A toy bootloader written in C++
Yes, this includes the MBR and partition boot sector. The partition table is modeled as a class hierarchy. Second stage loads a kernel from a FAT32 file. I'm normally a C programmer, but for a work project, I recently revisited C++, a language that I had an on-again-off-again relationship over the years. I did this as a fun training exercise on the side to get familiar with the language again, but obsessed a bit and kind of overshot the target. I thought the result might be of interest to someone.
A toy bootloader written in C++ launched on April 7, 2023 with 64 votes, #1,357 of 4,853 launches that month and more than 90% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 3 years on.
In plain words
This is a bootloader implementation written in C++ that includes the master boot record, partition boot sector, and a second stage that loads kernels from FAT32 filesystems. The partition table is structured using a class hierarchy. Built as a learning exercise by a C programmer exploring C++ again, the project demonstrates how object-oriented design can be applied to low-level system code. It is intended for developers interested in operating system fundamentals or bootloader development.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
Tiny C++ boot loader. Contribute to AgentD/hausboot development by creating an account on GitHub.
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Source: Show HN post ↗
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