Booting to CD and the handing off to HD

[Theodore K. Milbaugh]

On Tue, 5 Oct 2004 10:12:49 -0600, Nathan Kinkade <nkinkade at ub.edu.bz> wrote:
> On Mon, Oct 04, 2004 at 09:23:31PM -0700, Cristobal Miguelo wrote:
> > > > On Sun, Oct 03, 2004 at 08:58:05PM -0700, Cristobal Miguelo wrote:
> > > > Hello,
> > > >
> > I would like to have it completely automated:
> >
> > The machine goes down at 4am for the check and boots to cd, then the cd
> > controls the hand-off to the hard drive.  I'd like to have the BIOS
> > setup to only boot the cd and if the HD checks out ok, boot up the HD.
> > That way there is a slim chance that any security breach will last
> > beyond one night on my machine.  I seriously doubt a security breach
> > will occur, but I want to close every door imaginable.
> >
> > Anything else that could be done?
> >
> > Thx
> > -C
> >
> 
> What is the reason that you find it necessary to reboot the machine to a
> CDROM every morning?  Are you sure that there isn't a way to run your
> checks while booted to the harddisk?  I am fairly sure that you will
> never find a way to have the BIOS selectively boot either the CDROM or
> the HD based on some OS specific factor, such as a successful check of
> the HD.  I have a feeling that there may be a better way to accomplish
> your goal without a reboot to CDROM every morning.  Will you tell the
> list more about what you are trying to accompish?
> 
> Nathan

Since the code that checks the HD is on a CD, it is unlikely to be
compromised. Any check in the running OS could be compromised, which
the poster wants to avoid.
Also, the BIOS will not be selectively booting to CD or HD, it will
only boot to the CD. The CD-based check of the HD will be booting the
disk if it checks out okay.