BSMenu Files

More detailed description has to be done. :-)

Here is some short info:

3 stage concept
===============
stage 1: MBR is loaded (1 sector)

The concept of booting into a so called "active" partition is dropped.
Instead (see MBR.asm):
; This boot loader will search for the first partition of type 06 (FAT16)
;   containing the F16LDR in the second boot sector.
; If found: the first two boot sectors will be loaded to 0:7C00
;           and the second sector will be executed (jump to 0x7E00)
; Else:     the partition specified in the variable "boot_part_no" will be bootet
;

stage 2: F16LDR is loaded (1 sector)
F16LDR is located in the second sector of a FAT16 partition.
To boot the 3rd stage, it uses the filesystem layout information found in the
BPB (bios parameter block) of the first sector.

stage 3: BSM (file)
BSM is the boot sector menu itself

features of BSM
===============
- display boot menu
- possible timeout to boot a default entry
- menu color can be specified
- menu configuration could be specified in \boot\bsm\bsm.cfg (on the FAT16 partition)
- boot into any partition of the first harddisk (primary or extended)
- boot into another boot loader file (i.e. grldr, ntldr, bootmgr,...)
- VM-friendly while in countdown: CPU is released
- MacOS-friendly: direct boot into a MacOs partition supported because
    0000h:SI points to according partition table entry
    (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_boot_record and search 2 times for darwin)
special keys: 
- alt-<n> boot into partition <n>
- F12: power off
- ...

why BSM?
========
tbd


installation
============
tbd


variations
==========
- load BSM by another boot loader (i.e. GRLDR) for testing purposes
or
- modify F16LDR to load another loader file (GRLDR, NTLDR or BOOTMGR)


Have fun.
dosbuddy