helpUsing the Help SystemThe boot loader online help is context sensitive. It gives information about the selected menu item or, if you are editing boot options, it tries to look up information about the option in which the cursor is positioned. Navigation Keys Up Arrow: highlight previous link Down Arrow: highlight next link Left Arrow, Backspace: return to previous topic Right Arrow, Enter, Space: follow link Page Up: scroll up one page Page Down: scroll down one page Home: go to page start End: go to page end Esc: leave help Return to optBootOptionskeytableLanguage and Keyboard Layout SelectionPress F2 to change language and keyboard layout the boot loader uses. Return to optBootOptionsprofileChoose ProfilePress F3 to select a profile. Your system will be started using the configuration saved in this profile. Return to optBootOptionsoptBoot Optionso_splashsplash -- influence the behavior of the splash screen o_apmapm -- toggle power management o_acpiacpi -- advanced configuration and power interface o_ideide -- control the IDE subsystemo_splashKernel Options: splashThe splash screen is the picture shown during system start-up. splash=0 The splash screen is switched off. This may be useful with very old monitors or if some error occurs. splash=verbose Activates splash, kernel and boot messages are still shown. splash=silent Activates splash, but no messages. Instead a progress bar is drawn. Return to optBootOptionso_apmKernel Options: apmAPM is one of the two power management strategies used on current computers. It is mainly used with laptops for functions like suspend to disk, but it may also be responsible for switching off the computer after power down. APM relies on a correct working BIOS. If the BIOS is broken, APM may have only limited use or even prevent the computer from working. Therefore, it may be switched off with the parameter apm=off -- switch off APM completely Some very new computers may benefit more from the newer o_acpiACPI. Return to optBootOptionso_acpiKernel Options: acpiACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) is a standard that defines power and configuration management interfaces between an operating system and the BIOS. By default, acpi is switched on when a BIOS is detected that is newer than from year 2000. There are several commonly used parameters to control the behavior of ACPI: pci=noacpi -- do not use ACPI to route PCI interrupts acpi=oldboot -- only the parts of ACPI that are relevant for booting remain activated acpi=off -- switch off ACPI completely acpi=force -- switch on ACPI even if your BIOS is dated before 2000 Especially on new computers, it replaces the old o_apmapm system. Return to optBootOptionso_ideKernel Options: ideIDE is, unlike SCSI, commonly used in most desktop workstations. To circumvent some hardware problems that occur with IDE systems, use the kernel parameter: ide=nodma -- switch off dma for IDE drives Return to optBootOptions.