diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 36a28e1a..4f60f9e7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@ all:
 	@echo '** available distribution targets:'
 	@echo $(DISTROS) | fmt -sw65 | column -t
 
-$(DISTROS): %.iso: | profile/init distro/% profile/populate iso
+$(DISTROS): %.iso: | profile/init distro/% boot/isolinux profile/populate iso
diff --git a/README b/README
index f0729f42..953faef6 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -16,12 +16,22 @@ make distclean server-light.iso
 Объекты:
 - дистрибутивы: distro.mk, могут основываться один на другом;
   желательно избегать множественного наследования, используя
-  вместо него блоки use-*
-- блоки функциональности use-*: не являются самостоятельными
-  (не путать с дистрибутивами), но законченными
-- субпрофили:
+  вместо него блоки use/*
+- субпрофили (список собирается в $(SUBPROFILES)):
+  + stage1: propagator (ожидается после syslinux)
   + install2: инсталятор
   + main: пакетная база к инсталяции (обязательная и дополнительная)
   + ...
+- блоки функциональности use/*: не являются самостоятельными
+  (не путать с дистрибутивами), но законченными; могут жить
+  в distro.mk (или сделать use.mk?), либо же в индивидуальных
+  features.in/*/config.mk, если необходимо дополнить не только
+  .config.mk, а и дерево формируемого профиля
+- фичи: законченные кусочки функциональности, могут зависеть
+  друг от друга; сливаются с соответствующими субпрофилями
+  при сборке BUILDROOT, могут нести с собой копируемые в один
+  или несколько субпрофилей каталоги/файлы и могут выполнять
+  необходимые действия во время сборки после копирования
+  (generate.sh, generate.mk).  NB: добавляем в $(FEATURES)
 - списки пакетов: большая человеческая просьба по возможности
-  избегать дублирования
+  избегать дублирования и подумать над pkg/lists/tagged...
diff --git a/clean.mk b/clean.mk
index 2aed2fe4..4efbea13 100644
--- a/clean.mk
+++ b/clean.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 clean:
 	@echo '** cleaning up...'
+	@find -name '*~' -delete >&/dev/null
 	@[ -d build/ ] && \
 		$(MAKE) -C build/ $@ GLOBAL_BUILDDIR=$(shell readlink build) \
 	||:
diff --git a/distro.mk b/distro.mk
index e0938030..896b70d8 100644
--- a/distro.mk
+++ b/distro.mk
@@ -25,28 +25,32 @@ distro/init:
 	@echo "** starting distro configuration build process"
 	@:> $(CONFIG)
 
-distro/base: distro/init sub/stage1
-	$(call set,KFLAVOUR,std-def)	###
+distro/base: distro/init sub/stage1 use/syslinux/localboot
+	$(call set,KFLAVOUR,std-def)
 	$(call set,IMAGE_INIT_LIST,+branding-$$(BRANDING)-release)
 	$(call set,BRANDING,altlinux-desktop)	###
 	$(call set,KERNEL_PACKAGES,kernel-image-$$(KFLAVOUR))
 
-distro/syslinux: distro/base
+# bootloader test target
+distro/syslinux: distro/base use/syslinux/ui/menu use/syslinux/localboot use/hdt use/memtest boot/isolinux
 
-# NB: our */* are phony targets really, just for namespace
-distro/installer: distro/base sub/install2
+distro/installer: distro/base sub/install2 use/syslinux/install2
 	@#$(call put,BRANDING=altlinux-sisyphus)	###
 	$(call set,BASE_LISTS,base kernel)
 	$(call set,INSTALL2_PACKAGES,installer-distro-server-light-stage2)	###
 
-distro/server-base: distro/installer sub/main use/memtest86
+distro/server-base: distro/installer sub/main use/syslinux/ui/menu use/memtest
 	$(call add,BASE_LISTS,server-base kernel-server)
 
-distro/server-light: distro/server-base use/bootsplash
+distro/server-light: distro/server-base use/hdt
 	$(call set,KFLAVOUR,ovz-smp)	# override default
 	$(call set,BRANDING,sisyphus-server-light)
 	$(call add,DISK_LISTS,kernel-wifi)
 	$(call add,BASE_LISTS,$(call tags,base server))
 
