ISO boot from FAT/NTFS/USB (GRUB.exe, grldr from boot.ini) [Archive] - Page 3 - Download Knoppix Live CD or DVD, Get Documentation and Help

kirol

02-10-2007, 02:43 PM

Hello, I am trying a poor man install on a laptop whose SATA disk holds a single partition formatted as NTFS (sda1). I can boot my 5.1(.0) CD fine, then write to the NTFS partiton to try and plug grub/grldr from boot.init. Note that I cannot do this from the windows side, as I don't have admin rights. I can't get the damn thing to work, though. Specifically:

I have extracted the grldr from Gilles' grube.zip (mentioned in the wiki) and grubi.zip (to try something more recent). They both start alright once referenced from boot.ini. I can use the grub comand-line, but my menu won't work. Also, it seems the kernel/minirt will only be found if copied to the root of the NTFS drive (examples I've seen seemed to imply it should work from e.g. /boot/knoppix.51/linux). I am using the minirt_51.gz and linux kernel provided in kno510.zip. Another suspicious sign is that if I copy the kernel and minirt to the top level, the kernel starts then quickly panics stating that no root FS could be mounted, and citing all the FS types that have been tried - which doesn't include NTFS ...

Any idea what I must have overlooked?

ruymbeke

02-12-2007, 10:06 AM

Hello, I am trying a poor man install on a laptop whose SATA disk holds a single partition formatted as NTFS (sda1)...
...Also, it seems the kernel/minirt will only be found if copied to the root of the NTFS drive...
...Another suspicious sign is that if I copy the kernel and minirt to the top level, the kernel starts then quickly panics stating that no root FS could be mounted, and citing all the FS types that have been tried - which doesn't include NTFS ...
Hi,
In the menu.lst, did you specify "bootfrom=/dev/sda1/boot/knoppix.51/*.iso" (sda1 instead of hda1)
and did you match the case of the "boot" directory ? (lowercase "boot" both in the menu.lst and directory name)
The linuxrc boot dcript of Knoppix 5.1 is now very sensitive to the casing.
(my previous grubi.zip uses a uppercase BOOT directory and a lower case directory name in the menu.lst. Oops... sorry)
In some cases, it has been observed that the kernel and initrd must be located in an other directory in order to
be loaded properly by grub. This is a known limitation/bug of the ntfs module ported into grldr (any voluntary to fix it ?)
The root (c:\) is in most cases a working directory location.
Hope this helps and please let me know when you get it workling.
Best Regards,
Gilles

kirol

02-12-2007, 12:18 PM

In the menu.lst, did you specify "bootfrom=/dev/sda1/boot/knoppix.51/*.iso" (sda1 instead of hda1)
and did you match the case of the "boot" directory ?
Hello Gilles, here's my menu.lst entry:
title Knoppix
root (hd0,0)
kernel /linux init=/etc/init vga=791 ro bootfrom=/dev/sda1/home/KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX_V5.1.0CD-2006-12-30-EN.iso
initrd /minirt_51.gz
boot
The error message I am seeing is (are):

RAMDISK: incomplete write (-38!=32768)...
No filesystem could mount root, tried (...list of fs-types, no ntfs but fuseblk included...)
Kernel panic: not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown block (1,3)

Could you advise which grub4dos version to use, amongst the various ones I can find in successive releases of your grub*.zip, or the recent official 0.4.2...

My understanding was that it should now be possible to start from an ISO image on an NTFS and have a persistent home on that same unit, is this correct?

Thanks for your time.

ruymbeke

02-12-2007, 02:46 PM

kernel /linux init=/etc/init vga=791 ro bootfrom=/dev/sda1/home/KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX_V5.1.0CD-2006-12-30-EN.iso
Grub (grldr) is not the problem. Where is the kernel parameter: "ramdisk_size=100000" ? I believe you need it...

My understanding was that it should now be possible to start from an ISO image on an NTFS and have a persistent home on that same unit, is this correct?
It is possible to boot from a iso file on a NTFS partition and to read data from that same NTFS partition.
It is also possible to write on a NTFS partition, if it is not the partition that knoppix just used to iso boot from.
For some unknown reason, I cannot remount rw the fuse & ntfs-3g mounted partition once it has been used to iso boot.
(The remount works for other partition types as fat, ext, reiser, ... why not fuse/ntfs-3g ?)
I experimented succcessfully to mount it as rw already at boot time and then to write on it, but I don't like this way.
So to summarize, not yet but hopefully soon...
Please let me know if the ramdisk_size=100000 fixes it.
Best Regards,
Gilles

kirol

02-12-2007, 03:46 PM

Please let me know if the ramdisk_size=100000 fixes it.
It does! Thanks a lot. I should have thought of it with the "ramdisk.." error message, but I actually only noticed it this morning when copying the last few lines of bootlog in order to post them here.

Anyway, I can now boot without a CD. Fine. Any suggestion as to which version of grub4dos should allow me to move linux/minirt/menu.lst out of the root, so I have a slight chance of staying below the radar ?-) Are you applying any additional patches to your version, or should I just go with 0.4.2 ?

It seems ntfs-3g is getting usable for the occasional editing of a file or overwrite of a DLL on a winbox, don't you think. Perhaps we could start relaxing about it, at least when using knoppix >= 5.1 on an NTFS unit that wasn't formatted from Vista...

Cheers,

--kirol

ruymbeke

02-12-2007, 07:45 PM

..Any suggestion as to which version of grub4dos should allow me to move linux/minirt/menu.lst out of the root... ?
As far as I know, the ntfs module did not change for a very long time and the maintainer of grub4dos
has no plan to fix it. The difference in grldr versions is more related to extra features as to boot from
floppy/hdd images,... but no change about ntfs. I have added other network patches for pxe boot in the past,
but I now just use the official releases. So the version of grldr you use doesn't really matter
for the ntfs point of view. I am glad to read that you got it working.
Best Regards,
Gilles

kirol

02-12-2007, 08:45 PM

I am glad to read that you got it working.Yes, thanks to you. I've tried the grldr that was bundled with grube.zip/grubi.zip and the 0.4.2 version, and none can start a kernel or find any file underneath the root, so I am pretty convinced that all the examples that neatly tuck stuff away under /boot only ever worked from FAT partitions, really.

ruymbeke

02-12-2007, 09:25 PM

...I am pretty convinced that all the examples that neatly tuck stuff away under /boot only ever worked from FAT partitions...
No, I have it working on several XP/NTFS machines under/boot/knoppix.xxx
I have a feeling that grub have a hard time to go down the folder tree with "old" or heavily used ntfs partitions.
I never got a problem on a newly installed or almost empty ntfs partitions.
My understanding is that the simplified and old ntfs port used in grub (grldr)
do not handle very well large or fragmented directory structures.
(The root is usually not too fragmented since it is the first created directory on a partition)
For fun you may try to store the knoppix boot file in an old directory of your partition
(do not create a new directory, and do not move the data, just copy it again in that directory)
I got it working by playing this trick in the past...
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

02-13-2007, 01:03 PM

Hello,
Please find below the link to an update of the Knoppix 5.11 vm using the 39849 build tools (Workstation 6.0 beta 2):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk511_39849b.zip
This update is required to get the mouse to work properly via the built-in vnc server of the new vmware workstation 6.0.
Please note that this vm is backward compatible with previous versions of vmware, especially worstation 5.5.x & player 1.x
http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/662 (VmWare link)
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=110103#110103 (more info about this vm)
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=110240#110240 (previous 5.1.1 vm using 36983 tools)
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Gilles

MD5:
fc2611d3a32433dbbfb2323a51ccda52 *vmk511_39849b.zip (8'018'484)

ICPUG

02-14-2007, 11:15 PM

kirol

02-14-2007, 11:39 PM

This system runs XP2SP2, FWIW. Its weird, grub line-completion shows evrything in the root, just one(!) file in most other (1st-level) subdirectories, none in some ?!? Never mind, I am glad I got it working at all.

jasonus

02-16-2007, 09:31 AM

Seem that running knoppix as an ISO on the HD, the drive is read only. Makes sense. How can I make VMWare play nice and let me edit files?

Jason

maham

03-04-2007, 12:50 AM

Hi,
I have a VM that boots Knoppix 5.1.1 from Virtual Hard Disk linux formatted (not from the CD). I followed the procedures to install VMwareTools in that OS with no success. I run ok the VM provided by Giles. Is there something that I can use from that virtual machine to patch my knoppix installation.

Thanks.

ruymbeke

03-05-2007, 11:00 PM

...Could you assist me with the propoer syntax for mounting the CD for your build. I am using the VMPLAYER and it will load the 501 but cannot find the location to the CD. In your notes you say to point to the location but I can't figure our how to do that. Thanks in advance.
"PS: Please update the cdrom image path to match the location of your Knoppix 5.01 CD or DVD iso file."

Since this is not the first time I get the above question in a private message, I will reply to it in the forum below:
In the vmk511.vmx text file you will find the following line:
ide1:0.fileName = "C:\boot\knoppix.511\KNOPPIX_V5.1.1CD-2007-01-04-EN.iso"
You may want to change "C:\boot\knoppix.511\KNOPPIX_V5.1.1CD-2007-01-04-EN.iso"
to match the path and filename of your knoppix iso file. The cd or dvd iso file is obviously
not included in my zip and will have to be either downloaded or created from a Knoppix cd/dvd.
Hope this helps,
Gilles

d1g1tal_ph3r3t

03-07-2007, 09:41 PM

Hi Henri, You are absolutely correct and I apologize for this. I got a typo when creating the url...

The correct file is: http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk511_36983.zip

Best Regards, Gilles

What does this zip file contain and what can I do with it? Sorry if I missed something somewhere in this thread.

ruymbeke

03-07-2007, 10:22 PM

Hi Henri, You are absolutely correct and I apologize for this. I got a typo when creating the url...
The correct file is: http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk511_36983.zip
Best Regards, Gilles
What does this zip file contain and what can I do with it? Sorry if I missed something somewhere in this thread.
It is a VmWare virtual machine for Knoppix 5.1.1, cf in here: http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=110240#110240

ruymbeke

03-26-2007, 11:33 AM

Hello,
Please find below the link to the Knoppix 5.2 update of the iso boot minirt:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/minirt_520.gz
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Gilles

PS: interestingly, once booted I can now remount /cdrom2.loop (ntfs) as rw,
but I still cannot write to it. Something mysterious to me with fuse and ntfs-3g.
PS2: I am still working on the Knoppix 5.2 vm with vmware 6 beta build 42757.

zxr35

03-30-2007, 09:44 PM

I'm trying to boot Knoppix iso fron NTFS on Windows 2003 Server, it hangs at the cannot find *.iso file, but works perfecly in XP, will this procedure not work in 2003?

ruymbeke

03-30-2007, 10:23 PM

I'm trying to boot Knoppix iso fron NTFS on Windows 2003 Server, it hangs at the cannot find *.iso file, but works perfecly in XP, will this procedure not work in 2003?
Hello,
I believe that the ntfs format have changed from XP to the server version and that grub cannot handle that new ntfs format.
Best Regards,
Gilles

zxr35

04-04-2007, 06:38 PM

is there anyway to boot the knoppix iso other then the CD, and USB, just like doing within NTFS, but when I do that I cannot
extend the partition that the Knoppix is running in. The CD works the best way but then you have to have someone at various locations to touch the CD, trying to do this without relying on someone at these locations, because of time difference etc. Hope this makes some sense

Thanks

poor_mans_knoppix

04-06-2007, 11:00 AM

Hello,
Please find below the link to the Knoppix 5.2 update of the iso boot minirt:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/minirt_520.gz
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Gilles
.

