Boot Parameters

antiX Linux recognizes many optional boot time parameters (aka "boot codes", "cheat codes", "boot options"). Some of these are loaded before the kernel (specifically the antiX live Boot Parameters) and some are loaded by the Linux kernel itself.

Boot codes provide the Operating System with information which can change the normal behavior of the start-up, or provide the kernel with information it would not be able to detect (or enable you to override values the would normally detect/use). The various codes supply the antiX system with information about how it needs to handle the hardware and the booting system, which devices to use, keyboard and language selections and even how and what it needs to save after booting. By specifying various boot codes, you to can customize many aspects of the system instead of deferring to the default or automatic options and values.

Adding options to Boot

Depending on how antiX Linux was installed (or if it is running live), the steps required to add boot parameters will differ.

   Tip: During each liveboot session, we have opportunity to edit/add the boot line parameters.
        Unless made permanent (by choosing "Save", in the legacy BIOS boot menu...
        or by other methods not yet described in this wiki page),
        the edited parameters will only be applied during the current boot session.

Installed antiX Linux

For most antiX Linux systems, the installation process will install GRUB (to a selected partition or to the Master boot Record) and grub will be used to boot your system.

If you want to add or remove Boot Parameters but you want to test them first before making them permanent, edit them at boot in the grub selection screen.

If you want to add boot parameters and make them permanent (or you are happy with the results of testing them using the above procedure), you can edit the /etc/default/grub file and update grub.

Testing boot parameters in grub

When the computer is powered on, the first thing you will see is a GRUB selection screen. From there you can use the arrow key to select the System you want to boot into. To add or remove Boot parameters:

1. Use the arrow key to select the antiX Linux system you want to boot.

2. Press the e key on your keyboard and a “window” will pop up.

3. Add or remove the boot options in the first line that starts with linux /boot/vmlinuz..., after theses entries, where the boot parameters normally go (usually the boot parameters come after the quiet boot option, if there is one).

4. Press F10 key to start the antiX system with your proposed changes.

Making boot parameters permanent for grub

To make boot parameter permanent, edit the /etc/default/grub file with root privileges.

1. Open /etc/default/grub file with your favorite text editor with root privileges. Example with geany:

$ sudo geany /etc/default/grub

2. Go to the line that starts with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT and modify the parameters after the equal sign. For example, for booting with a specific keyboard layout (Greek), it could look like this:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT= "quiet kbd=gr"

3. Save the file and close it.

4. Launch a terminal and update the GRUB with your changes with the command:

$ sudo update-grub

5. On next reboot, the options added/removed will take effect.

If booting with other boot managers (not grub)

Adding boot parameters will be up to the user and will not be covered in this article.

LIVE or FRUGAL install

Depending on your system (and BIOS/UEFI configuration), antiX live will boot differently.

Legacy_BIOS boot (syslinux/isolinux)

Type the boot parameters directly in the boot screen. You will see the rectangle in the middle of the screen change with the boot parameters you add/remove. Pressing Enter key will boot into your live system with the selected boot options.

If your live medium can save changes, you can use the boot parameter gfxsave to save the boot option changes or (inside the running antiX live system) edit the files /live/boot-dev/boot/isolinux/isolinux.cfg and /live/boot-dev/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg and even change and customize the menu as you want.

UEFI boot (grub)

On the UEFI boot screen, if the boot options you want to select are not available using the text menus (menus), you can add them in the same way as the installed grub method, by pressing the e key and editing the parameters in the third line starting with vmlinuz, and pressing F10 to boot with the selected parameters.

If your live medium can save changes, you can use the boot parameter bootsave to save the boot option changes or (inside the running antiX live system) edit the file /live/boot-dev/boot/grub/grub.cfg (with root privileges) and even change and customize the menu as you want.

See Help:antiX Boot Parameters for a more complete list of Boot Parameters.

list of available parameterNames + value(s)

Table: linux Kernel Boot Codes

The linux kernel recognizes nearly 1000 various boot codes.
(The full list of available codes can be found in the Kernel Documentation)
A few of the kernel boot codes commonly used in antiX are:

code	Description
root=	Specify Root filesystem
rootflags=	Root filesystem mount options
ro	Mount root device read-only on boot (not suitable during liveboot)
rw	Mount root device read-write on boot
resume=	Specify a swap device to use when waking from hibernation
nomodeset	Disable Kernel Modesetting (KMS)
quiet	Disable most Kernel log messages
debug	Enable kernel debugging (events log level)
mem=	Force usage of a specific, limited, amount of memory
maxcpus=	Maximum number of processors that an SMP kernel will bring up during bootup

Table: boot codes available only on antiX systems

Many of the codes are applicable only during liveboot and/or for "frugal" installed systems.
These are presented via a table, within a separate wikipage: Table_of_antiX_Boot_Parameters

See also

gitlab copy of the live/README contained within antiX' initrd.gz

antiX FAQ for Boot parameters

antiX Linux official gitlab source code repository: copy of the "liveboot init script" (resides within initrd.gz)