-use/bootsplash:
-	$(call add,COMMON_TAGS,bootsplash)
+# FIXME: this belongs to bootsplash feature
+#use/bootsplash:
+#	$(call add,COMMON_TAGS,bootsplash)
+
+boot/%:
+	$(call set,BOOTLOADER,$*)
diff --git a/features.in/00example/config.mk b/features.in/00example/config.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/features.in/00example/generate.mk b/features.in/00example/generate.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/features.in/00example/generate.sh b/features.in/00example/generate.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/features.in/Makefile b/features.in/Makefile
index 4bf8f1fa..21d45123 100644
--- a/features.in/Makefile
+++ b/features.in/Makefile
@@ -1,17 +1,24 @@
 include $(BUILDDIR)/.config.mk
 
-# make rsync backups
+SHELL += -x
+
+# first rsync what's static, and make backups --
+# these might signal of file clashes (or plain dirt);
+# then handle two more ways of implementing a feature
 all:
-	@for dir in $(FEATURES); do \
+	@echo "** starting feature configuration"
+	@[ -z $(FEATURES) ] || \
+	for dir in $(sort $(FEATURES)); do \
 		for sub in $(SUBPROFILES); do \
-			dest=$${sub%stage1}; \
 			[ -d $$dir/$$sub/ ] && \
-			rsync -ab $$dir/$$sub/ $(BUILDDIR)/$$dest/ && \
-			cd $(BUILDDIR)/$$dest/ && \
-			git add . && \
-			git commit -qam "$@/$$dir/$$sub" && \
-			cd ->&/dev/null; \
+			rsync -ab $$dir/$$sub/ $(BUILDDIR)/$$sub/ && { \
+				cd $(BUILDDIR)/$$sub/ && \
+				git add . && \
+				git commit -qam "$@/$$dir/$$sub" ||:; \
+				cd - >&/dev/null; \
+			}; \
 		done; \
+		[ -x $$dir/generate.sh ] && { cd $$dir && ./generate.sh; cd -; }; \
+		[ -s $$dir/generate.mk ] && $(MAKE) -C $$dir -f generate.mk; \
 	done
-	@# these might signal of file clashes (or plain dirt)
-	@find $(BUILDDIR) -name '*~'
+	@find $(BUILDDIR) -name '*~' ||:
diff --git a/features.in/hdt/config.mk b/features.in/hdt/config.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3ef4cec9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/hdt/config.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# no "Memory" in hdt's menu, weird
+use/hdt: use/memtest
+	$(call add,SYSLINUX_ITEMS,hdt)
+	@# ITEMS iterator will happily omit a missing file, so...
+	$(call add,SYSLINUX_FILES,/usr/lib/syslinux/hdt.c32)
+	@# TODO: modules.pcimap (optional); maybe gzip
+	$(call add,SYSLINUX_FILES,/usr/share/pci.ids)
+
diff --git a/features.in/memtest/config.mk b/features.in/memtest/config.mk
index 4b8bed64..6453f63f 100644
--- a/features.in/memtest/config.mk
+++ b/features.in/memtest/config.mk
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
-use/memtest86:
-	$(call put,COMMON_PACKAGES+=memtest86+)
-	@# configure syslinux/isolinux as well
+use/memtest:
+	$(call add,FEATURES,memtest)
+	$(call add,COMMON_PACKAGES,memtest86+)
+	$(call add,SYSLINUX_ITEMS,memtest)
diff --git a/features.in/memtest/stage1/scripts.d/02-memtest b/features.in/memtest/stage1/scripts.d/02-memtest
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..57c7f104
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/memtest/stage1/scripts.d/02-memtest
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/bin/sh -x
+
+mkdir -p "$WORKDIR"/syslinux
+MEMTEST="$(find /boot/ -name 'memtest*' -print -quit)"
+# hdt recommends adding .bin
+[ -z "$MEMTEST" ] ||
+	cp -f "$MEMTEST" "$WORKDIR"/syslinux/memtest.bin
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/00gfxboot.cfg b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/00gfxboot.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5e5826b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/00gfxboot.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+ui gfxboot.com
+menu title mkimage-profiles 2.0 ###
+prompt 0
+gfxboot bootlogo
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/00menu.cfg b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/00menu.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bb58db88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/00menu.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+ui menu.c32
+menu title mkimage-profiles 2.0 ###
+prompt 0
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/00prompt.cfg b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/00prompt.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cdda3b66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/00prompt.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+say mkimage-profiles 2.0 ###
+prompt 1
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/01timeout.cfg b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/01timeout.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9d70c68b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/01timeout.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+timeout 200