Hi Gilles,
starting with the first 4*-DVD of Knoppix I went from a loadlin-install of Knoppix to your version with grub and the patched minirt.gz

I just tryed to go to the 5,2 c't-Version, but I'm running into some trouble:
The Kernel shows correctly as 2.6.19.5, it tells me that my iso is found on /dev/hda6 OK (ext3-filesystem), but then, when it should say something like "accessing KNOPPIX CDROM -
/cdrom2.loop/*.iso " it only says

acessing KNOPPIX CDROM failed; can't find KNOPPIX filesystem

...and I'm in the limited shell.

I went ahead and burned the iso to a dvd => this runs just fine.
The md5 of my iso is:
fdbff1d8b93d4c1a724cb68b4e4f8bf2 knx520.iso

Any suggestions?

Thatnks in advance!

poor_mans_knoppix

ruymbeke

04-23-2007, 02:36 AM

... I just tryed to go to the 5,2 c't-Version, but I'm running into some trouble:
The Kernel shows correctly as 2.6.19.5, it tells me that my iso is found on /dev/hda6 OK (ext3-filesystem),
but then, when it should say something like "accessing KNOPPIX CDROM - /cdrom2.loop/*.iso "
it only says acessing KNOPPIX CDROM failed; can't find KNOPPIX filesystem ...
Hello,
Please accept my deep apologies, it should now be fixed using this new link:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/minirt_52.gz
This minirt_52.gz also includes a (dynamically) patched knoppix-autoconfig file for persistent home (cf below)

I also created a new Knoppix 5.2 c't virtual machine for VmWare 6-RC (build 44426):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk520_44426.zip (10MB)

As usual, I really apreciate feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

Ps1: It looks like that the lang=us kernel cheat code changes the keyboad mapping but not the menus yet...

PS2: I think I have found 3 typos in the official /etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig script, cf bug report:
http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Bugs/5.20 and a patch: http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knoppix-autoconfig_520.diff

Ps3: For the long story, sorry for the delay in my response but I have been very busy at work this last month
and I only got the time now to fix a very stupid (and known) bug in my modified linuxrc boot script:
if [ -f $TARGET/$KNOPPIX_DIR/$KNOPPIX_NAME ] --> if test -r $TARGET/$KNOPPIX_DIR/$KNOPPIX_NAME
(When I was running my tests previously I didn't realize that the iso used was a left over from a test on Fat32)

kirol

04-23-2007, 10:49 AM

Thanks Gilles. It is a pity that knoppix essentially remains a one-man stunt. There's no bugzilla anymore, and requests to the mailing list are often ignored. Have you considered submitting your NTFS/VMWare additions to sidux (http://www.sidux.org/) for inclusion? Not to belittle knoppix, but they at least are working as a team, and take HD-installation to heart.

ruymbeke

05-08-2007, 07:32 AM

Hello,
I received this very good question in a private message:

... I downloaded vmk511_39849b.zip from your website, and booted up the virtual machine in that file.
I reset the ISO image to the location of the KNOPPIX_V5.1.1DVD-2007-01-04-EN DVD ISO file that I have.
The machine boots and seems to work, but I was wondering if there is a specific method for making persistent changes...
and since I believe it can can be usefull to others please find below a copy of my answer:

Yes, Knoppix can be used with a persistent image and this persistent image can also be used with vmware.
I actually use a persistent image in the process of creating my Knoppix virtual machine.

So obviously you can create a vmware virtual machine with a persistent image stored on a vmware virtual hdd.
You don't need to use my zip file, just create an empty virtual machine and install everything
as you would do on a real machine, including formatting the hdd, installing a disk boot loader and
installing the vmware tools before creating the persistent image, so it can be used for the next boot.
By doing so you will be able to store changes and keep your data for the next boots.
The draw back of this approach is in my opinion the large size of the virtual machine.
As an example, it is quite hard to get a persistent image smaller than 100MB if you install the vmware tools...

This is the reason why I decided to use an other customized & optimized mechanism to load
the vmware tools which is not really compatible with the existing persistent image mechanism.
My goal is to provide a ready to use and ultra compact Knoppix vmware virtual machine (<10MB) which can be used
to have a quick access to the native linux tools and/or as a very fast free X server to access an other Linux box.

So as a quick answer, I do not see an easy way to use my zip file to create a persistent image.
Since I used a persistent image to create my setup, I would recommend you to do the same:
Create a virtual machine and install Knoppix as it should be done on a real machine.
You may still want to consider re-using my bootlaoder and/or my boot ram disk in order to boot from
the iso with custom kernel cheatcodes (to enable the loading of persistent image as an example).

After a second thought, I did not try to create a persistent image after having booted from my Knoppix vm.
It may work ... (with some tweaking)
I hope this is helpful information.
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

05-08-2007, 08:39 AM

cut/paste would be totally fine.

I noticed with some more playing around that when i try using the persistent image within knoppix (that saves to a .img file), it breaks your vmware-tools install. Same goes for when I do a knoppix saveconfig (which saves settings and changes to /etc to a .tgz file or something). I feel like there must be a way to implement these changes to the UNIONFS after loading the things that come from your custom setup. (by the way, now that i've been playing with this stuff for a few hours, i can really appreciate how elegant and well done your virtual machine zip file is. Kudos to you!)

Let me see if I've got this straight:
the virtual machine loads to disk, encounters grub, which simply boots knoppix with various cheatcodes from the ISO image on /dev/hdc. It also uses your custom initrd instead of the standard one. I'm not sure what "vga=791" does, or why the ramdisk is set to 1gb. It also pulls a custom hostname and sets the screen to 1024x768.

Then it runs the custom knoppix.sh file in /dev/hda1. I even see the part where you merge in the "vmware-tool" cusomization from /mnt/hda1/boot/vm_....tgz I'm not sure what HGFS is, but that seems to fail. Interestingly enough, when it initializes the X server with the vmware video card to 1024x768 max, but when X starts up it starts iwth some HUGE resolution (2048x1500 or something). I can't figure that part out.

"ramdisk_size=100000" and "vga=791" are from the original isolinux.cfg file on the original Knoppix cdrom.
hostname is one of my add-on in my custom initrd and the "screen=1024x768" parameter is useless
since overrided by the vm tools. (Resolution is defined by the vmware tools configuration script)
hgfs is created in /mnt by the vmware tools setup to store the shared directories (between host and guest).
The vmware tools configuration script creates a new xorg.conf (X11 config file) which I have setup for
the max resolution since vmware allows for an easy window shrink (especially in full screen mode)
but not to enlarge if a small screen size has been previously defined. Since I like the option to use
a large screen (in full screen mode) I had to select the largest screen size as a default...
This problem will be solved in the new upcoming vmware workstation 6.0 since it will allow to limit the maximum
guest screen resolution by a parameter in the vmware config file and as such can now be very easily customized.
BTW, my Knoppix 5.2 zip file is already using this feature and can be used with the "freely downloadable"
release candidate of vmware workstation 6.0.

At this point -- everything works as it should, including vmware tools. The problem is that if I try to make configuration changes (like, say, changing the screen resolution in Xorg down to 1024x768 or something), and save that using either of knoppix's built-in methods for saving settings -- it totally mucks up your stuff, and vmware tools doesn't integrate properly on the next reboot.

I wonder, how much do you know about the way that knoppix does persistent settings (it has two built-in methods)? I wonder if there is a way to make the knoppix-style changes at the same time, or BEFORE your knoppix.sh script makes changes. As long as your changes come 2nd, it should be ok (i think).

Do you have any thoughts or ideas on the subject? Any ideas why the screen resolution of X starts off so funky? is that just me or everyone?

Thanks,
Steven

As I wrote previously, it is probably best not to use both mechanism at the same time.
I basically let Knoppix create a new root file system including the /etc and /home/knoppix directories
and I overwrite (thanks to the UnionFS) the files modified by the vmware tools install using a compact gzip file.
The persistent approach is quite different in the sense that it will use the knoppix.sh script to "mount" the persistent
/home/knoppix user directory and merge the custom system settings in the /etc.

So the way I would try it would be to create a persistent image after having booted from my Knoppix vm
and modify the knoppix.sh script (or use an original one created by Knoppix outside the vm context) in order to load
the persistent image instead uncompressing my zip file which would override the changes made in the persistent file.
If you use the persistent mount after my vm.tgz it would drop the vmware tools settings changes.
What I just suggested is basically equivalent to unzip (once only) the content of my vm.tgz into your persistent image.
(which is by the way exactly the inverse of what I used to create my gzip file from a persistent image
after having installed the vmware tools from a clean Knoppix cd boot within a brand new vm with a hdd)

Now if your problem is only the default screen size, I would suggest you to just edit the /etc/x11/xorg.conf file
included in my /mnt/hda1/boot/vm.tgz file in order to permanently change the default screen resolution.

Hope this helps,
Gilles

skisteven1

05-09-2007, 05:20 PM

As I wrote previously, it is probably best not to use both mechanism at the same time.
I basically let Knoppix create a new root file system including the /etc and /home/knoppix directories
and I overwrite (thanks to the UnionFS) the files modified by the vmware tools install using a compact gzip file.
The persistent approach is quite different in the sense that it will use the knoppix.sh script to "mount" the persistent
/home/knoppix user directory and merge the custom system settings in the /etc.

So the way I would try it would be to create a persistent image after having booted from my Knoppix vm
and modify the knoppix.sh script (or use an original one created by Knoppix outside the vm context) in order to load
the persistent image instead uncompressing my zip file which would override the changes made in the persistent file.
If you use the persistent mount after my vm.tgz it would drop the vmware tools settings changes.
What I just suggested is basically equivalent to unzip (once only) the content of my vm.tgz into your persistent image.
(which is by the way exactly the inverse of what I used to create my gzip file from a persistent image
after having installed the vmware tools from a clean Knoppix cd boot within a brand new vm with a hdd)

Gilles,

How exactly did you go about producing your tgz file to modify the UNIONFS? You said that you did it by recording modifications to the filesystem after installing vmware tools to a clean knoppix install -- but not through what method you did that. My thoughts are that I might be able to use the very same method to make more changes and simply update the tgz file. Additionally, i'd like to reset the homedirectory for the knoppix user to be at /dev/hda1/homes/ . I think that by doing that (perhaps via symlinks?) most of the changes on a day to day basis would NOT have to be added to your tgz file. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Steven

ruymbeke

05-09-2007, 06:20 PM

How exactly did you go about producing your tgz file to modify the UNIONFS? You said that you did it by recording modifications to the filesystem after installing vmware tools to a clean knoppix install -- but not through what method you did that. My thoughts are that I might be able to use the very same method to make more changes and simply update the tgz file. Additionally, i'd like to reset the homedirectory for the knoppix user to be at /dev/hda1/homes/ . I think that by doing that (perhaps via symlinks?) most of the changes on a day to day basis would NOT have to be added to your tgz file. Any suggestions?
Hi Steven,
It is built-in the Unionfs: by definition no file changes can be stored within the iso file nor the hdd since they are mounted as read only,
so the data changes have to be stored into the only writable media available which is the ramdisk. So if you get the ramdisk content,
remove the unwanted files (as temporary files, or files re-created at boot time) and make a tgz file of it that you will load at boot time,
you should more or less have it... I would guess that you most likely can use a symlink (created in the knoppix.sh script)
to redirect the the Knoppix home directory to your local hdd.
Hope this helps,
Gilles

ruymbeke

05-10-2007, 10:41 AM

Hello,
Please find below the new VmWare Workstation 6.0.0 or Player 2.0.0 (build 45731) virtual machines for:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk511_45731.zip Knoppix 5.1.1 (no persistence)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk520_45731.zip Knoppix 5.2.0 (no persistence)
http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/866 (VmWare appliances listing link)
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=114363#114363 (vm for VMWare Server 1.0.3 build 44356)
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=113141#113141 (with prog & data persistence)
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Gilles

MD5 & size of the files:
eb54a7cc3f36e2c1d0008e3bbed26e34 *vmk511_45731.zip (10'031'566)
8e47a0d41e64e907cf971e40577b560c *vmk520_45731.zip (9'650'467)

Old vm links for reference:
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=112830#112830
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=110240#110240
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=110103#110103
http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/662
http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/554

PS: In order to change the maximum screen size please edit the following text lines of the vmx file:
(since the edit display config menu is not accessible from winthin the vmware player)
svga.maxWidth = "640" "800" "1024" "1280" "1280" "1600"
svga.maxHeight= "480" "600" "768" "1024" "1200" "1200"
svga.vramSize = "1228800" "1920000" "3145728" "5242880" "6144000" "7680000"

gluni

05-10-2007, 05:29 PM

Hi there,

first of all thx for this vm Gilles. I ve followed this threat as an observer for some time, now im ready for a few questions...
My goal is to use ur appliance and install a few programms and of course save my config (Home).
Ideally id like to write a persistent home to hda1, which is read only.
1. Any chance to change that? i tried to add a "rw" for hda1 into the fstab but im not sure if the change actually survived a reboot.

