<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> <title>1.8. Installing a Bootloader</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="images/mdk-doc.css" type="text/css"> <meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.73.2"> <link rel="start" href="index.html" title="Introducing Mandriva Linux"> <link rel="up" href="drakx.html" title="Chapter 1. Installation with DrakX"> <link rel="prev" href="drakxid-addUser.html" title="1.7. User Management"> <link rel="next" href="drakx-misc-params.html" title="1.9. Checking Miscellaneous Parameters"> </head> <body bgcolor="white" text="black" link="#0000FF" vlink="#840084" alink="#0000FF"> <div class="navheader"> <table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"> <tr> <th colspan="3" align="center">1.8. Installing a Bootloader </th> </tr> <tr> <td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="drakxid-addUser.html">Prev</a> </td> <th width="60%" align="center">Chapter 1. Installation with DrakX</th> <td width="20%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="drakx-misc-params.html">Next</a></td> </tr> </table> <hr> </div> <div class="section" lang="en"> <div class="titlepage"> <div> <div> <h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner"></a>1.8. Installing a Bootloader </h2> </div> </div> </div> <p><a name="BIdNEW-drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner-pa5"></a>This step only shows if there is a Linux bootloader already on your system. </p> <div class="mediaobject" align="center"><img src="images/dx-setupBootloader.png" align="middle"></div> <a class="indexterm" name="BId-drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner-it1"></a> <a class="indexterm" name="BId-drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner-it2"></a> <a class="indexterm" name="BId-drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner-it3"></a> <a class="indexterm" name="BId-drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner-it4"></a> <p><a name="BId-drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner-pa1"></a>A bootloader is a small program which is started by the computer at boot time. It's responsible for starting up the whole system. Normally, the bootloader installation is totally automated. <span class="application">DrakX</span> analyzes the disk boot sector and acts according to what it finds: </p> <div class="itemizedlist"> <ul type="disc"> <li> <p><a name="BId-drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner-pa2"></a>If a <span class="application">Windows <sup>®</sup></span> boot sector is found, it is replaced by a <span class="application">GRUB</span>/ <span class="application">LILO</span> boot sector. This way you are able to load either <span class="application">Linux</span> or any other <acronym class="acronym">OS</acronym> installed on your machine. </p> </li> <li> <p><a name="BId-drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner-pa3"></a>In any other case it asks you where it should place the boot loader. Generally, the <span class="guilabel">First sector of drive (MBR)</span> is the safest place. </p> </li> </ul> </div> <p><a name="BId-drakxid-setupBootloaderBeginner-pa4"></a>Choosing <span class="guilabel">Skip</span> won't install a bootloader. Use this option only if you really do know what you're doing. </p> </div> <div class="navfooter"> <hr> <table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"> <tr> <td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="drakxid-addUser.html">Prev</a> </td> <td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="u" href="drakx.html">Up</a></td> <td width="40%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="drakx-misc-params.html">Next</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">1.7. User Management </td> <td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="index.html">Home</a></td> <td width="40%" align="right" valign="top"> 1.9. Checking Miscellaneous Parameters </td> </tr> </table> </div> </body> </html>