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It performs just a little bit of hardware initialization and then executes a so-called [[Payloads|payload]], for example a [[Linux]] kernel, [[FILO]], [[GRUB2]], [http://www.openbios.org/ OpenBIOS], [http://www.openbios.org/Open_Firmware Open Firmware], [http://www.openbios.org/SmartFirmware SmartFirmware], [http://www.gnu.org/software/gnufi/ GNUFI] (UEFI), [[Etherboot]], [[ADLO]] (for booting [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_2000 Windows 2000] and [http://openbsd.org/ OpenBSD]), [[Plan 9]], or [[memtest86]].
It performs just a little bit of hardware initialization and then executes a so-called [[Payloads|payload]], for example a [[Linux]] kernel, [[FILO]], [[GRUB2]], [http://www.openbios.org/ OpenBIOS], [http://www.openbios.org/Open_Firmware Open Firmware], [http://www.openbios.org/SmartFirmware SmartFirmware], [http://www.gnu.org/software/gnufi/ GNUFI] (UEFI), [[Etherboot]], [[ADLO]] (for booting [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_2000 Windows 2000] and [http://openbsd.org/ OpenBSD]), [[Plan 9]], or [[memtest86]].
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<!--a compressed Linux kernel that can be booted from a cold start.  -->
<!--The project was started as part of clustering research work in the Cluster Reseach Lab at the Advanced Computing Laboratory at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The primary motivation behind the project was the desire to have the operating system gain control of a cluster node from power on. Other beneficial consequences of using LinuxBIOS include needing only two working motors to boot (cpu fan and power supply), fast boot times (current fastest is 3 seconds), and freedom from proprietary (buggy) BIOS code, to name a few. These secondary benefits are numerous and have helped gain support from many vendors in both the high performance computing as well as embedded computing markets.
Note that, on newer systems, there need be no moving parts at all. At LANL, we are building a new 'no moving parts' 16-node cluster to demonstrate this capability. The cluster will fit in a toolbox, run from a battery,  boot in 10 seconds, and be controlled from your laptop (which, sadly, will still have a few moving parts).
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'''<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">News</span>'''<hr />
'''<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">News</span>'''<hr />
<small>
<small>
* '''2007/02/24:''' [[News#2007.2F02.2F24_LinuxBIOS_talk_at_FOSDEM_2007|LinuxBIOS talk at FOSDEM 2007]]
* '''2007/02/24:''' [[News#2007.2F02.2F24_LinuxBIOS_talk_at_FOSDEM_2007|LinuxBIOS talk (video) at FOSDEM 2007]]
* '''2007/02/09:''' [[News#2007.2F02.2F09_MSI_K9ND_Master_Series_.28MS-9282.29_supported_in_LinuxBIOS|MSI K9ND Master Series (MS-9282) support]]
* '''2007/02/09:''' [[News#2007.2F02.2F09_MSI_K9ND_Master_Series_.28MS-9282.29_supported_in_LinuxBIOS|MSI K9ND Master Series (MS-9282) support]]
* '''2006/11/02:''' [[News#2006.2F11.2F02_MSI_K9SD_Master-S2R_.28MS-9185.29_supported_in_LinuxBIOS|MSI K9SD Master-S2R (MS-9185) support]]
* '''2006/11/02:''' [[News#2006.2F11.2F02_MSI_K9SD_Master-S2R_.28MS-9185.29_supported_in_LinuxBIOS|MSI K9SD Master-S2R (MS-9185) support]]

Revision as of 21:11, 2 March 2007

LinuxBIOS is a Free Software project aimed at replacing the proprietary BIOS (firmware) you can find in most of today's computers.

It performs just a little bit of hardware initialization and then executes a so-called payload, for example a Linux kernel, FILO, GRUB2, OpenBIOS, Open Firmware, SmartFirmware, GNUFI (UEFI), Etherboot, ADLO (for booting Windows 2000 and OpenBSD), Plan 9, or memtest86.

BenefitsThere are many reasons for using LinuxBIOS.


  • 100% Free Software (GPL), no royalties, no license fees!
  • Fast boot times (3 seconds from power-on to Linux console)
  • Avoids the need for a slow, buggy, proprietary BIOS
  • Runs in 32-Bit protected mode almost from the start
  • Written in C, contains virtually no assembly code
  • Supports a wide variety of hardware and payloads
  • Further features: netboot, serial console, remote flashing, ...

Use CasesLinuxBIOS can be deployed in a wide range of scenarios.


Quick-Links

About
Find out more about LinuxBIOS.
News | Press | History | Documentation | Screenshots & Videos | Contributors | Sponsors

Developers
Get involved! Help us make LinuxBIOS better!
Development Guidelines | Issue Tracker | Doxygen | Browse Source | JTAG | EHCI Debug Port

Status
Find out whether your hardware is already supported.
Supported Motherboards | Supported Chipsets & Devices | Build Status

Vendors & Products
Do you want to deploy LinuxBIOS? Buy LinuxBIOS solutions?
Products | Clusters | Laptop | Desktops

Getting Started
Download LinuxBIOS and get started!
Downloads | Payloads | Build Tutorials | Confirmed Working SVN Revisions | Flashrom | Misc

Support
Learn how to contact us and find help and support.
Mailinglist | FAQ | Glossary | LinuxBIOS Options
More than a million devices already run on LinuxBIOS!


News