2. What u said last about putting the ramdisk into tgz: do i only have to change the line in knoppix.sh that loads the vm4xxxx.tgz? And which knoppix.sh should i change, there 2 of them? (one in / and one in boot)

thx for the help
Jeff

ruymbeke

05-12-2007, 11:56 AM

Hello,
To respond to a strong request of persistence of data with Knoppix running as a guest under vmware
I had to give it a try ... So please use it at your own risk and provide feedback ...
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk511_45731p2.zip Knoppix 5.1.1 with persistence
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk520_45731p2.zip Knoppix 5.2.0 with persistence
http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/866 (VmWare appliances listing link)
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=113100#113100 (previous vm link)
Have fun (and do not forget to make a clean shutdown since you now have persistence...)
Gilles

MD5 & size of the files:
754a074adbd70b99da9eaec50b1040a3 *Vmk511_45731p2.zip (10'071'232)
cab57232ccd71d566190a8ef0c8b3412 *vmk520_45731p2.zip (9'677'762)

PS: The persistent data (home & config) deltas from the default are now saved in a separate disk hdb1.
Please do not write into hdb1 directly since it is handled by the unionfs and may lead into data corruption.
Just use the system normally: /home/knoppix, /etc, /usr/ /var, ... (but not /media/hdb1 nor /mnt/hdb1)
If for some reason the data on sdb1 gets corrupted, just remove all the files as a super user (su)
(except your valuable data of course) and reboot. Knoppix should rebuild the missing info for you...
Using the built-in precedence of the unionfs (persistent_disk=rw, ramdisk_autodetection=ro, Knoppix_iso=ro),
I tried to leverage the powerfull Knoppix hw autodetection with the persistence of the customisation (done by the user).
BTW, this is something that Klaus may consider even without vmware...

PS2: I updated the Knoppix 5.1.1 & 5.2.0 vm link to the latest update, cf:
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=113174#113174
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=113213#113213

gluni

05-13-2007, 07:57 PM

Thx Gilles,

thats a really fast response.
i tried it out and it works real well under vmware 6.
lets see what it all go inside...

Jeff

ruymbeke

05-14-2007, 06:59 AM

Hello,
Please find below an other Knoppix 5.1.1 VmWare virtual machine update
with an on/off selection (in grub) of the data & program persistence:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk511_45731p2.zip Knoppix 5.1.1
This Rescue mode (persistence off) will allow to run "fsck /dev/sdb2" (as a root)
to clean a persistent partiton not properly unmounted (or after crash).
Have fun and please give me some feedback...
Gilles

PS: I did not update the Knoppix 5.2 vm ... yet.

ruymbeke

05-16-2007, 08:40 AM

Hello,
I finally got the time to update the Knoppix 5.2 VmWare virtual machine
with an on/off selection (in grub) of the data & program persistence:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk520_45731p2.zip
This Rescue mode (persistence off) will allow to run "fsck /dev/sdb2" (as a root)
to clean a persistent partiton not properly unmounted (or after crash).
Have fun and please give me some feedback...
Gilles

lachiem

05-30-2007, 09:42 PM

Gilles,

Works great! IBM X40 laptop w/ 1.2 cpu. Very snappy! :D

ksudoku blacked out the screen when I launched it from the menu. Behaves much better from a konsole.

Thanks!

Lachie

gluni

06-06-2007, 09:37 AM

ICPUG

07-09-2007, 12:20 AM

ruymbeke

07-13-2007, 04:15 PM

Ruymbeke,
I have been using your modified minirt.gz files ever since this thread started in order to do a Knoppix 'Poor Man's Install' on NTFS systems.
I was recently asked whether Damn Small Linux could be started this way. I can get DSL to start from a FAT32 partition but not NTFS, presumably because the minirt24.gz needs altering.
This got me to wondering. We are all totally reliant on you for these updates with each new Knoppix. Have you ever documented what you have altered - or is it closed source?
Of course, I am interested at this minute to see how to change the DSL minrt24.gz. However, I shudder to think that I will not be able to use Knopix this way, should you become indisposed to provide these updates for us in the future.
ICPUG

ICPUG,
First of all, this is not black magic nor close source code, but only inclusion within the minirt boot ramdisk
of kernel modules (already on the cd) and linuxrc boot script edits to add the double loop back from ntfs.
The list of changes is quite long and I would suggest you to use a diff of the linuxrc scripts and a tree comparison between the two minirt.
(This is what I do when working on a new Knoppix release) All the changes are quite obvious when you dig in the bootstrap mechanism.
But the linuxrc boot script is quite hard to read as it is now and would need to be rewritten from scratch since it is a real patch work.
I have asked several times Klaus to include these changes in the official Knoppix release and as far as I know, he is open to consider it.
I do not plan to disappear any time soon and will do my best to provide updates until Klaus includes these changes in his official release.
I worked on these improvements for my own use and since I found them quite useful, I like to share the results with others.
Best regards,
Gilles

Netblitz

07-22-2007, 01:46 PM

Hi,

i use the VMware Server 1.0.3.
The Image for Knoppix 5.2 is only for VMware Workstation V6. :cry:
I can´t find one for the VMware Server.

Is it possible to transfer the Diskimage in the Server Format?,
or can somewhere make a installation in these one? :?:

I think the Configuration must be functional for both Versions
or is there some limitations for working only in VMware Workstation6? :idea:

Thank you

ruymbeke

07-24-2007, 04:02 AM

Netblitz

07-24-2007, 10:46 PM

i use the VMware Server 1.0.3.
The Image for Knoppix 5.2 is only for VMware Workstation V6. :cry:
I can´t find one for the VMware Server...
Here they are for VMWare Server 1.0.3 build 44356: (vm downgraded from workstation 6 to 5)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/Vmk511_44356.zip Knoppix 511 vm no data persistence
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/Vmk511_44356p2.zip Knoppix 511 vm with data persistence
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/Vmk520_44356.zip Knoppix 520 vm no data persistence
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/Vmk520_44356p2.zip Knoppix 520 vm with data persistence
Have fun and please let me know if it works for you !
Best Regards,
Gilles

Wow, that was a fast answer.....
Thank you. It seems to be running.

But i am a new linux user 8)
First priblem i see is that there is no network.
Vmware is configured properly.

Is it possible, that the network card is designed for vmware 6, and not compatible with the vmware
server version? But this is my first try - I take a look tomorrow and tell you more about my test.

Good Night
netblitz

greenbag

07-29-2007, 10:43 AM

ruymbeke....

I downloaded your minirt_usb4.gz today, and successfully booted knoppix-4.0.2.iso on a fat32 - awesome!!

Only problem I'm having, is even though I specify lang=us in the batchfile, the desktop is still popping up German. Minor if using the desktop, just change from taskbar. ... But, I also made a runlevel 3 batchfile - but I can't run it - it screws up my keyboard. /mnt/hda1 becomes -mnt-hda1.

Here's my desktop.bat:

@echo off
C:
cd \boot\knoppix
..\grub\loadlin.exe linux initrd=minirt~1.gz ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init bootfrom=/dev/hda1/boot/knoppix/*.iso dma noapm acpi=off noapic pci=bios vga=791 lang=us quiet apm=power-off nomce noprompt
Here's my run3.bat:

@echo off
C:
cd \boot\knoppix
..\grub\loadlin.exe linux initrd=minirt~1.gz ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init bootfrom=/dev/hda1/boot/knoppix/*.iso 3 dma noapm acpi=off noapic pci=bios vga=791 lang=us quiet apm=power-off nomce noprompt
So then I decided to extract and modify the minirt_usb4.gz:

gunzip minirt_usb4.gz
mkdir todelete
mount minirt_usb4 todelete -t ext2 -o loop

edit the knoppix-autoconfig to default from LANG="de" to LANG="us"

umount todelete
gzip -9 minirt_usb4
rmdir todelete
But now, it disabled my mouse (??).

I've successfully modified the minirt.gz when I did my own remaster, but the minirt_usb4.gz is giving me problems.

Any suggestions? Or, is there a version defaulted to English?

Thanks in advance :)

ps:

After trying for 3 days with loadlin, I was extremely impressed with your package!!

cheers :D

greenbag

07-29-2007, 11:44 AM

got it....

needed to put the lang=us right after the /boot/knoppix/*.iso

mcewanw

08-17-2007, 04:54 AM

I have created a directory called /build to which I want to loopmount your patched minirt.gz file. The following works fine with an unpatched minirt.gz file:
First I ungzip minirt.gz. Then I enter: mount minirt /build -o loop
Then I'm able to see all the files inside and look at linuxrc script.

However, when I do all of the above with your minirt_52.gz ntfs patched file I can't get it to loop mount at all. Is there something special I need to do apart from the above. I've tried adding the extra option -t ext2 since the mount command seems to think its an ntfs image (I think...?). I also tried some of your other patched versions and none of them would loop mount by this method. I must be missing something/ doing something wrong. :-(
Any help would be appreciated because I'd like to play around with linuxrc for my own mods.

ruymbeke

08-17-2007, 05:57 AM

Hello,
I just mounted my minirt_511.gz in a ~knoppix/build directory with Knoppix 5.1.1
and I do not see any problem. Cf below or the following link:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/loopback511.jpg
Be carefull not to mount the loopback into /build (build directory at the root level)
since the root directory is quite small, it is only 5.8Meg !
Hope this help... and please let me know how this works for you.
Gilles

knoppix@vm-knoppix511:~$ su
root@vm-knoppix511:/ramdisk/home/knoppix# mkdir build
root@vm-knoppix511:/ramdisk/home/knoppix# gunzip minirt_511.gz
root@vm-knoppix511:/ramdisk/home/knoppix# mount -o loop minirt_511 build
root@vm-knoppix511:/ramdisk/home/knoppix# ls build
KNOPPIX cdrom hosts linuxrc.402 linuxrc.new mnt proc sys
bin dev lib linuxrc.501 linuxrc.old modules sbin tmp
boot etc linuxrc linuxrc.51 media opt static usr
root@vm-knoppix511:/ramdisk/home/knoppix#

I have created a directory called /build to which I want to loopmount your patched minirt.gz file...
Any help would be appreciated because I'd like to play around with linuxrc for my own mods.

mcewanw

08-18-2007, 01:01 AM

Thanks for that. It works fine from Knoppix (I just have a very old Knoppix 3.1), but interestingly it doesn't work from Puppy Linux. In Puppy I was able to loop mount its own minirt*.gz no problem but not your patched Knoppix one (or from the patched minirt from the old japanese version of knoppix). In the latter case I kind of remember some error message about a wrong NTFS signature? Any idea what that could mean? I thought these were all ext2 image files (according to the unix "file" command they are).

