On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 4:37 PM, jd1008 <jd1008(a)gmail.com> wrote:
So, let me ask a simple question.
Technically (I mean programatically), how difficult is it to
fix both BIOS and fdisk so that unless a partition is marked
as bootable, the partition table will not contain the boot signature
and BIOS will still accept the partitioning scheme, but
move on to the next drive in the boot order?
The problem isn't with fdisk. If there's a problem it's that this BIOS
instance isn't smart enough to qualify the MBR it received, fail it
for $REASONS, and then ask for the MBR from the next device in
sequence.
Answers in no particular order, sorta tongue in cheek, being the
deviloper's advocate (pun intended):
- Learn assembly, get hired to a company that OEMs firmware, fix and
advocate pushing it to users. (i.e. I think this is hard to do and
management would probably say no it's not worth the money resources
for this.)
- We have already done exactly this, it's called UEFI.
- We have already done exactly this, it's called coreboot, maybe your
system can use that? (Actually, I've never used coreboot, I don't know
that it will qualify an MBR and do a fallback as described.)
--
Chris Murphy