Why do most distros use grub(?).

For interesting topics. But remember this is a Linux Forum. Do not post offensive topics that are meant to cause trouble with other members or are derogatory towards people of different genders, race, color, minors (this includes nudity and sex), politics or religion. Let's try to keep peace among the community and for visitors.

No spam on this or any other forums please! If you post advertisements on these forums, your account may be deleted.

Do not copy and paste entire or even up to half of someone else's words or articles into posts. Post only a few sentences or a paragraph and make sure to include a link back to original words or article. Otherwise it's copyright infringement.

You can talk about other distros here, but no MX bashing. You can email the developers of MX if you just want to say you dislike or hate MX.
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
mxer
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 9:09 am

Why do most distros use grub(?).

#1 Post by mxer »

Curiosity getting the better of me today. :cool:

Why do most distros use grub?

OK, lilo may not be the friendliest, but it used to work well, when I first started using Linux, back in the 90s.

Then there is/was syslinux/isolinux/extlinux, seemed really easy to configure.
(FOSS, Linux, & BSD since 1999)
Top
User avatar
fehlix
Developer
Posts: 10375
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:09 pm

Re: Why do most distros use grub(?).

#2 Post by fehlix »

mxer wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 11:05 am Why do most distros use grub?
One reason might be GRUB does support UEFI and legacy booting OOTB.
Gigabyte Z77M-D3H, Intel Xeon E3-1240 V2 (Quad core), 32GB RAM,
GeForce GTX 770, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB, Seagate Barracuda 4TB
Top
User avatar
dolphin_oracle
Developer
Posts: 20010
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2007 1:17 pm

Re: Why do most distros use grub(?).

#3 Post by dolphin_oracle »

mxer wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 11:05 am Curiosity getting the better of me today. :cool:

Why do most distros use grub?

OK, lilo may not be the friendliest, but it used to work well, when I first started using Linux, back in the 90s.

Then there is/was syslinux/isolinux/extlinux, seemed really easy to configure.
we (antiX & MX) uses syslinux/isolinux for booting of the live media on legacy bios systems. But we use grub on the live media for UEFI booting because at the time syslinux didn't do UEFI, but it might now, don't know.
http://www.youtube.com/runwiththedolphin
lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 - MX-23
FYI: mx "test" repo is not the same thing as debian testing repo.
Top
User avatar
figueroa
Posts: 1053
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2018 12:20 am

Re: Why do most distros use grub(?).

#4 Post by figueroa »

Because GRUB lives up to it's name. It's not just easy to configure, but in most use cases it can configure itself.
Andy Figueroa
Using Unix from 1984; GNU/Linux from 1993
Top
User avatar
Adrian
Developer
Posts: 8267
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:42 am

Re: Why do most distros use grub(?).

#5 Post by Adrian »

Besides the technical reasons provided about It might also be because GRUB is a GNU project... many distros give GNU programs priority.
Top
User avatar
Head_on_a_Stick
Posts: 919
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:37 pm

Re: Why do most distros use grub(?).

#6 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

GRUB is the most versatile bootloader, as can be seen from this feature comparison:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ar ... comparison

It can also chainload Windows, the BSDs, Haiku and 9front.
mod note: Signature removed, please read the forum rules
Top
User avatar
mxer
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 9:09 am

Re: Why do most distros use grub(?).

#7 Post by mxer »

I don't dual boot, so I guess that's why it seems overkill to me, but you have a couple of good points, GNU software & UEFI, I still use MBR, even my latest SOC uses compatibility mode, so haven't had to deal with it.

Thanks for your thought. :)
(FOSS, Linux, & BSD since 1999)
Top
Post Reply

Return to “General”