HPCBOOT(8) | System Manager's Manual | HPCBOOT(8)

# NAME

`hpcboot` — load and boot kernel from Windows CE

# SYNOPSIS

`hpcboot.exe` |

# DESCRIPTION

`hpcboot` is a program that runs on Windows CE. It loads and executes the specified NetBSD kernel. `hpcboot` supports hpcarm, hpcmips, and hpcsh ports.

Click on the “Boot” button to start the boot process with selected options. Click on the “Cancel” button to exit `hpcboot`.

## Kernel Tab

On this tab you can select the kernel to boot and options to pass to the kernel.

Directory
  In this combobox you specify the “current” directory. The kernel and miniroot image pathnames are taken to be relative to this directory.

  `hpcboot` can load kernel and miniroot from FAT and UFS filesystems, and via HTTP.

Kernel
  In this text field you specify the name of the kernel to load. Kernels compressed with gzip(1) are supported.
Model
  Select your H/PC model in this combobox.
Root File System
  This group of controls lets you specify the desired root file system type. You can select wd(4), sd(4), md(4), and NFS root.

  If you select md(4) memory disk root file system, you should specify the path name of the file system image in the text field below. Miniroot images compressed with gzip(1) are supported.

Kernel Boot Flags
  This group of controls is used to pass boot flags to the kernel.

## Option Tab

On this tab you can specify miscellaneous options that mostly control the `hpcboot` program itself.

Auto Boot
  If this option is selected `hpcboot` will automatically boot NetBSD after the specified timeout.
Reverse Video
  Tells kernel if it should use the framebuffer in reverse video mode.
Pause Before Boot
  If selected, a warning dialog will be presented before anything is done, right after the “Boot” button is pressed.
Load Debug Info
  This option currently does nothing.
Safety Message
  If selected, a warning dialog will be presented after the kernel has been loaded and prepared to be started. This will be your last chance to cancel the boot.
Extra Kernel Options
  In this text field you can specify additional options to pass to the kernel.

## Console Tab

This tab gets its name from the big text area that `hpcboot` uses as the “console” to report its progress.

Save To File
  If checked, the progress log will be sent to the specified file instead.
“Checkboxes Anonymous”
  The row of 8 checkboxes controls debugging options for `hpcboot` itself. They control the bits of an internal variable, the leftmost checkbox being the 7th bit.
“Buttons Anonymous”
  The buttons “a” to “d” control 4 “hooks” a developer might want to use during `hpcboot` development.

# SEE ALSO

kloader(4), boot(8)

# HISTORY

The `hpcboot` utility first appeared in NetBSD 1.6.

# BUGS

`hpcboot` reads the entire kernel image at once, and requires enough free area on the main memory.

April 3, 2004 | NetBSD 11.0