[rescue] rescuing an ailing U10...

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Tue, 2 Oct 2007, Meelis Roos wrote:

>> Most Unixes don't actually use an MBR like Windows and Linux do.
>> They use a disklabel[0], which is similar in concept, but very
>> different in implementation.
>
> Yes, but the choice of primary partitioning scheme is usually dictated
> by platform firmware, not OS.

Well, in the case of the PC, it's by convention, not by any requirement
of the firmware.  It just blindly loads whatever's at the first sector,
checks the magic number and jumps to the start of the code.  I've owned
plenty of PCs that had no MBRs at the beginnings of their disks.

Platforms with more sophisticated firmware actually do need a prescribed
on-disk layout, as you mentioned.  A survey of where that sort of thing
breaks down by platform would be interesting.

-- 
Jonathan Patschke     )  "So far, 99% of illegal activity has been caused
Elgin, TX            (    by criminals."
USA                   )                                    --David Willis