT13 access only, drive disappears after protected mode drivers are used)

Change Supported partition types include: to Supported file systems:

• FAT12, FAT16 and FAT32
• NTFS
• EXT2, EXT3 and EXT4

[Panarchy]

Done