Loadlin

Loadlin is a free operating system boot program ( bootloader) with the aid of Windows 9x or MS -DOS systems, a Linux kernel can be started.

Technical details

Loadlin can be used from a running MS- DOS or Windows 9x system out to start a Linux. This was especially necessary earlier because incompatibilities between hard drives and the BIOS of a system it is not allowed to write a boot loader in the boot sector of a hard disk or to access these. Occasionally DOS - based supplemental application was required in order to use them at all can for certain sound cards.

Nowadays, boot loader is less common because it requires a DOS - based system ( such as the Windows 9x line).

Technically Loadlin is a DOS program that can create the kernel of Linux and a RAM disk. These need to be available as an image file under DOS or Windows, and is no longer needed after the start of the Linux system.

Loadlin is licensed as Free Software under the GNU General Public License (GPL, ≥ 2).