C.1. Select boot disk

The key to a remote upgrade is to be able to boot from floppy disk to perform the upgrade, and then to reboot from the hard disk. The possibilities are:

1. Most BIOSs allow the boot disk order to be controlled through the BIOS' configuration. If the BIOS supports a serial console then the machine can be upgraded whilst leaving the floppy disk in the drive. No one need attend the site to upgrade the operating system

2. Someone can insert a floppy disk before the upgrade and remove it afterwards. Most co-location sites will provide this level of "board-swap" technical support.

3. Two records of the CMOS memory which stores the BIOS configuration can be made: one for booting from floppy and another for booting from hard disk. Unfortunately the nvram device driver does not yet work on a wide enough variety of machines for this HOWTO to pursue this option further.