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==History== GRUB was initially developed by Erich Boleyn as part of work on booting the [[operating system]] [[GNU]]/[[GNU Hurd|Hurd]], developed by the [[Free Software Foundation]].<ref name="history">[https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/History.html GRUB Manual β 1.2 Grub History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416181331/https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/History.html |date=April 16, 2014 }}. Gnu.org (2012-06-23). Retrieved on 2012-12-01.</ref> In 1999, Gordon Matzigkeit and Yoshinori K. Okuji made GRUB an official software package of the [[GNU Project]] and opened the [[software development process|development process]] to the public.<ref name="history"/> {{As of|2014}}, the majority of Linux distributions have adopted GNU GRUB 2. ===Development=== GRUB version 0 (also known as "GRUB Legacy") is no longer under development and is being phased out.<ref>[https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/grub-legacy.html GNU GRUB β GRUB Legacy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420104228/http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/grub-legacy.html |date=April 20, 2014 }}. Gnu.org. Retrieved on 2012-12-01.</ref> The GNU GRUB developers have switched their focus to GRUB 2,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/grub-2.en.html |title=GNU GRUB β GRUB 2 |access-date=2014-04-18 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607115918/https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/grub-2.en.html |archive-date=June 7, 2008 |df=mdy-all}}.</ref> a [[rewrite (programming)|complete rewrite]] with goals including making GNU GRUB cleaner, more robust, more portable and more powerful. GRUB 2 started under the name '''PUPA'''. PUPA was supported by the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA) in Japan. PUPA was integrated into GRUB 2 development around 2002, when GRUB version 0.9x was renamed GRUB Legacy. Some of the goals of the GRUB 2 project include support for non-x86 [[computing platform|platforms]], [[internationalization and localization]], non-ASCII characters, dynamic modules, [[memory management]], a scripting [[mini-language]], migrating platform specific (x86) code to platform specific modules, and an object-oriented framework. GNU GRUB version 2.00 was officially released on June 26, 2012.<ref>{{cite mailing list |url=http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/grub-devel/2012-06/msg00093.html |title=GRUB 2.00 released |date=June 28, 2012 |access-date=December 1, 2012 |mailing-list=grub-devel |first=Vladimir |last=Serbinenko |archive-date=January 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113150325/http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/grub-devel/2012-06/msg00093.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Larabel|first=Michael|title=GRUB 2.00 Boot-Loader Officially Released|url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTEyODc|website=Phoronix.com|access-date=28 June 2012|archive-date=September 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913072241/http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTEyODc|url-status=live}}</ref> Three of the most widely used [[Linux distribution]]s use GRUB 2 as their mainstream boot loader.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.webjunction.org/documents/webjunction/An_Introduction_to_Ubuntu.html |title=An Introduction to Ubuntu |last=Haddon |first=Tom |date=26 January 2012 |publisher=WebJunction |access-date=21 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028160701/http://www.webjunction.org/documents/webjunction/An_Introduction_to_Ubuntu.html |archive-date=October 28, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techopedia.com/definition/15777/red-hat-enterprise-linux-rhel |title=What is Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)? |last=Janssen |first=Cory |publisher=Technopedia |access-date=21 September 2012 |archive-date=October 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003043553/http://www.techopedia.com/definition/15777/red-hat-enterprise-linux-rhel |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itwire.com/business-it-news/open-source/56686-suse-chief-lists-progress-since-privatisation |title=SUSE chief lists progress since privatisation |last=Varghese |first=Sam |date=2012-09-20 |access-date=21 September 2012 |archive-date=September 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922122233/http://www.itwire.com/business-it-news/open-source/56686-suse-chief-lists-progress-since-privatisation |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Ubuntu (operating system)|Ubuntu]] adopted it as the default boot loader in its 9.10 version of October 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=9.10 Karmic GRUB version|url=http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=ubuntu|publisher=Distrowatch.com|access-date=8 July 2012|archive-date=May 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509124455/http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=ubuntu|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Fedora Linux|Fedora]] followed suit with Fedora 16 released in November 2011.<ref>[http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/GRUB_2 GRUB 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805080954/http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/GRUB_2 |date=August 5, 2012 }}. FedoraProject. Retrieved on 2012-12-01.</ref> [[OpenSUSE]] adopted GRUB 2 as the default boot loader with its 12.2 release of September 2012.<ref>[http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Upcoming_features openSUSE:Upcoming features β openSUSE] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920065446/http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE%3AUpcoming_features |date=September 20, 2012}}. En.opensuse.org. Retrieved on 2012-12-01.