Is there some special signature you had to write to the file you had to write to the image file to make it work from ntfs as well as insmod ntfs script code lines (device type or something)?

mcewanw

08-18-2007, 01:08 AM

Ignore my last question. I must have done something daft yesterday. I just tried loop mounting your patched minirt from puppy linux again, and this time it worked fine...!*?!!

Thanks again.

mcewanw

08-18-2007, 07:17 AM

Hello ruymbeke

Great to be able to boot Knoppix from ntfs with your patched minirt.gz. However it is also frustrating that noone seems to have produced a similar thing for the very popular Knoppix-derived Damn Small Linux. I've spent hours today trying to do just that... unsuccessfully :-(
First I ungzipped your minirt52.gz, loop mounted the result, and looked at linuxrc.
Then I did the same with DSL's minirt24.gz and used diff to see the differences.
Based on the side by side diff window I tried copying and pasting what seemed like the relevant parts over from your patched linuxrc to the DSL one. In particular I copied over your versions of the functions: mount_it(); boot_from(); boot_from2(); copy_to(); and loadmodule(). I also copied the line: loadmodule fuse ... and appended ntfs to the BUILTIN_FS line. Finally I reassembled everything into a new minirt24.gz.
But, as I say, it didn't boot - still couldn't find KNOPPIX whatever...
I even tried making a second version by also copying over the modules directory out of your patched minirt...
I didn't manually include any ntfs.o anywhere, so no manual insmod. Fact is, there wasn't any ntfs.o in the modules directory. Is that why this method doesn't work with DSL - is ntfs support compiled into KNOPPIX's kernel but not into DSL's kernel do you think? Or is the lengthy procedure I outlined above simply no good!

I really think it would be great if you could possibly do the same job for DSL you did for Knoppix - perhaps it would be easy for you to do since the linuxrc is very similar inside DSL to the Knoppix one?!

stbrock

08-20-2007, 08:49 AM

hi there,

im encountering one little problem in my workstation6 and ur newest vm.
i have to run the netcardconfig script on each boot, assigning all the parameters like ip, gateway and so on manually. on other vm it connects automatically. on the ifconfig dialog it doesnt show the eth0 until i have run the mentionned script.
i know this is probably not really connected to ur vm but maybe u got an idea...
thx
jeffI have the same issue and have seen several other posts to that effect here and in http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25656. It seems to be specific to Knoppix running in VMware. dmesg indicates the card is recognized and configured by DHCP and eth0 brought up, then something happens afterward to take it down. For me, on boot-up, eth0 is configured but down, yet running ifup eth0 tells me it is already up. Attempting to configure the card with DHCP fails. I've searched the forum and don't find an answer, so I am working around it by configuring my network card to a static IP after each boot. Persistence doesn't help this, though my other configuration changes are preserved on next boot. The other thread I referenced suggests that the broadcast setting of 255.255.255.255 is to blame, which makes sense, except that my Debian etch virtual machine also has that broadcase setting and works fine. I'm really liking the ruymbeke virtual machine with persistence (5.1.1) and can live with this, but it would be nice for the network configuration to persist too.

musclemania20079

09-09-2007, 04:51 PM

ruymbeke

09-09-2007, 05:48 PM

Hi!
I downloaded your "minirt_511.gz" for booting knoppix ON a old aladding V motherboard( acer V72ma MB,amd K6-2 550 CPU, 128M ram), a few seconds of grub(grub did find the knoppix filesysytem and booting ).... The screen went into blank and hang there, couldn't go on booting any more....
while I runing "minirt_511.gz" on other PC no problem of booting at all..
Should I try adding code " vga=0" instead of vga = 799?
any other codes to fix up blank screen at booting?
Hello you may want to try vga=788 or vga=768 as described in this document:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VESA_BIOS_Extensions (under Linux video mode numbers)
Pease let us know if this works for you.
Best Regards,
Gilles

musclemania20079

09-10-2007, 10:18 AM

ruymbeke

09-17-2007, 02:01 PM

hi!
I tried using 'vga=0 'at "menu.lst" of grub boot,it worked.
--------------------------------------------------
title Knoppix511 from hda7 ISO cloop scan
kernel (hd0,6)/boot/knoppix.402/linux ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init nomce lang=us vga=0 noprompt apm=power-off fromhd=/dev/hda7 knoppix_dir=/boot/knoppix.402 knoppix_name=KNOPPIX
initrd (hd0,6)/boot/knoppix.402/minirt_511.gz
--------------------------------------------------
Now I can get rid of blank screen at booting on acer V72ma Motherborad,but the booting stalled at
"..check if image is initramfs...it isn't (bad gzip magic numbers),looks like a initrd"
what should I do next to boot into knoppix 511 normally?

Hello,
Greetings from France and Switzerland.
I assume that you have overwritten the Knoppix 4.02 files with the Knoppix 5.11 files.
(you are still using a knoppix.402 directory, and obviously you cannot mix versions of Knoppix)
Anyway, does your system boot properly with a Knoppix cdrom ?
If if doesn't, most likely the boot from the iso will behave the same way and will not work.
Since the iso boot works on all the system I got the chance to try and I do not have a system like yours,
I don't really know how to investigate. This may be a limitation from Knoppix not my iso boot customization.
Did you verify the integrity of the iso file, or did you try kernel cheatcodes as decribed in the knoppix-cheatcodes.txt file:
knoppix noagp noaudio noapm noapic acpi=off nodma nopcmcia noscsi nousb, ...
Please share your findings with everybody.
Hope this helps,
Gilles

johnrw

12-03-2007, 05:48 AM

Here: http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=110555#110555

Hello,
If updated the linuxrc to use fusermount -uz /cdrom (and not umount /cdrom) in order to not mess up
the /etc/mtab. The partition hosting the iso file is now mounted properly in /media with a link to /mnt
and is now accessible from KDE. But I still cannot make it writable from kde nor from a su shell.
As a dirty work around I added two kernel cheatcodes: ntfs_rw & linuxrc_exit=...
in order to boot with the partition holding the iso file as writable (ntfs_rw) and
run any program before exiting the linuxrc for debug purpose (linuxrc_exit=/static/bash)
Please find below a link to this updated alpha test version of minirt:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/minirt_511a.gz
FYI, ntfs-3g -o remount is not supported yet, but if the ntfs partition is not used to boot
mount -o remount works just fine... Any help to investigate why the ntfs-3g driver behaves differently
for the mount/umount and prevent to write in the iso boot partition will be greatly apretiated.
Best Regards,
Gilles

Well Gilles,
The cheatcode ntfs_rw worked for me. The boot drive has the knoppix.iso, which is also ntfs format... and was always stuck on read only. I copied about 15 files in a knoppix subdirectory over to the windows side. All using an iso image. No extracting KNOPPIX and KNOPPIX2 or anything. Funny I had a problem using the minirt_511.gz. I had to get the "a" version. http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=110240#110240 didn't mention it... just the 511 version.
Thanks Gilles.

John Woods

Hal Styli

12-30-2007, 10:41 PM

Hello,
Can someone please help. I am trying to get an ISO of a Knoppix 5.11 CD working for a poor man's install in a similar way that I have 3.7 working. My setup with Win2K SP4 on NTFS is as follows:-

C:\
- grldr (from grub4dos-0.4.3)
- boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
c:\grldr="Start Grub"
- menu.lst
timeout=30
default=0

title Windows 2000
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
boot

title Knoppix 3.7 kernel 2.6 from NTFS hda1 ISO scan ramdisk=32MB
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/knoppix.37/linux26 ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 nomce quiet bootfrom=/dev/hda1/boot/knoppix.37/*.iso config=scan home=scan ramdisk=32768 noprompt
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/knoppix.37/minirt26_ntfs.gz
boot

title Knoppix 5.11
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/knoppix.511/linux ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 nomce quiet bootfrom=/dev/hda1/boot/knoppix.511/*.iso config=scan home=scan ramdisk=32768 noprompt
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/knoppix.511/minirt_511.gz
boot
- C:\BOOT\Knoppix.37 directory contains the following files
k37.iso
linux24
linux26
memtest
minirt24_ntfs.gz
minirt26_ntfs.gz
- C:\BOOT\Knoppix.511 directory contains the following files
KNOPPIX_V5.1.1CD-2007-01-04-EN.iso
linux (extracted from the above iso)
minirt_511.gz
The 3.7 boots fine. With 5.11, although it looks good initially, I get the error:
/dev/hda1/boot/knoppix.511/*.iso: ISO not found, search for alternate locations:
Use of this ISO: /dev/hda1/boot/knoppix.511/*.iso
Can't find KNOPPIX filesystem, sorry.something briefly flashes up about /dev/hda1/boot/knoppix.511/*.iso
being unmountable and then it drops me into a very limited shell.

Any constructive comments welcome.
Hal.

johnrw

12-31-2007, 03:17 AM

Well it looks like you have used a Knoppix.511, in the directory name... and specified a knoppix.511 in all your menu.lst stuff.
Try renaming your Knoppix.511 to knoppix.511 and see.

Windows may not see any difference if you cd to C:\Boot (which should also be lowercase according to your menu.lst) and try and:
ren Knoppix.511 knoppix.511 in a dos box, and do nothing. I have usually used an intermediate name and never had a problem when doing it that way.

cd C:\Boot
ren Knoppix.511 tempdir
ren tempdir knoppix.511

Or you could adjust your menu.lst to be a case sensitive match to your directory names.
Secondly... try using a full name to specify your iso filename. I always rename them to something simple like knoppix.iso.

ruymbeke

03-30-2008, 09:59 AM

johnrw

03-30-2008, 01:44 PM

Gilles,

Your miniroots... well I just can't do without them. They have become indispensible.

This one... Works for me!
(Now maybe I can have a look at Knoppix 5.3.1 and see what's new.)

I have my iso as /dev/hdb9/Knoppix-5.3.1/Knoppix.iso ... and it found it.
That would be an ext3 partition... I'll test my ntfs later as I have to move some around.
Since I've stopped using Windows nowadays... I have less need for ntfs partitions.

Thank You.

jw113

03-31-2008, 06:06 AM

Hello,

I have used your system to boot the Knoppix 5.1.1 ISO from a hard drive via GRUB4Win (thanks!!), but I'd now like to also boot it from a USB key that already boots via Syslinux. (I setup the key to boot UBCD4Win using someone else's Syslinux config files; I'm a Syslinux newbie.)