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/10localboot.cfg b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/10localboot.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ad3d44ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/10localboot.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+label harddisk
+  menu label ^Continue as usual
+  localboot 0x80
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/20install2.cfg b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/20install2.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ae0bd209
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/20install2.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+label linux
+  menu label ^Normal install
+  kernel alt0/vmlinuz
+  append initrd=alt0/full.cz changedisk vga=0x314 quiet=1 showopts automatic=method:cdrom
+label noapic
+  menu label ^FailSafe(TM) install
+  kernel alt0/vmlinuz
+  append initrd=alt0/full.cz changedisk vga=0x314 showopts nolapic noapic acpi=off 
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/80rescue.cfg b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/80rescue.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ab539c59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/80rescue.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+label rescue
+  menu label ^Rescue
+  kernel alt0/vmlinuz
+  append initrd=alt0/full.cz live fastboot stagename=rescue
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/90hdt.cfg b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/90hdt.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1003964b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/90hdt.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+label hdt
+  menu label ^Hardware info
+  com32 hdt.c32
+  append pciids=pci.ids
+  # NB: data can be gzipped (without .gz suffix)
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/90memtest.cfg b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/90memtest.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cd6a6543
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/cfg.in/90memtest.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+label memtest
+  menu label ^Memory Test
+  linux memtest.bin
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/config.mk b/features.in/syslinux/config.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8593a0c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/config.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# UI _does_ automatically enable the feature...
+use/syslinux/ui/%:
+	$(call set,SYSLINUX_UI,$*)
+	$(call add,FEATURES,syslinux)
+	$(call add,SYSLINUX_ITEMS,$*)
+
+# ...and menu items don't
+use/syslinux/%:
+	$(call add,SYSLINUX_ITEMS,$*)
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/generate.mk b/features.in/syslinux/generate.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..27883a76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/generate.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+include $(BUILDDIR)/.config.mk
+
+ifndef BOOTLOADER
+$(warning syslinux feature enabled but BOOTLOADER undefined)
+endif
+
+ifndef SYSLINUX
+SYSLINUX = textprompt
+endif
+
+### FIXME: too much insight (ab)used
+DSTDIR := $(BUILDDIR)/stage1/files/syslinux
+CONFIG := $(DSTDIR)/$(BOOTLOADER).cfg
+PARTS  := $(SYSLINUX_UI) $(SYSLINUX_ITEMS) $(SUBPROFILES) timeout
+MODDIR := /usr/lib/syslinux
+
+# compile bootloader config from chosen parts
+# NB: list position determined by file numbering (*.cfg)
+config: debug copy
+	@cat $(sort $(foreach P,$(PARTS),$(wildcard cfg.in/??$(P).cfg))) /dev/null > $(CONFIG)
+
+prep:
+	@mkdir -p $(DSTDIR)
+
+# copy over the needed syslinux modules (item.c32 or item.com)
+# and SYSLINUX_FILES (list of absolute paths)
+copy: prep
+	@$(foreach F, \
+		$(SYSLINUX_FILES) $(wildcard $(addprefix $(MODDIR)/,$(addsuffix .c??,$(SYSLINUX_ITEMS)))), \
+		$(shell cp -pLt $(DSTDIR) -- $(F)))
+
+# for p in $PARTS; do ls ??$p.cfg; done | sort
+debug:
+	@echo "** BOOTLOADER: $(BOOTLOADER)"
+	@echo "** SYSLINUX_UI: $(SYSLINUX_UI)"
+	@echo "** SYSLINUX_ITEMS: $(SYSLINUX_ITEMS)"
+	@echo "** PARTS: $(sort $(foreach P,$(PARTS),$(wildcard cfg.in/??$(P).cfg)))"
+	@echo "** MODULES: $(wildcard $(addprefix $(MODDIR)/,$(addsuffix .c??,$(SYSLINUX_ITEMS))))"
diff --git a/image.in/Makefile b/image.in/Makefile
index 44f47d31..6ee62bac 100644
--- a/image.in/Makefile
+++ b/image.in/Makefile
@@ -14,24 +14,24 @@ BOOT_TYPE = isolinux
 
 include $(MKIMAGE_PREFIX)/targets.mk
 
-all: prep copy-tree copy-subdirs run-scripts pack-image
+all: prep copy-subdirs copy-tree run-scripts pack-image
 
