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(grub.info)Naming convention


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Naming convention
*****************

   The device syntax used in GRUB is a wee bit different from what you
may have seen before in your operating system(s), and you need to know
it so that you can specify a drive/partition.

   Look at the following examples and explanations:

     (fd0)

   First of all, GRUB requires that the device name is enclosed with
`(' and `)'. The `fd' part means that it is a floppy disk. The number
`0' is the drive number, which is counted from _zero_. This expression
means that GRUB will use the whole floppy disk.

     (hd0,1)

   Here, `hd' means it is a hard disk drive. The first integer `0'
indicates the drive number, that is, the first hard disk, while the
second integer, `1', indicates the partition number (or the PC slice
number in the BSD terminology). Once again, please note that the
partition numbers are counted from _zero_, not from one. This
expression means the second partition of the first hard disk drive. In
this case, GRUB uses one partition of the disk, instead of the whole
disk.

     (hd0,4)

   This specifies the first "extended partition" of the first hard disk
drive. Note that the partition numbers for extended partitions are
counted from `4', regardless of the actual number of primary partitions
on your hard disk.

     (hd1,a)

   This means the BSD `a' partition of the second hard disk. If you
need to specify which PC slice number should be used, use something
like this: `(hd1,0,a)'. If the PC slice number is omitted, GRUB
searches for the first PC slice which has a BSD `a' partition.

   Of course, to actually access the disks or partitions with GRUB, you
need to use the device specification in a command, like `root (fd0)' or
`unhide (hd0,2)'. To help you find out which number is a partition you
want, the GRUB command-line (Note: Command-line interface) options
have argument completion. That means that, for example, you only need
to type `root (', followed by a <TAB>, and GRUB will display the list
of drives, partitions, or file names, so it should be quite easy to
determine the name of your target partition, even with minimal
knowledge of the syntax.

   Note that GRUB does _not_ distinguish IDE from SCSI - it simply
counts the drive numbers from zero, regardless of their type. Normally,
any IDE drive number is less than any SCSI drive number, although that
is not true if you change the boot sequence by swapping IDE and SCSI
drives in your BIOS.

   Now the question is, how to specify a file? Again, see this example:

     (hd0,0)/vmlinuz

   This specifies the file named `vmlinuz', found on the first
partition of the first hard disk drive. Note that the argument
completion works with file names, too.

   That was easy, admit it. Do read the next chapter, to find out how to
actually install GRUB on your drive.


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