</ref> [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]] also adopted GRUB 2 on the x86 platform in the Solaris 11.1 release.<ref>[http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/solaris11/overview/solaris11-1-1845817.html Solaris 11.1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619201612/http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/solaris11/overview/solaris11-1-1845817.html |date=June 19, 2018 }}. Oracle Retrieved 2015-03-19.</ref> [[Buildroot]] also uses GNU GRUB for [[x86]] and [[X86-64|x86_64]] targets. In late 2015, the exploit of pressing backspace 28 times to bypass the login password was found and quickly fixed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thehackernews.com/2015/12/hack-linux-grub-password.html |website=thehackernews.com |title=You can Hack into a Linux Computer just by pressing 'Backspace' 28 times |date=December 16, 2015 |first=Swati |last=Khandelwal |access-date=March 13, 2017 |archive-date=April 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430230510/http://thehackernews.com/2015/12/hack-linux-grub-password.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://hmarco.org/bugs/CVE-2015-8370-Grub2-authentication-bypass.html#exploit |title=Back to 28: Grub2 Authentication 0-Day |first1=Hector |last1=Marco and |first2=Ismael |last2=Ripoll |date=December 2015 |access-date=March 13, 2017 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517200459/http://hmarco.org/bugs/CVE-2015-8370-Grub2-authentication-bypass.html#exploit |url-status=live }}</ref> ==={{Anchor|TRUSTED}}Variants=== GNU GRUB is [[free software]], so several variants have been created. Some notable ones, which have not been merged into GRUB mainline: * [[OpenSolaris]] includes a modified GRUB Legacy that supports Solaris VTOC slices, automatic 64-bit kernel selection, and booting from [[ZFS]] (with [[Data compression|compression]] and multiple boot environments).<ref>[http://dlc.sun.com/osol/docs/content/SYSADV1/getov.html#fwbqs x86: Modifying Boot Behavior by Editing the GRUB Menu at Boot Time] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719115732/http://dlc.sun.com/osol/docs/content/SYSADV1/getov.html |date=July 19, 2011}}, Modifying Solaris Boot Behavior on x86 Based Systems (Task Map) β System Administration Guide: Basic Administration</ref><ref>[http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/819-2379/getnk?a=view x86: Supported GRUB Implementations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021160244/http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/819-2379/getnk?a=view |date=October 21, 2009}}, (System Administration Guide: Basic Administration) β Sun Microsystems</ref> * [[Google Summer of Code]] 2008 had a project to support GRUB legacy to boot from [[ext4]] formatted partitions.<ref>{{cite web | last = Peng | first = Tao | title = Grub4ext4 | url = https://code.google.com/archive/p/grub4ext4/ | access-date = June 13, 2017 | archive-date = December 31, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161231162436/https://code.google.com/archive/p/grub4ext4/ | url-status = live }}</ref> * The [[Syllable Desktop|Syllable]] project made a modified version of GRUB to load the system from its [[AtheOS File System]].<ref>[http://web.syllable.org/documentation/FAQ.html#2_3 2.3 Why does Syllable have its own version of GRUB?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107003333/http://web.syllable.org/documentation/FAQ.html |date=January 7, 2011}}, Syllable Documentation</ref> * ''TrustedGRUB'' extends GRUB by implementing verification of the system integrity and boot process security, using the [[Trusted Platform Module]] (TPM).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://sourceforge.net/projects/trustedgrub/ | title = TrustedGRUB project | access-date = November 18, 2014 | website = sourceforge.net | date = June 5, 2013 | archive-date = November 29, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141129024847/http://sourceforge.net/projects/trustedgrub/ | url-status = live }}</ref> * The Intel BIOS Implementation Test Suite (BITS) provides a GRUB environment for testing BIOSes and in particular their initialization of Intel processors, hardware, and technologies. BITS supports scripting via Python, and includes Python APIs to access various low-level functionality of the hardware platform, including ACPI, CPU and chipset registers, PCI, and PCI Express.<ref>[https://biosbits.org: BIOS Implementation Test Suite] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019132535/https://biosbits.org/ |date=October 19, 2016 }}, Official BITS website</ref> * GRUB4DOS is a GRUB legacy fork that improves the installation experience on DOS and [[Microsoft Windows]] by putting everything besides the GRLDR config in one image file. It can be loaded directly from DOS, or by [[NTLDR]] or [[Windows Boot Manager]].<ref>{{cite web |title=grub4dos |url=https://sites.google.com/site/grubdos/ |website=Google Site |access-date=7 April 2019 |archive-date=April 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407043143/https://sites.google.com/site/grubdos/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=GRUB for DOS Introduction |url=http://grub4dos.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Grub4dos_tutorial |website=grub4dos.sourceforge.net |access-date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407042958/http://microsaint.narod.ru/_Info_Grub4Dos/Grub4dos_tutorial.html |archive-date=7 April 2019 |date=2007}}</ref> GRUB4DOS is under active development and as of 2021 supports UEFI.<ref>{{GitHub|https://github.com/chenall/grub4dos}}</ref>
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