Kexecboot

From postmarketOS
Kexecboot
Name Kexecboot
1st stage
Unavailable
2nd stage
Works
Resources homepage

Kexecboot is a C program which is able to scan the partitions of given devices, offering a graphical framebuffer menu and allowing user to select from which one to boot. Specifically, kexecboot creates the command line for kexec.

Typically kexecboot resides together with kexec in a small initramfs, embedded in a custom-tailored kernel compiled with support for initramfs and kexec system call.

Both binaries are built in a static fashion, linked against klibc to optimize size. Kexecboot may be linked against other *libc (glibc, eglibc, uclibc) libraries and may be used as standalone binary as well.

Initially the program was been developed for the Sharp Zaurus PDA (armv5te). For the devices of that family of computers there is specific code that reads bootparams directly from NAND, circumventing the obsolete bootloader which is incompatible with modern 2.6.x kernels.

See also