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14. Working with the Openboot.

In this section, you will be given an overview of what is the OpenBoot, and you will be given the main commands you need to know in order to test your hardware and to install Linux.

14.1 What is the OpenBoot?

If you are used to PC hardware, you are used to interact with its BIOS. SPARC computers have an Openboot, it may seem to be like your BIOS, but it is actually far more powerfull. The Openboot performs the following tasks:

The programming language is FCode, if you can program the Forth langage, you can program it.

In this section, we will juste use a small set of the OpenBoot's capabilities, in order to test hardware and to boot the system. First you have to enter in the OpenBoot, just hit the stop and a keys simultaneously. Then you should see a ok prompt, if instead you see the > prompt then type n. Now you can proceed to the next section.

14.2 Diagnostics commands.

The OpenBoot, gives you a lot of commands to test and to gather information about your hardware.

14.3 Boot commands.

The OpenBoot allows you to boot from various devices, the command you are the more likely to enter are below.

14.4 Misc commands.

You can poweroff your computer, when you are working with the OpenBoot : just type power-off

For more informations on the OpenBoot you can read this FAQ at http://www.itworld.com/AppDev/616/UIR951001openboot/


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