MKBOOTIMAGE(8)        NetBSD/prep System Manager's Manual       MKBOOTIMAGE(8)

NAME
     mkbootimage -- create a prep boot image

SYNOPSIS
     mkbootimage [-lsv] [-m machine_arch] [-b bootfile] [-k kernel]
                 [-r rawdev] boot-image

DESCRIPTION
     mkbootimage is the utility used to create a bootable kernel image on
     NetBSD for prep, bebox or rs6000.

     The mkbootimage utility takes the boot-program, and the optional kernel,
     and creates a boot image from them.  This image contains the boot code,
     kernel, and optionally an i386 partition table.  The image can be written
     directly to a floppy or hard drive with the dd(1) command, or it can be
     directly netbooted via bootpd(8).

     The following options are available:

     -b      Specifies which bootloader to embed in the bootable image.
             Defaults to /usr/mdec/boot.

     -k      Specifies which kernel binary to embed in the bootable image.
             Defaults to /netbsd.

     -l      Creates a partition table for a 2.88MB floppy instead of a 1.44MB
             floppy.  This is primarily used for El-Torrito style CD images.

     -m      Selects the machine architecture to build the image for.  Cur-
             rently supports prep, rs6000 and bebox.  Defaults to the machine
             architecture you are currently running on.  This option is
             required if you are building an image for another machine, such
             as building a prep boot image on i386.

     -r      Specifies the raw device to read to gather the current partition
             table.  This is generally /dev/rsd0c.

     -s      Generates a standalone image with no partition table embedded.

     -v      Generates verbose output, useful for debugging.

     There are three primary ways to use mkbootimage to build a bootable
     image:

     The first method is to build an image suitable for a floppy or netboot.
     This will create an image with an embedded partition table with a single
     PReP boot partition of type 0x41(65).  The image can be directly net-
     booted, or if it is small enough, written directly to a floppy with
     dd(1).  mkbootimage will warn you if the generated image is too large to
     be written to a floppy.

     The second method is to build a standalone image with no partition table.
     This should be written to the PReP boot partition on your hard drive with
     dd(1).

     The third method is for use in upgrading older systems that have been
     built by writing the floppy image directly to the head of the hard drive.
     This method reads the existing partition table and embeds that in the
     image.  This should prevent loss of your current partition layout.  This
     image should be written directly to the head of the disk with dd(1).

     The recommended setup for a PReP machine is to build a partition table
     with fdisk(8) that contains a PReP boot partition (type 65) as partition
     0, marked active, and a second partition for NetBSD encompassing the
     remainder of the disk.  You should then create a disklabel on that disk
     with a partition (such as e) pointing to the PReP boot partition.  Parti-
     tion c should be the whole disk, and partition d can optionally be the
     NetBSD portion of the disk.  You may then use the other partitions for
     your normal disk layout.  The PReP boot partition can be placed anywhere
     on the disk, but it is recommended that it be placed at the beginning of
     the disk.

EXAMPLES
     Create a floppy or netboot image for prep named `boot.fs':
           mkbootimage -m prep -b /usr/mdec/boot -k /netbsd boot.fs
     Create a standalone bebox image for booting from a hard disk:
           mkbootimage -s -m bebox -b /usr/mdec/boot -k /netbsd boot.fs
     Use the partition information on `sd0' to create a new bootable image
     with com0 as the console:
           mkbootimage -b /usr/mdec/boot_com0 -k /netbsd -r /dev/rsd0c boot.fs

SEE ALSO
     dd(1), boot(8), bootpd(8), disklabel(8), fdisk(8)

HISTORY
     mkbootimage first appeared in NetBSD 1.5.

AUTHORS
     mkbootimage was written by NONAKA Kimihiro.

NetBSD 5.0_STABLE               April 30, 2008               NetBSD 5.0_STABLE
