Initiating an operating system boot from firmware

1. A method for booting an operating system utilizing a firmware in a computer system, the method comprising:

installing a service option read-only memory (ROM) in a memory of the computer system, wherein the service option ROM includes program code for booting an operating system utilizing the firmware;

retrieving a boot loader driver for the operating system from the firmware, wherein the boot loader driver is associated with an operating system boot loader stored in the firmware;

copying the boot loader driver to the memory of the computer system; executing the operating system boot loader;

locating the service option ROM in the memory;

utilizing the service option ROM to add identifying information for the boot loader driver to a list of initial program load (IPL) devices;

displaying a list of available IPL devices on a display, wherein the list of available IPL devices includes the identifying information for the boot loader driver; and

receiving a selection of the boot loader driver from a user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating system boot loader comprises a version of a Grand Unified Bootloader (GRUB).

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

copying a loader code from the firmware to the memory; and

executing the loader code in order to load the operating system boot loader.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for booting an operating system from a firmware which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

load a service option read-only memory (ROM) from the firmware to a memory of a computer system, wherein the service option ROM indicates that a firmware boot is available;

in response to determining that a firmware boot is requested, copy an operating system boot loader from the firmware to the memory of the computer system;

execute the operating system boot loader;

locate the service option ROM in the memory, wherein the service option ROM comprises a Plug and Play expansion header including a boot entry vector;

execute program code stored at a location indicated by the boot entry vector upon determining that the firmware boot is needed;

display a list of available initial program load (IPL) devices on a display, wherein the list of available IPL devices includes a firmware boot; and

receive a selection of the firmware boot from a user.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4 , wherein the operating system boot loader comprises a version of a Grand Unified Bootloader (GRUB).

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for booting an operating system on a computer system from a firmware, the computer-readable medium storing modules comprising:

a service option ROM comprising a Plug and Play (PnP) expansion header, a boot entry vector indicating a location for initiating a firmware boot, and a text identifier for a firmware boot;

a firmware boot driver including a first plurality of instructions that creates a firmware boot event and a second plurality of instructions that copies an operating system boot loader from the firmware to a memory in the computer system, wherein the firmware boot event is triggered when a firmware boot is requested by a user and wherein the firmware boot selection is made from a list of initial program load (IPL) devices;

an operating system boot loader; and

instructions for copying a signature from the firmware to the memory.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the operating system boot loader comprises a version of a Grand Unified Bootloader (GRUB).

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises a non-volatile memory device.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises a volatile memory device.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises a mass storage device.