 # FIXME: scripts.d/?
 prep: disk-info metadata
 	@echo "TOPDIR=$(TOPDIR)"
 
 disk-info:
-	mkdir -p files/.disk
-	echo "FIXME" >files/.disk/info	### +$(ARCH)
-	(cd $(TOPDIR); git show-ref --head --dereference -s -- HEAD 2>/dev/null) >files/.disk/commit
-	[ -s files/.disk/commit ] || rm files/.disk/commit
+	@mkdir -p files/.disk
+	@echo "FIXME" >files/.disk/info	### +$(ARCH)
+	@(cd $(TOPDIR); git show-ref --head --dereference -s -- HEAD 2>/dev/null) >files/.disk/commit
+	@[ -s files/.disk/commit ] || rm files/.disk/commit
 
 # see also alterator-pkg (backend3/pkg-install)
 # FIXME: groups unmerged, and only .base hardwired in
 metadata:
-	mkdir -p files/Metadata
-	rm -f files/Metadata/pkg-groups.tar
-	tar -cvf files/Metadata/pkg-groups.tar \
+	@mkdir -p files/Metadata
+	@rm -f files/Metadata/pkg-groups.tar
+	@tar -cvf files/Metadata/pkg-groups.tar \
 		-C $(PKGDIR) \
 		$(shell echo $(call list,.base) | sed 's,$(PKGDIR)/*,,g')
 
diff --git a/image.in/files/.gitignore b/image.in/files/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/image.in/files/syslinux/isolinux.cfg b/image.in/files/syslinux/isolinux.cfg
deleted file mode 100644
index 9e1ccf5c..00000000
--- a/image.in/files/syslinux/isolinux.cfg
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-ui menu.c32
-menu title mkimage-profiles 2.0
-prompt 0
-timeout 200
-# f1 help.txt
-# f2 version.txt
-# ...
-default linux
-
-label harddisk
-  menu label Continue as usual
-  localboot 0x80
-#  menu default
-label linux
-  menu label Normal install
-  kernel alt0/vmlinuz
-  append initrd=alt0/full.cz changedisk vga=0x314 quiet=1 showopts automatic=method:cdrom
-label noapic
-  menu label FailSafe(TM) install
-  kernel alt0/vmlinuz
-  append initrd=alt0/full.cz changedisk vga=0x314 showopts nolapic noapic acpi=off 
-label rescue
-  menu label Rescue
-  kernel alt0/vmlinuz
-  append initrd=alt0/full.cz live fastboot stagename=rescue
-label memtest
-  menu label Memory Test
-  kernel memtest
diff --git a/iso.mk b/iso.mk
index 97dcd8c9..77e475f0 100644
--- a/iso.mk
+++ b/iso.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+# adding boot/isolinux to prereqs is too late here,
+# since profile/populate has already finished by now
 iso:
 	@echo "** starting image build process"
-	(cd $(BUILDDIR)/; autoconf; ./configure --with-aptconf=$(HOME)/apt/apt.conf)	###
+	@(cd $(BUILDDIR)/; autoconf; ./configure --with-aptconf=$(HOME)/apt/apt.conf)	###
 	$(MAKE) -C $(BUILDDIR)/ GLOBAL_BUILDDIR=$(BUILDDIR)
diff --git a/pkg.in/lists/Makefile b/pkg.in/lists/Makefile
index a799384a..16a0daf4 100644
--- a/pkg.in/lists/Makefile
+++ b/pkg.in/lists/Makefile
@@ -4,13 +4,13 @@
 include $(BUILDDIR)/.config.mk
 
 # env | sort -u | grep _LISTS | xargs cp
-all: prep test
+all: prep debug
 	@$(foreach V, \
 		$(filter %_LISTS,$(sort $(.VARIABLES))), \
 		$(if $(filter environment% file,$(origin $V)),\
-			$(shell cp --parents -avt $(BUILDDIR)/pkg/lists/ \
-				-- $(value $V) >> $(BUILDDIR)/log 2>&1)))
-	@cp -av .base $(BUILDDIR)/pkg/lists/
+			$(shell cp --parents -at $(BUILDDIR)/pkg/lists/ \
+				-- $(value $V))))
+	@cp -a .base $(BUILDDIR)/pkg/lists/
 
