Re: what is bzImage?

[Mark Blunier <blunier@ocslink.com>]

On Sat, 17 Jul 1999, Tesla Coil wrote:

> > Supposedly bzImage actually boots faster, but other than
> > that, there's no difference in the way the system *runs*.
> > My rule is that if I can't fit all my drivers into the zImage, I
> > need to modularize more.
> 
> If bzImage boots faster, and there's otherwise no difference,
> why do you make a rule of going zImage?  Another reason for
> this, or do you just do it for thrill of the hack?

If the kernel is small, it will work as both a zImage and a
bzImage, and the booted system runs the same way.  A big
kernel will work as a bzImage, but not as a zImage.  Both
bootimages are gzipped, (bzImage is not bzipped as the name would
suggest), but are put together and loaded differently, that allows the
kernel to load in higher address space, that does not limit it to
lower memory in the pathetic intel architecture.

So why have both? Backward compatability.  Some older lilos and loadlins
don't handle the bzImage format (and I thought  bioses, but that may not 
be the case). Note, they *boot* differently, but *run* the same.

One other comment; there is a lot of misinformation given out about
what a bzImage file is (mostly about it being bzip2ed), so use reliable
sources, or check the facts for yourself.

Mark


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