I thought it should be simple enough to copy the linux, minirt_511a.gz and Knoppix ISO to /knoppix.511, and convert my HDD version of your GRUB boot config:

title Knoppix 5.1.1 from hda7 ISO
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/knoppix.511/linux ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 ntfs_rw nomce quiet bootfrom=/dev/hda7/ISO/knoppix.511/*.iso config=scan home=scan ramdisk=32768 noprompt noaudio
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/knoppix.511/minirt_511a.gz
bootto what I think should be the equivalent Syslinux config on the USB (looking at the other existing Syslinux boot entries), by changing all the path references and reversing the KERNEL (but not cheatcode) slashes:

LABEL KNOPPIX
MENU LABEL Launch Knoppix 5.11a
KERNEL \knoppix.511\linux ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 ntfs_rw nomce quiet bootfrom=/knoppix.511/*.iso config=scan home=scan ramdisk=32768 noprompt noaudio
APPEND initrd=/knoppix.511/minirt_511a.gzHowever, when I boot from the key and select the Knoppix entry, it says it's booting from /knoppix.511/linux, but then says
Could not find kernel image /knoppix.511/minirt_511a.gzI tried reversing the slashes to "\" (since the other boot menu entries use backslashes) but get the same result.

Can someone explain what I'm missing here? Thanks!

johnrw

03-31-2008, 07:28 AM

I just noticed... this thread has over 400,000 views... wow.
First, I would take the backslashes out.

Syslinux seems to be booting... so if you edit syslinux.cfg using a good editor that will preserve your line endings (kwrite is good enough) and
use mine you will be almost there. I formatted my 8GB thumbdrive with a small FAT partition, and then the rest as ext3. Why ext3? Windows XP...
in it's infinite wisdom decided to allow only one partition on removable media. It refused to recognize the second partition properly. As an ext3 partition, it ignores it... at least.

The small FAT partition holds the minirt and kernel and the files from the /boot/isolinux directory in the root directory. I have a knoppix.img(persistent $home file) in sda2 as well as the tohd KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX files. The ntfs_rw cheatcode is Gilles' solution to having a home on the same drive as a KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX tohd installation. Without that cheatcode... you would need to make another partition for your knoppix.img file. Up to you.

DEFAULT linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=mini511a.gz nomce dma noeject loglevel=0 quiet ntfs_rw home=/media/sda2/knoppix.img myconfig=/media/sda2 BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix 2
TIMEOUT 300
PROMPT 1
DISPLAY boot.msg
F1 boot.msg
F2 f2
F3 f3
LABEL knoppix
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt.gz nomce noeject loglevel=0 quiet home=scan myconfig=scan BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix 2
LABEL expert
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt.gz nomce BOOT_IMAGE=expert 2
LABEL memtest
KERNEL memtest
APPEND foo
LABEL knoppix-txt
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=normal initrd=minirt.gz nomce loglevel=0 quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix 2
LABEL debug
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=normal initrd=minirt.gz debug BOOT_IMAGE=debug 2
LABEL fb1280x1024
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=794 xmodule=fbdev initrd=minirt.gz nomce loglevel=0 quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix 2
LABEL fb1024x768
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 xmodule=fbdev initrd=minirt.gz nomce loglevel=0 quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix 2
LABEL fb800x600
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=788 xmodule=fbdev initrd=minirt.gz nomce loglevel=0 quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix 2
LABEL dos
KERNEL balder.img
LABEL failsafe
KERNEL linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=normal atapicd nosound noapic noacpi pnpbios=off acpi=off nofstab noscsi nodma noapm nousb nopcmcia nofirewire noagp nomce nodhcp xmodule=vesa initrd=minirt.gz BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix 2
LABEL userdef
KERNEL linux
APPEND ################################################## ################################################## ################################################## ################################################## ################################################## ################################################## ################################################## ################################################## ################################################## ################################################## ###########

ruymbeke

03-31-2008, 08:36 AM

Hello,
Why do you want to use isolinux to boot from your usb dongle when grub could do it so much better ?
cf: http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=93758#93758
As an example, the "e" command allow you to modify your boot parameter temporarely but on the fly, which is very usefull for debug !
The "c" command allow to enter the shell interactive mode and test for a new boot without even modifying the config file
and with auto-completion (by pressing tab). Grub can read data from multiple partition types and even
from the network (pxe) if compiled with network support. Grub is a great boot loader...

Why use KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX when you could use the iso file directly and have it ready for a friend to try Linux
by burning that same iso to a CD/DVD without duplicating data.

The ntfs_rw cheatcode is required only for ntfs partitions which cannot be re-mounted on the fly as a writable media
because ntfs-3g doesn't support remount yet. Other boot partition types (fat, ext, reiser) can use the command
mount -o rw,remount ... to write data to the boot partition (containing the iso file)

FYI, I have a multi boot configuartion on my USB dongle (formatted fat32) from which I can boot multiple OS and tools as:
various flavors of knoppix, memtest86, ghost (with dos network support), acronis echo & dd and Linux network installers
for OpenSuse, Mandrake, Ubuntu, ...
Best Regards,
Gilles

johnrw

03-31-2008, 09:48 AM

To be honest Gilles...

This was my first thumbdrive. I 'struggled' with my buggy bios... so by the time I got that working... I was going for the most surefire way to get it working. By the time I was finished... I was pooped! :) Never picked it up again to make it any better. Now since 5.3.1 came out... I am really retructuring my drives. 5.1.1 is an old friend by now... damn hard to unglue it. Getting rid of all KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX style partitions and converting them to ntfs and iso. That is the only way I can see to run different versions btw. I never needed multiple versions of Knoppix till now. Gilles, if you have different flavors of Knoppix on a stick... then that would be a good reason to be running from iso. I was not aware grub4dos could boot from usbdrives. But having the iso on the stick is a good reason for me to fool with it again.

jw113... If Gilles has the time... he is the one to listen to with your setup. I would have volunteered his name, but... when I saw those backslashes... :)

I really wish there was a bugs page for Knoppix. I tried to use... home=/media/hdb10 and ya know what? I think in the script... it must grab one character for the partition number... because I kept getting an error tonight until I tried using home=/dev/hdb10/knoppix.img. The good news is I am using a copy of my persistent home from 5.1.1 with 5.3.1. I did have to remove the kernel modules and rebuild them for this version, but that is to be expected.

I did wind up with a new user entry in /var/lib/dpkg/statoverride... somehow... which causes apt-get to fail... hplip root 755 /var/run/hplip and mostly all I can see on it is people from Ubuntu complaining about it using Google. I figure I will comment it out and try again.

Best Regards,
John

jw113

03-31-2008, 09:11 PM

Sorry about the backslashes, but I'm using someone else's Syslinux.cfg and they used backslashes throughout (and they work). Hope they don't cause too much anxiety here :)

I'm using Syslinux rather than GRUB because I'm adding Knoppix to an existing USB key that's already using Syslinux, and I thought it would be easier to add Knoppix to Syslinux than to redo the existing config in GRUB (which I know no better than Syslinux).

After trying various combinations of paths, slashes, etc. and looking at earlier posts here for the ISO path, I did finally get my 5.1.1 ISO booting via Syslinux, using:
LABEL KNOPPIX
MENU LABEL Launch Knoppix 5.11a
KERNEL /knoppix.511/linux ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 nomce quiet bootfrom=/dev/sda1/knoppix.511/*.iso config=scan home=scan ramdisk=32768 noprompt noaudio
APPEND initrd=/knoppix.511/mini511a.gz
TEXT HELP
Runs Knoppix 5.11a from ISO
ENDTEXT
The key to my problem seems to be that Syslinux can't find the minirt.gz file it it has a LFN. Using the original minirt_511a.gz didn't work (regardless of location), but renaming it to mini511a.gz worked fine (again regardless of location).

Thanks!

ruymbeke

04-01-2008, 03:52 AM

"...I'm using Syslinux rather than GRUB because I'm adding Knoppix to an existing USB key..."
Hello,
An other solution to solve your problem is to start grub from syslinux
(with obviously a new boot option in your syslinux config file)
since grub.exe is also a linux kernel (besides a dos program).
Best Regards,
Gilles

jw113

04-01-2008, 05:18 AM

An other solution to solve your problem is to start grub from syslinux..."
Thanks, I may give it a try (just for fun). I already have GRUB booting via NTLDR, but it didn't occur to me to do the same via Syslinux...

johnrw

04-01-2008, 10:26 AM

Ok... I decided to give it a try... to put the iso on instead.
I now have it using Knoppix 5.1.1 and it's persistant home.

sda1->vfat(128 MB) Yes my minirt_511a.gz is now also renamed to mini511a.gz... but I could have probably used minirt~1.gz in the syslinux.cfg. (The thought of those ~1 compromises on a linux box is sickening,)

sda5->ext2(4400 MB as specified in fdisk creation) mkfs.ext2 -m 1 -L knoppix /dev/sda5 ( the -m 1 means to allocate only 1% for root. This partition is always mounted read-only anyways. Knoppix 5.3.1 is slightly larger so 4400 may not be enough.)

sda6->got the rest of the space. 1.5 GB for knoppix.img and 1.5 GB for VirtualBox's virtual disk image. I also cut the root space to 1% for this partition but made sure the cheatcode noeject was not there to invoke the kernel. (To make sure the kernel is finished writing everything back to the drive before I press enter is a good thing. It was rebooting too quickly for my comfort)

I had no luck being able to have the iso and knoppix.img on the same partition. The bootup would silently ignore any home= cheatcode... but would run knoppix.sh. It may be because my partitions were ext3. I gave up and decided to repartition everything into nice and neat separate partitions. But when I had used the fromhd=/dev/sda2 and home=/media/sda2 and sda2 was in fact a vfat partition... it did work. Does home=/media/someExt3Partition even work? I dunno. I got tired of rebooting.

And so ends my messing with Knoppix on thumbdrives. Being able to start someone's pc from this, and show them Knoppix running XP in a window... and leaving no trace on their pc... makes a heck of a demo eh? You are right to stress how having the iso right there on the drive is better design.

Cheers

Hmmm... backslashes actually work? That's a big surprise.

ruymbeke

04-01-2008, 05:22 PM

... The bootup would silently ignore any home= cheatcode... but would run knoppix.sh. It may be because my partitions were ext3...
Hi John,
I don't see why vfat would work better than ext. Probably a bug to fix...
But why do you need a (separate) ext partition to hold your knoppix.img file ?
(All linux attributes will be stored within the knoppix.img and you just wrote that vfat works)
Vfat can be read from other OS to be copied and installed on other systems.
My two cents,
Gilles

PS: I did the same demo quite a while ago patching at boot time VmWare workstation onto Knoppix 5.1.1.
Running XP inside a VmWare virtual machine on a Knoppix 5.1.1 Linux host, all booted from a USB dongle.
A tiny USM dongle in my wallet is a much better way to travel these days than carying a heavy laptop !

johnrw

04-03-2008, 12:25 AM

Hi Gilles,

Yeah... the trouble with the knoppix bootup... is there is no way to start it in a debug mode that I know of. I guess that would need to be a special debug minirt. I spent too much time rebooting. So once I convinced myself it was not going to work... I decided to repartition and squeeze the partition holding the iso to the bare minimum. That way I could have the best shot at creating yet another partition for holding my knoppix.img and other stuff. I noticed that mkfs.ext2 sets aside %5 of the partition for root's use as a default option. Now that you have pointed out I won't be able to copy the sda5 partition (duh!) I will be reformating them to 1 big vfat. Then ntfs_rw. I noticed that on 5.3.1 I would get some udev spew about / partition being mounted read only... and I solved that with a ro on the kernel cmdline. But I am using 5.1.1 for this project... since it is now very compatible with Debian Etch. Even Google Desktop installed on that Knoppix.

