Free boot software for linux

boot-dvd project contains a couple of Perl-scripts that can be used to create a custom DVD-ISO image (to be burned), that contains user selected Linux boot/live-CD images (only ISOLINUX boot loader supported) in a handy GRUB menu.
Enhancements:
- Many updates and bugfixes were made.

U-Boot is a Universal Bootloader project that provides firmware with full source code under GPL.
Many CPU architectures are supported: PowerPC(MPC5xx, MPC8xx, MPC82xx, MPC7xx, MPC74xx, 4xx), ARM(ARM7, ARM9, StrongARM, Xscale), MIPS(4Kc,5Kc), x86.
Enhancements:
Support for new CPUs:
- AMCC 440SP
- ARM 946E
- NetSilicon NS7520
Support for new boards:
- AMCC Luan 440SP
- AMD Pb1x00
- AP1000
- Armadillo HT1070
- Barco SCN
- Barco SVC
- Cogent csb637
- esd CMS700
- esd CPCI2DP
- esd cpci5200
- esd pf5200
- IFM o2dnt
- KwikByte KB920x
- MP2USB
- Sandburst Karef
- Sandburst Metrobox
- Silicon Turnkey eXpress XTc
- TQ Components TQM834x
- TQ Components TQM8541
- TQ Components TQM8555
- Vibren PXA255 IDP
- Support for GCC-4.x
- Support for multiple PHYs
- Support for passing Open Firmware flat trees to the Linux kernel
- Generic 4xx_enet.c driver for all 4xx CPUs
- Uniform support for all AMCC eval boards
- Xilinx Spartan3 family FPGA support
- Major cleanup ARM Integrator boards
- Changed all $(...) variable references into ${...}

Dariks Boot and Nuke is short DBAN is a self-contained boot floppy that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers.
DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.
Main features:
- Free.
- Fast. Rapid deployment in emergency situations.
- Easy. Start the computer with DBAN and press the ENTER key.
- Safe. Irrecoverable data destruction. Prevents most forensic data recovery techniques.
Enhancements:
- SysLinux 2.13
- Linux 2.4.33
- LZMA 4.32
- uClibc 0.9.20
- Busybox 0.60.5
- Ncurses 5.3
- WinImage 8.0.8000
- dban-1.0.7 was compiled with Debian gcc-3.3 1:3.3.5-13
- This release is compressed with LZMA, which provides much more free space on the floppy disk. LSI MPT and I2O drivers were added.
- Thanks go to Igor Sobrado for reporting the "5220.22-M" typo.
- Thanks go to Dorina Lanza for reporting a block adjustment error.

Usplash Switcher is a small utility that allows you to easily switch your usplash (boot theme).

It is useful only if you have installed multiple usplash-artwork packages.

SYSLINUX is a boot loader for the Linux operating system which operates off an MS-DOS/Windows FAT filesystem. Syslinux is intended to simplify first-time installation of Linux, and for creation of rescue- and other special-purpose boot disks.

SYSLINUX can be used, when properly set up, to completely eliminate the need for distribution of raw diskette images for boot floppies. A SYSLINUX floppy can be manipulated using standard MS-DOS (or any other OS that can access an MS-DOS filesystem) tools once it has been created.

The devfsd program is a daemon, run by the system boot, which can provide for intelligent management of device entries in the Device Filesystem (devfs).

It is desirable to start the daemon at the beginning of the boot scripts, in particular before filesystem checks.

Devfsd provides configurable management of device nodes using the Linux Device Filesystem.

SFS-KNOPPIX is a kind of KNOPPIX which boots form Internet with a cloop on SFS (Self-certifying File System). SFS-KNOPPIX requires small boot loader (20MB image) and offers full KNOPPIX functions, Autoconfig, etc.
SFS-KNOPPIX makes possible to change a cloop file (root file system of KNOPPIX) at boot time. It means we dont need to burn extra CD for many KNOPPIX offshoots.
SFS-KNOPPIX uses the same cloop file of KNOPPIX. The difference is the location of cloop file and boot method. SFS-KNOPPIX can work as normal KNOPPIX. It works Autoconfig and Hard Disk installer.
SFS-KNOPPIX has three boot variations; CD-boot, USB-boot and coLinux.
The summary of benefits is as follows.
Main features:
- Network traffic is reduced.
- The Download image of SFS-KNOPPIX is only 20MB, although normal KNOPPIX is 700MB.
- After boot, only necessary cloop blocks are downloaded. The blocks are compressed.
- It requires 50MB download to boot KDE window manager.
- SFS-KNOPPIX is compatible for normal KNOPPIX. (CD and USB boot version only)
- It uses same kernel version and cloop file. AutoConfig loads same device drivers.
- Hard Disk installer works in the same manner.
- On USB version. It does not required to burn a CD-ROM.
- The bootability is depend on BIOS on each PC.
- On coLinux version. It can boot with any cloop file, because coLinux is independent form device drivers."