FerryBoot

A cross-platform, advanced yet easy-to-use bootloader software.

Current Status

FerryBoot is currently in early development. We have a basic BIOS bootloader working and are implementing UEFI support along with a modular architecture.

Features (Planned)

• Platform Compatibility: Works on modern (UEFI/GPT) and legacy (BIOS/MBR) systems
• Boot Modes: UEFI Secure Boot support, classic BIOS mode, multi-OS menu, PXE network boot
• Speed & Minimalism: Extremely lightweight, ultra-fast boot times
• Modular Architecture: Core kernel with loadable plugins
• Hardware Support: IDE, SATA, NVMe, USB 3.0/3.1, PS/2, VGA, high-res GUI
• Security: Password protection, disk encryption support, signed kernel support
• User Experience: Setup wizard, CLI/GUI modes, keyboard/mouse navigation

Architecture

FerryBoot follows a modular architecture with these components:

1. Stage 1 Bootloader - Initial hardware initialization
2. Stage 2 Bootloader - Main bootloader with UI and module loading
3. Module System - Loadable plugins for filesystems, hardware, etc.
4. Configuration System - Persistent settings and user preferences
5. Security Subsystem - Encryption, signatures, password protection
6. Hardware Abstraction Layer - Consistent interface across platforms

Building

# For BIOS systems
make bios

# For UEFI systems
make uefi

# For all platforms
make all

Roadmap

Phase 1: Foundation (Complete)

• Stage 1 bootloader (assembly)
• Stage 2 bootloader (C)
• Basic HAL implementation
• Configuration system
• Makefile-based build system

Phase 2: UEFI Support (In Progress)

• UEFI application framework
• Secure Boot implementation
• Graphical interface (VGA/VESA)
• Mouse input support

Phase 3: Module System (Planned)

• Module loading framework
• Filesystem modules (5+ formats)
• Hardware modules (storage, input, network)
• Compression modules (3+ formats)

See our detailed Development Roadmap for complete plans.

Installation

Detailed installation instructions coming soon.

License

GPLv3