I knew you would have had a vmware solution... and I think I grabbed a vm of yours from vmware's site. That's on hold for the moment though. I got involved in this stuff because I needed to run a windows program 24/7... and XP is not up to that job. VirtualBox was so easy to be up and running, Next was just getting it all on a thumbdrive... Next...I could take a break. lol.

johnrw

04-03-2008, 09:43 PM

Gilles... did I ever mention I was using the dvd iso? Too big for fat32. (What a pain.)

Ok... trying now for a bootable ntfs partition that holds the DVD iso. I got as far as making sda1 a bootable partition. I booted grub, and in turn booted the Knoppix dvd iso. Grub4dos complained about my mbr or partition table. It would throw the geometry up of what it thought it was. Since I am using the infamous Award buggy bios, well... buggy as far as bootable usb and thumbdrives goes... I needed to set the advanced bios options up a little differently. 1st boot drive=usb-fdd instead of usb zip drive, and then there was another option for usb style which has the choices Auto, usb-hdd, and usb-fdd. I set it to usb-hdd. Although grub4dos complained, it found the menu.lst, and booted it. It appears as though the bios was tricking grub4dos into believing the usb drive was hd0. So I get a little confused over the transition from the drive being hd0 to becoming sda for linux... but that is in the magic of it all.

Since I had set the drive's geometry to 7648 cylinders, 64 heads and 32 sectors per track... a requirement for zip drive emulation... I figure that might be getting in the way of udb-hdd and maybe grub4dos saw some discrepancy. I also renamed GRLDR to NTLDR since NTLDR was named in sda1's boot record.

This all worked to a point... I had to hit F3 to manually pick a boot drive. Auto detecting and booting of the thumbdrive didn't seem to work, I think that may be due to the drive's mbr code being insufficient and or the geometry being 32 sectors per track. I am going to try 63 sectors per track today... and see if I can figure out how to get a working mbr on it.

I feel pretty good about my progress though. I made the ntfs partition using linux. Booted XP and it said the drive was healthy. I ran a check for errors and it didn't complain. (Probably phoned home to MS though lol) More later. Gilles, this thread may have the answer I need in it somewhere... it's a freakin book though. I am not interested in a fat 16 or 32 partition for holding grub4dos and loading the kernel that way at this point. I can do that easilly enough.

johnrw

04-06-2008, 04:18 PM

Whew!,

I can say, I have a ntfs formatted bootable partition that holds the 4GB+ iso and grub4dos. Renaming grub4dos's GRLDR to NTLDR and a menu.lst that thinks it's rooted on hd0,0 but still specifying the iso being on sda1 in the bootfrom= cheatcode. This setup boots on my Via km400 based board with an Award bios, but not on a Via km266pro with an AMI 2005 bios. But hey, I've learned alot. Is there a short page Howto here somewhere on this?

johnrw

04-07-2008, 02:59 AM

Gilles,
I am not sure if it is only in your minirt or in Klaus' also... but when I try and specify
home=/media/hda5/knoppix511.img it fails to find it. Is the knoppix.img as a filename hardcoded into the mount script?
I could swear I read somewhere I am supposed to be able to specify a complete filename in the home= cheatcode.

Salvano

05-23-2008, 05:11 PM

Hello Gilles,

yesterday I started with Knoppix 5.31. I prepared all with http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx531.zip form you and it runs. Thank you for that.

After that I liked to create an encrypted knoppix home image. But the coressponding script /usr/sbin/knoppix-mkimage fails during encryption.
The error message is

ioctl: LOOP_SET_STATUS: Das Argument ist ungültig (german, stands for: argument is wrong), requested cipher or key length (256 bits) not supported by kernel

The cipher is AES256.

I tested the same booting from CD directly. In this case it works.

Is it possible to enable the AES256 facility within the kernel?

Holger

Salvano

06-01-2008, 08:04 AM

With the help of Google I found that "modprobe cryptoloop" could help.
Within the running system it helped. To get it during the boot process I copied /usr/sbin/knoppix-image to / of the minirt and modifiered linuxrc in such a way that it is moved back just before init is started. I modifiered knoppix-image with "modprobe cryptoloop" before it is needed. (I had a try with a copy of cryptoloop.ko in /modules and loadmodule also, but it didn't work)

It is clear: it is a hack.

The script knoppix-image is realitivly new (Okt 2007). That may be the reason that it does not work with minirt531.

Holger

Hello Gilles,

yesterday I started with Knoppix 5.31. I prepared all with http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx531.zip form you and it runs. Thank you for that.

After that I liked to create an encrypted knoppix home image. But the coressponding script /usr/sbin/knoppix-mkimage fails during encryption.
The error message is

ioctl: LOOP_SET_STATUS: Das Argument ist ungültig (german, stands for: argument is wrong), requested cipher or key length (256 bits) not supported by kernel

The cipher is AES256.

I tested the same booting from CD directly. In this case it works.

Is it possible to enable the AES256 facility within the kernel?

Holger

hat_monkey

06-29-2008, 11:58 AM

grub boot of knoppix5.3..DVD.iso on USB flash drive (ext2) :
have tried home=scan results in no knoppix.img being loaded and no mention of knoppix.img in the booting screen.
have tried home=/media/sda1/knoppix.img results in an error something like /usr/sbin/knoppix-image
have tried home=/dev/sda1/knoppix.img also results in no persistent knoppix disk image being loaded.

With the help of Google I found that "modprobe cryptoloop" could help.
Within the running system it helped. To get it during the boot process I copied /usr/sbin/knoppix-image to / of the minirt and modifiered linuxrc in such a way that it is moved back just before init is started. I modifiered knoppix-image with "modprobe cryptoloop" before it is needed. (I had a try with a copy of cryptoloop.ko in /modules and loadmodule also, but it didn't work)

It is clear: it is a hack.

The script knoppix-image is realitivly new (Okt 2007). That may be the reason that it does not work with minirt531.

Holger

if this is the solution; no it is not clear. could we have a rewrite in simpler terms please. start with how to go about ediiting minirt_531.gz, or perhaps pack a new one and put it somewhere for download. thanks

hat_monkey

07-15-2008, 07:24 AM

using
home=/media/sda1/knoppix.img
on a different computer now and persistent image is now functioning. dont know why persistent image wouldnt load on the previous two computers.
knoppix swap wont load from the same partition as the .iso.
fusion only comes when it itself pleases.
otherwise mostly were dancing. so many games:)

patelbhavesh

08-10-2008, 02:53 PM

...kernel /knoppix/linux26 bootfrom=/dev/hda5/KNOPPIX*.iso knoppix_name=KNOPPIX ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init ro lang=tw vga=791 noprompt noapm lcd ttf2ram ...Could you tell me how to access the partition /dev/hda5?
You are booting from /dev/hda5/KNOPPIX*.iso !
So /mnt/hda5 is already mounted by the boot script as read only, and as far as I know, it would be very dangerous to remount this partition as rw using ntfs-capture even if you could force it. But you should be able to mount /dev/hda1.
Gilles

As per this page http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Bootable_USB_Key we should be able to fool knoppix to mount the partition read/wriite.
Does anyone know the exact command to mount the hda5 partition .I tried various remount commands like

mount -o rw,remount /dev/hda5

mount -o rw,remount /dev/cdrom

mount -o rw,remount /dev/cdrom2.loop

but none seems to be able to remount the hda5 partition read/write.

patelbhavesh

08-14-2008, 03:27 AM

ruymbeke

10-31-2008, 09:29 AM

Hello,
Please find below the new VmWare Workstation 6.5.0 or Player 2.5.0 (build 118166) virtual machine:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk531_118166.zip (53.7MB) for both Knoppix 5.3.1 and Knoppix 5.1.1
(there is a boot option to select which one of the Knoppix 5.3.1 of Knoppix 5.1.1 iso is used)
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

And with the added persistence menu option (53.7MB) for both Knoppix 5.3.1 and Knoppix 5.1.1:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk531_118166a.zip

md5:
600a0a9c054d6ad0ba65c49eaa96f8d0 *vmk531_118166.zip
f360434d687dd4cca8af5f13e1bdcbfd *vmk531_118166a.zip

http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/60868 (VmWare appliances listing link)

Maner

11-12-2008, 03:32 PM

Hi,

a few quick questions is there a 5.1.1 only vmk?
because the boot screen is just annoying...
or i could just download the 5.3.1 if it's better and if i find it, is it a beta?

oh and also what is the persistence menu option?

sorry i'm a little short on time to search the forums

thanks

ruymbeke

11-13-2008, 03:06 AM

Hello,
You can easily remove the unwanted boot options from the grub menu by editing the menu.lst file in the hda1 virtual drive.
To do so: boot all the way and then right click ont he hda1 icon and make that device writable, edit /mnt/hda1/menu.lst and reboot.
IMHO, Knoppix 5.1.1 is more robust and stable but since Knoppix 5.3.1 is using a more recent build of the kernel,
it will support the more recent hardware (if you run it on as a host) and have all the latest Open Source features.
Persistence allow you to keep changes (your data and configurations) across reboots.
By definition a Ramdisk will loose it's content at power off (or a virtual virtual shut off / reboot).
Hope this helps,
Gilles

Hi,
a few quick questions is there a 5.1.1 only vmk?
because the boot screen is just annoying...
or i could just download the 5.3.1 if it's better and if i find it, is it a beta?
oh and also what is the persistence menu option?
sorry i'm a little short on time to search the forums
thanks

ruymbeke

12-10-2008, 03:13 AM

Hello,
Please find below the new VmWare Workstation 6.5.1 or Player 2.5.1 (build 126130) virtual machine:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk531_126130.zip (53.3MB) for both Knoppix 5.3.1 and Knoppix 5.1.1
there are grub boot options to select for persistence or ramdisk and which one of the Knoppix 5.3.1 of Knoppix 5.1.1 iso is used
Cf: VmWare appliances listing link: http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/60868
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

md5:
8dace812cf56b9ab79e240a714851fcf *vmk531_126130.zip (55'907'735)

fedemos

02-04-2009, 05:56 PM

hi to all
I wonder if there is a minirt.gz for knoppix version 6?

dlchnr

02-09-2009, 08:35 PM

ruymbeke

02-10-2009, 02:12 AM

VmWare Workstation Player 2.5.1 (build 126130) virtual machine:

Although I've updated the cdrom image path to the German version
of Knoppix 5.3.1 iso file (KNOPPIX_V5.3.1DVD-2008-03-26-DE.iso),
language and keyboard aren't configured for German.
I'm a beginner with linux - can anybody describe, how I can
switch to German? thanks, dlchnr

Hello dlchnr,
Switching the DVD will not help since the DVD content is the same with the exception of the kernel boot cheatcodes.
The VM + VmPlayer (and workstation) are using the kernel cheatcodes defined by grub (/mnt/hda1/menu.lst file).
So I recommend you change the parameter "lang=us" by "lang=de" in that menu.lst file to make it permanent.
You may need to make hda1 writable first. (right click on the hda1 icon). Now since grub is used as the bootloader,
you could also temporary edit the kernel boot parameters once in the grub menu (type "e" then again "e", arrows, ...).
Please note that you also have a flag (on the left of the clock) defining the keyboard language in use for newly started apps.
You could switch your keyboard that way but that will not change the system menus.
So the Kernel cheatcode update as described above is the clean way to solve this.
Please let me know if that works for you.
Hop this helps,
Gilles

ruymbeke

02-10-2009, 02:18 AM

dlchnr

02-10-2009, 02:24 PM

Hello dlchnr,
Switching the DVD will not help since the DVD content is the same with the exception of the kernel boot cheatcodes.
The VM + VmPlayer (and workstation) are using the kernel cheatcodes defined by grub (/mnt/hda1/menu.lst file).
So I recommend you change the parameter "lang=us" by "lang=de" in that menu.lst file to make it permanent.
You may need to make hda1 writable first. (right click on the hda1 icon). Now since grub is used as the bootloader,
you could also temporary edit the kernel boot parameters once in the grub menu (type "e" then again "e", arrows, ...).
Please note that you also have a flag (on the left of the clock) defining the keyboard language in use for newly started apps.
You could switch your keyboard that way but that will not change the system menus.
So the Kernel cheatcode update as described above is the clean way to solve this.
Please let me know if that works for you.
Hop this helps,
Gilles

hello ruymbeke,

I've found the solution with "lang=de" in menu.lst file - but the language wasn't the big problem -
the main problem is, having a german keyboard without having a german keyboard layout!
I've copied the german.kbd file to /mnt/hda1, but adding
KBDMAP german.kbd
to menu.lst or knoppix.sh files does'nt invoke german keyboard layout -
can you tell me, where I've add this line?
thx, dlchnr

dlchnr

02-10-2009, 03:27 PM

I've copied the german.kbd file to /mnt/hda1, but adding
KBDMAP german.kbd
to menu.lst or knoppix.sh files does'nt invoke german keyboard layout -
can you tell me, where I've add this line?

