ACRONIS DD10DB Datasheet download pdf (Page 124)

Particularities of Operating Systems

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B.4 Linux

Acronis Disk Director Suite automatically detects and supports any Linux distribution if it is

booted by Lilo or ASPLoader installed in the MBR, or if it is booted by any loader installed

in the boot sector of the Linux partition.

Usually Linux itself is installed on an Ext2, Ext3 or ReiserFS partition, which can be both

primary and logical, and can be located on any hard disk. Linux also requires another

partition to manage its virtual memory (Linux Swap).

Strictly speaking, the loader is not a part of an operating system. Its main function is to load

the Linux kernel into memory and pass control to it. Since Lilo is the most common Linux

loader, let us describe its work in more detail (ASPLoader works in a similar manner).

The Linux kernel is stored in a file, and the loader has to load it into memory. Instead of

supporting multiple file systems where the kernel might be stored, Lilo developers chose a

simpler and more universal way. The loader just stores the location of the kernel file in its

data structures. These structures are created by a special activation program called «lilo»,

and the process itself is called «activation». Since this program is run from Linux, the features

of the latter allow it to easily locate any file on a disk.

The disadvantage of such a technique manifests itself when a Linux partition is moved or

reduced in size. In that case, Linux becomes unbootable, and a Linux boot floppy is

required to reactivate the loader.

B.5 Other Operating Systems

Other operating systems are usually installed on their own file systems. They can have

limitations to the location of the boot partition and support of other file systems. It is

useful to know this information prior to installing a new operating system on the

computer.

Acronis Disk Director Suite automatically detects even operating systems unknown to it, if

they are booted from the boot sector.

Some modern operating systems have special means allowing them to be booted directly

from Windows, among them BeOS and QNX.

We recommend that you do not use other partition management software that may be

supplied with operating systems together with Acronis Disk Director Suite’s OS Selector,

since they frequently make incorrect changes to the partition structure. If you need to

create a separate partition to install a new operating system, it is best to use Acronis Disk

Director Suite’s OS Selector Disk Administrator.

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ACRONIS DD10DB Datasheet Page 124