 # moving this into 'all' spoils execution order (clobbers results)
 prep:
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ prep:
 # dump *_LISTS variables' values
 # TODO: consider GLOBAL_VERBOSE? (currently not coming with .config.mk)
 #       (for cp -v then, too)
-test:
+debug:
 	@$(foreach V, \
 		$(filter %_LISTS,$(sort $(.VARIABLES))), \
 		$(if $(filter environment% file,$(origin $V)),\
diff --git a/profile.mk b/profile.mk
index 5094ac2a..ad41f785 100644
--- a/profile.mk
+++ b/profile.mk
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@ profile/init:
 	@rsync -qaH --delete image.in/ "$(BUILDDIR)"/
 	@touch "$(BUILDDIR)"/.config.mk
 	@mkdir "$(BUILDDIR)"/.mki
-	cd $(BUILDDIR); git init	###
+	cd $(BUILDDIR); git init -q; git add .; git commit -qam 'init'	###
 	@rm -f build
 	@[ -w . ] \
 		&& ln -sf "$(BUILDDIR)" build \
 		|| echo "** profile directory readonly: skipping symlinks, env only"
 
 profile/populate: profile/init
-	for dir in sub.in features.in pkg.in; do \
+	@for dir in sub.in features.in pkg.in; do \
 		$(MAKE) -C $$dir; \
 	done
 
diff --git a/sub.in/Makefile b/sub.in/Makefile
index 97098a47..df12dc0b 100644
--- a/sub.in/Makefile
+++ b/sub.in/Makefile
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ all:
 		cd $(BUILDDIR)/$$dir/ && \
 		git add . && \
 		git commit -qam "$@/$$dir"; \
-		cd ->&/dev/null; \
-	done
+		cd - >&/dev/null; \
+	done ||:
 
 clean:
 	@for dir in $(SUBPROFILES); do \
diff --git a/sub.in/main/Makefile b/sub.in/main/Makefile
index c932fe5c..e5938ba3 100644
--- a/sub.in/main/Makefile
+++ b/sub.in/main/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-### installation package base (requisite + optional)
+# installation package base (requisite + optional)
 
 default: all
 
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/Makefile b/sub.in/stage1/Makefile
index 50013b02..dde93dc8 100644
--- a/sub.in/stage1/Makefile
+++ b/sub.in/stage1/Makefile
@@ -3,15 +3,16 @@ include ../functions.mk
 include $(MKIMAGE_PREFIX)/config.mk
 include $(GLOBAL_BUILDDIR)/.config.mk
 
-CHROOT_PACKAGES = syslinux $(KERNEL_PACKAGES)
+CHROOT_PACKAGES = syslinux $(KERNEL_PACKAGES) $(COMMON_PACKAGES)
 
-###
 MKI_PACK_RESULTS = data
+###
 PROPAGATOR_VERSION = mkimage-profiles 2.0
 PROPAGATOR_MAR_MODULES = ./modules
 PROPAGATOR_INITFS = ./initfs
+COPY_TREE = ./files
 
 include $(MKIMAGE_PREFIX)/targets.mk
 
-all: build-propagator copy-isolinux run-scripts pack-image
+all: build-propagator copy-tree copy-isolinux run-scripts pack-image
 
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/files/.gitignore b/sub.in/stage1/files/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-initfs b/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-initfs
index a06f851f..6c4a1365 100644
--- a/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-initfs
+++ b/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-initfs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 echo "file	/.VERSION	@TMPDIR@/.VERSION	0644	0 0" >"$WORKDIR"/initfs
-### FIXME: broken test, we already do branding
+# FIXME: broken test, we already do branding
 [ -z "$(BRANDING)" ] || \
 	echo "file	/bootsplash	/bootsplash/bootsplash	0644	0 0" >>"$WORKDIR"/initfs
 
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/02-txtboot b/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/02-txtboot
deleted file mode 100755
index 3607fb91..00000000
--- a/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/02-txtboot
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-install -pDm644 /usr/lib/syslinux/menu.c32 "$WORKDIR"/syslinux/menu.c32