Oh - while first try with the suggested "flag" failed,
(I got for example on us-key '/' instead of de-key '-' a '!'),
seems second try to work (don't know, what I've done wrong).

So I can go to my next point - access to my host's disk.
Any hints are welcome (access via shared folder or
via network drive?).

thx again, bye dlchnr

dlchnr

02-10-2009, 09:08 PM

So I can go to my next point - access to my host's disk.
Any hints are welcome (access via shared folder or
via network drive?).

I've had no success with the Shared Folders - I suppose,
I would have to create a User "knoppix" on my XP-System?

But this seems to work:
1. Creating a diretory "H" (for host) in /home/knoppix
2. Mounting the XP-System's disk C with:
mount -t smbfs -o username=<WindowsUsername>,password=<WindowsPassword> //<WindowsComputername>/C /home/knoppix/H
or without placeholder for my system:
mount -t smbfs -o username=dlchnr,password=rnhcld,-) //Inspiron/C /home/knoppix/H

Is this practice consistent with linux's philosophy or should I mount disk C at an other place?
Or are there any pitfalls?

I wonder, the directory /home/knoppix/H is still present after rebooting the knoppix system -
where is the information about directory "H" stored?
It couldn't be stored in the ISO, and I can't it find on hda1 (hda.vmdk) or hdb1 (hdb.vmdk)!

Futher hints are still estimated!

thx, dlchnr

Gemu

02-11-2009, 03:38 AM

Hello,
Please find below the link to my first shoot at an updated Knoppix 5.3.1 minirt supporting ISO boot from ntfs, fat, ext, reiser,...
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx531.zip (Md5: 5516434f6c74b3fd3f7cb941de6edd47 *knx531.zip )
For your convenience, the zip file includes: grldr, grub.exe, menu.lst, linux (kernel) and minirt_531.gz.
Please note that as requested by John Woods, I also included the "ntfs_rw" kernel cheatcode
(besides all the previously added cheatcodes as hostname=[mycustomname|auto-clock|auto-mac], ...)
FYI, this is the grub menu.lst config file I used:

title Knoppix 5.3.1 from sda1 ISO
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/knoppix.531/linux ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init bootfrom=/dev/hda1/boot/knoppix.531/*.iso vga=791 noprompt apm=power-off nomce quiet lang=us dma screen=1024x768 hostname=knx531 highres=off loglevel=0 libata.atapi_enabled=1 SELINUX_INIT=NO nmi_watchdog=0 ntfs_rw
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/knoppix.531/minirt_531.gz
boot
Have fun and please provide some feedback !
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: It looks like that the VmWare Tools 6.0.3 (build 80004) do not install properly on the Knoppix 5.3.1 kernel 2.6.24.4 (help would be apreciated)

Man!! Thanks a million. I had not been able to get 5.3.1 to boot without using knoppix testdvd cheatcode which took right at 30 minutes to boot. With the zip file you shared I was able to boot the iso right away . I just had to add the menu.lst entry to my current grub menu.lst and edit the file path to where my iso is and zoom here it is.

One of the things I love about knoppix is that it mounts all the HDs by /dev/sda1,2, etc. by default where ubuntu mounts them as /media/disk ,media/disk-1 and so forth by default. It makes it less confusing to know exactly which drive your dealling with in the terminal. I love some of the new feautures in 5.3.1 and can't wait to learn more about it. Thanks again.

fedemos

02-21-2009, 05:24 AM

hi to all
I wonder if there is a minirt.gz for knoppix version 6?
Hello fedemos,
6 is a public beta release, which means that Klaus is still heavily working on it.
So I would much prefer wait for the final release so I won't have to do the work twice,
or if Klaus is interested in using my patch, I could probably (if time permits)
offer my help in writing a proposal for that section.
Best Regards,
Gilles

thank ruymbeke for your reply, I understand that it is preferable to await the final version of knoppix 6 to release its minirt.gz. (while I'm writing, I discovered that version 6.0.1 appear)
I supouse that klaus knopper don't know his minirt.gz but will be fantastic that he will implement in knoppix (I think his minirt.gz license will be GPL), old proverb said: “if the mountain don't comes to Yohn, Yohn comes to the mountain” knoppix(A)knopper.net
the posibility to run the iso image of knoppix GRUB.exe with GRUB-DOS or Windows through its minirt.gz is excellent, so I created a tutorial on h t t p: // w w w. knoppix-es.org/?q=node/2123 and a video tutorial on h t t p: // w w w. youtube.com /watch?v=5nT4BswhHmQ
for all users or prospective users of the knoppix speaking the benefits of implementing an ISO image from knoppix and wear without the DVD / CD or use a USB pen-drive or USB flash-memory
Excuse the lateness of my reply

ruymbeke

04-13-2009, 08:46 AM

Hello,
Please find below the new VmWare Workstation 6.5.2 or Player 2.5.2 (build 156735) virtual machine:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk531_156735.zip (53.6MB) for both Knoppix 5.3.1 and Knoppix 5.1.1
there are grub boot options to select for persistence or ramdisk and which one of the Knoppix 5.3.1 of Knoppix 5.1.1 iso is used
Cf: VmWare appliances listing link: http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/87753
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

md5:
f6bdd349c010059a158f184fa7a8c497 *vmk531_156735.zip (56'216'283)

ruymbeke

11-08-2009, 02:28 PM

Hello,
Please find below the new VmWare Workstation 7.0.0 or Player 3.0.0 (build 203739) virtual machine:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk531_203739.zip (46.6MB) for both Knoppix 5.3.1 and Knoppix 5.1.1
there are grub boot options to select for persistence or ramdisk and which one of the Knoppix 5.3.1 or Knoppix 5.1.1 iso is used
Cf: VmWare appliances listing link: http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/87753
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

md5:
22e0b19eb43c772ba9e909566b3db61f *vmk531_203739.zip (48'916'004)

ruymbeke

11-21-2009, 09:31 AM

Latest update (knx620k.zip) with big memory kernel (>4GB) in here: http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=121968#121968

Hello,
Please find below the link to my first shoot at an updated Knoppix 6.2.0 minirt supporting ISO boot from ntfs, fat, ext, reiser,...
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx620e.zip (Md5: 841e6717e100a92d0863a2e1de60d7e6 *knx620e.zip)
For your convenience, the zip file includes: grldr, grub.exe, grub, menu.lst, linux (kernel) and minirt_620e.gz.
This minirt also allows you to pxe (network) boot from the Knoppix 6.2.0 iso file on a ntfs or samba share, cf the menu.lst data below.
Have fun and please provide some feedback !
Best Regards,
Gilles

FYI, I have it running on a multi boot system: Win7-64, XP-32, Osuse11.2-64, Knoppix620
The Knoppix 620 dvd iso is located on the Win 7 ntfs system partition
and the Win 7 boot loader starts grub using grldr.mbr (cf the file win7.bat for install)
For XP install, look for the boot.ini loading grldr (grub)

Grub config file menu.lst:
==================

title Knoppix 6.2.0 from sda1 ISO
kernel /linux bootfrom=/dev/sda1/boot/k620/*.iso lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock
initrd /minirt_620e.gz
boot

title Network NFS Boot Knoppix 6.2.0 from 10.0.0.1
kernel /linux nfsdir=10.0.0.1:/home/nfs/k620 nodhcp lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock
initrd /minirt_620e.gz
boot

title Network NFS ISO Boot Knoppix 6.2.0 from 10.0.0.1
kernel /linux nfsdir=10.0.0.1:/home/nfs bootfrom=iso/k620/*.iso nodhcp lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock
initrd /minirt_620e.gz
boot

title Network Samba ISO Boot Knoppix 6.2.0 from 10.0.0.1
kernel /linux nfsdir=//10.0.0.1/home/samba bootfrom=iso/k620/*.iso nodhcp lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock
initrd /minirt_620e.gz
boot

ruymbeke

11-23-2009, 05:56 AM

Hello,
Here is a quick update to fix the problem with the switching to the the Linux Consoles (Ctrl+Alt+Fx)
cf: http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=121645#121645 (added setxkbmap $lang in autostart)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx620f.zip (Md5: 3c3ea801f007b01acb9f0ac090b83b7d *knx620f.zip)
Best Regards,
Gilles

ICPUG

11-23-2009, 07:26 PM

I don't know why you never did this with the previous 6.x versions but thanks indeed for the ISO boot for 6.2. Time to get Knoppix on my hard drive again.

Thanks Ruymbeke

sbininit

12-30-2009, 02:25 PM

I'm not sure exactly how to get windows boot loader to boot grub in
XP. I edited the boot.ini menu time out to 5 seconds and I have a boot grub entry when it boots but it doesnt boot the menu.lst.

I get a:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing
or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file.

I tryed clicking the grub.exe but I get an error saying that an illegal operation has been performed.

If I understand correctly, you don't need a second partition to boot the knoppix.iso ?
I have them all booting with grub but I am curious about doing this in windows.

ruymbeke

12-30-2009, 09:57 PM

Hi sbininit,
You need to modify your boot.ini to add an entry for grub (practically the file grldr)
Please find below my boot.ini file as an example. Happy new Year !
Gilles

[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
c:\grldr="Start Grub"

I'm not sure exactly how to get windows boot loader to boot grub in
XP. I edited the boot.ini menu time out to 5 seconds and I have a boot grub entry when it boots but it doesnt boot the menu.lst.

I get a:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing
or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file.

I tryed clicking the grub.exe but I get an error saying that an illegal operation has been performed.

If I understand correctly, you don't need a second partition to boot the knoppix.iso ?
I have them all booting with grub but I am curious about doing this in windows.

ruymbeke

01-03-2010, 11:04 AM

Hello,
Please find below the new VmWare Workstation 7.0.0 or Player 3.0.0 (build 203739) virtual machines:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk620_203739a.zip (29.7MB) for Knoppix 6.2.0 and memory < 4GB
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk620_203739_c2a.zip (75.2MB) for Knoppix 6.2.0 and memory > 4GB
Please note that this last vm contains a new kernel & kernel modules patching at boot time the official
Knoppix CD or DVD iso using a custom cloop and the unionfs allowing the use of more than 4GB of Ram.
Cf: VmWare appliances listing link: http://www.vmware.com/appliances/directory/417623
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

md5:
0ca1716cacc395c967e10a5df9835a03 *vmk620_203739a.zip (31'168'216)
fc4b0bb892859d1efd310eb706ee09c2 *vmk620_203739_c2a.zip (78'943'891)

old files:
7d6c2eef70875bd164883a95e8081429 *vmk620_203739.zip (26'300'375) http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk620_203739.zip
7d09d7fa099823fff79047436ee96631 *vmk620_203739_c2.zip (74'125'613) http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk620_203739_c2.zip

ruymbeke

01-03-2010, 12:16 PM

Hello,
Please find below an update for the Koppix 6.2.0 ISO boot including an option for the large memory kernel (>4GB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx620l.zip
This also include the Network ISO boot option via NFS or SAMBA and the various combination of these options (cf menu.lst sample).
Please note that for the large memory kernel (>4GB), the kernel modules are patched at boot time using a custom cloop and the unionfs.
Have fun, and as usual please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

MD5: 4610a34f1fe54a5dc9ec02226395666b *knx620l.zip (38'914'931)

PS: This mechanism allows me to also include at boot time the nvidia and ati (proprietary) drivers
and have vmware workstation pre-installed and ready to use with a guest OS, all from a USB dongle.
Is there a better way to travel without a laptop ? :-) But I cannot share these because of the licenses... :-(
I already asked vmware for the permission and I am still waiting for an answer...

title Knoppix 6.2.0 from sda1 ISO + bigmem > 4GB
kernel /c2_linux bootfrom=/dev/sda1/[bB][oO][oO][tT]/k620/*.iso myconf=scan cloop=c2_k2631 lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock nolapic_timer
initrd /c2_minirt_620n.gz
boot

PS: I found a small bug where I did not wait long enough for USB storage devices to be detected
and wouldn't allow to boot from them in the previous file http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx620k.zip
Md5: 2084ccec5d3ee4b312640597d2d473b9 *knx620k.zip (38'911'247)
(I also added in the latestknx620l.zip the Broacom wl.ko kernel module which was missing in the >4GB cloop file c2_k2631)

ruymbeke

01-03-2010, 12:33 PM

Your welcome.
Because of not enough free time and imho the previous versions of Knoppix were not as stable & robust as 6.2.0.
Best Regards,
Gilles

I don't know why you never did this with the previous 6.x versions but thanks indeed for the ISO boot for 6.2. Time to get Knoppix on my hard drive again.
Thanks Ruymbeke

sbininit

01-04-2010, 12:23 PM

Hi sbininit,
You need to modify your boot.ini to add an entry for grub (practically the file grldr)
Please find below my boot.ini file as an example. Happy new Year !
Gilles

[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
c:\grldr="Start Grub"

I'm not sure exactly how to get windows boot loader to boot grub in
XP. I edited the boot.ini menu time out to 5 seconds and I have a boot grub entry when it boots but it doesnt boot the menu.lst.

Thanks and Happy New year
So grub doesn't need installing in any kind of way?
Is it necessary to place the grldr on root in the C drive ?
I get a:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing
or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file.

I tryed clicking the grub.exe but I get an error saying that an illegal operation has been performed.

If I understand correctly, you don't need a second partition to boot the knoppix.iso ?
I have them all booting with grub but I am curious about doing this in windows.

ruymbeke

01-04-2010, 12:30 PM

Hi sbininit,
Some laptops have the recovery partition (install) as the first and active partition of the drive.
In that case or if you have multiple disk drive in your system, you may need to modify
the proposed boot.ini to match your needs. I would suggest to try increasing the partition number
from (1) to (2) for both the default and the selectable menu entry. Please let me know if this work.
Hoping this will help you, I wish you all a Happy New Year !
Gilles

Hi sbininit,
You need to modify your boot.ini to add an entry for grub (practically the file grldr)
Please find below my boot.ini file as an example. Happy new Year !
Gilles

[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
c:\grldr="Start Grub"

I'm not sure exactly how to get windows boot loader to boot grub in
XP. I edited the boot.ini menu time out to 5 seconds and I have a boot grub entry when it boots but it doesnt boot the menu.lst.

Thanks and Happy New year
So grub doesn't need installing in any kind of way?
Is it necessary to place the grldr on root in the C drive ?
I get a:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing
or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.
Please re-install a copy of the above file.

I tryed clicking the grub.exe but I get an error saying that an illegal operation has been performed.

If I understand correctly, you don't need a second partition to boot the knoppix.iso ?
I have them all booting with grub but I am curious about doing this in windows.

I edited the boot.ini file but i get a please install

cvevans

01-12-2010, 09:51 PM

Hello,
Please find below an update for the Koppix 6.2.0 ISO boot including an option for the large memory kernel (>4GB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx620l.zip
<snip>

Thanks for your excellent work! I am very glad to be learning your new technique.
I see in your knoppix.sh you commented out CLOOPIDX=64;
I would really like to have 64 cloops (next time you compile a kernel) please!
For non-bigmem kernels as well (.32 please?) it would be very nice.

I found in cloop source, compressed_loop.c:
#define CLOOP_MAX 8
I think
#define CLOOP_MAX 64
would allow this. If no /dev/cloop63,
for (( i=8; i<64; i++ )); do mknod /dev/cloop$i b 240 $i; done
Could you please post your kernel config and module sources you use (or put them in your cloop)?
I did not see them on K62 (K531 had them).

FYI: On my K62 boot disks, I add to every linux entry in isolinux.cfg:
max_loop=64
for 64 loops;
for (( i=8; i<64; i++ )); do mknod /dev/loop$i b 7 $i; done
makes them work (/dev/loop/$i is neater) (Very easy, unlike cloops).

Thanks!
Charles

ruymbeke

01-17-2010, 06:45 PM

Hello Charles,
Done yesterday in the plane on my way back from Europe.
Please find below the link to an update with two new init ramdisk with 64 entries (0..63) for /dev/cloop & /dev/loop:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx620m.zip
My next step is to finish the persistence (as for 5.1.1 & 5.3.1) which is half way done...
Hope this works for you and please provide some feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: the change was a little bit more complicated than I thought originally because of the script knoppix-autoconfig
which recreate /dev from /KNOPPIX/lib/udev/device and do not use the /dev from the init ramdisk
( cd /lib/udev/devices ; cp -a null zero init* console tty[1-9]* fb* isdn* capi* loop* vbox* kqemu* /dev/ 2>/dev/null )

Hello,
Please find below an update for the Koppix 6.2.0 ISO boot including an option for the large memory kernel (>4GB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx620l.zip
<snip>

Thanks for your excellent work! I am very glad to be learning your new technique.
I see in your knoppix.sh you commented out CLOOPIDX=64;
I would really like to have 64 cloops (next time you compile a kernel) please!
For non-bigmem kernels as well (.32 please?) it would be very nice.

I found in cloop source, compressed_loop.c:
#define CLOOP_MAX 8
I think
#define CLOOP_MAX 64
would allow this. If no /dev/cloop63,
for (( i=8; i<64; i++ )); do mknod /dev/cloop$i b 240 $i; done
Could you please post your kernel config and module sources you use (or put them in your cloop)?
I did not see them on K62 (K531 had them).

FYI: On my K62 boot disks, I add to every linux entry in isolinux.cfg:
max_loop=64
for 64 loops;
for (( i=8; i<64; i++ )); do mknod /dev/loop$i b 7 $i; done
makes them work (/dev/loop/$i is neater) (Very easy, unlike cloops).

Thanks!
Charles

cvevans

01-18-2010, 04:36 AM

ruymbeke

03-09-2010, 11:16 AM

Hello,
Please find below an update for the Koppix 6.2.1 ISO boot including an option for the large memory kernel (>4GB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx621d.zip
This also include the Network ISO boot option via NFS or SAMBA and the various combination of these options (cf menu.lst sample).
Please note that for the large memory kernel (>4GB), the kernel modules are patched at boot time using a custom cloop and the unionfs.
Have fun, and as usual please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

MD5: 3096aadff124d760cc522159a40ef1a5 *knx621d.zip (104'155'010)

PS: This mechanism allows me to also include at boot time the nvidia (proprietary) drivers and
have vmware workstation pre-installed and ready to use with a guest OS, all from a USB dongle.
Is there a better way to travel without a laptop ?

title Network Samba ISO Boot Knoppix 6.2.1 from 10.0.0.1 + bigmem > 4GB
kernel /c2_linux nfsdir=//10.0.0.1/home/samba bootfrom=iso/k621/*.iso nodhcp myconf=scan cloop=c2_k2631,c2_vmt227600 lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock nolapic_timer vt.default_utf8=0 nomce loglevel=0 tz=localtime noprompt
initrd /c2_minirt_621a.gz
boot

FYI: I have added some more loop & cloop devices and integrated the persistent home fix from tjacyno.

Old file: http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx621c.zip
(with a bug in the knoppix.sh file preventing nfs boot to work properly)
MD5: c2a01307c6d9b58bd92792d4a3b34dec *knx621c.zip (104'154'993)

ruymbeke

03-09-2010, 11:32 AM

Hello,
Please find below the new VmWare Workstation 7.0.1 or Player 3.0.1 (build 227600) virtual machines:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk621_227600.zip (99.2MB) for Knoppix 6.2.1
Please note that this last vm contains a new kernel & kernel modules patching at boot time the official
Knoppix CD or DVD iso using a custom cloop and the unionfs allowing the use of more than 4GB of Ram.
Cf: VmWare appliances listing link: http://www.vmware.com/appliances/directory/417623
Have fun, and please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

md5: 2e7f1c21f0320c435586968e0c06f79e *vmk621_227600.zip (104'026'498)

willbrown

03-15-2010, 04:57 PM

Hello ruymbeke,

Thank you for all your work, I have been wanting a large memory kernel for ages but lacked the skills.
I have been following this thread and today updated to knoppix v6.2.1 and only now have I run into problems.

So, previously, I have had pxe knoppix with v5.1.1, v5.3.1 and V6.0.
Using your files I have also had v6.2 running fine but now v6.2.1 will not pxe boot from my nfs share.

My pxelinux.cfg looks like this
APPEND nfsdir=192.168.1.19:/nfsroot nodhcp cloop=vmt227600,k2631 lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet initrd=wip_knx/minirt_621c.gz

The "Welcome to knoppix 6" - "loading network device modules" - "OK" and lists network configuration, all OK
It gets stuck here:

nfsdir non-empty
Trying to mount CD on 192.168.1.19/nfsroot
43.413351 rpcbind server localhost not responding
78.413346 rpcbind server localhost not responding

Trying to SMB mount CD on 92.168.1.19/nfsroot
78.426605 CIFS VFS: cifs_mount failed w/return code= -6
78.436474 CIFS VFS: cifs_mount failed w/return code= -6
Failed
This should have succeeded
Please enter NFS directory path (aka "192.168.0.1:/mnt-system")

I have been trying lots of things and these two facts have surprised me:
1 - If I use the linux & minirt.gz equivelents from your knx620.zip and point to the same V6.2.1 big knoppix files on the nfs share in question it does boot.
Obviously only drivers loaded are those contained from the miniroot file etc

2 - I then decides to make original tftp files from v6.2.1 and they fail in exactly the same way.

I do not know quite what conclusions to draw, except that the files from knx621.zip are pefect (thank you). Perhaps my nfs share needs tweeking?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Regards,

Will

ruymbeke

03-21-2010, 03:40 AM

... So, previously, I have had pxe knoppix with v5.1.1, v5.3.1 and V6.0.
Using your files I have also had v6.2 running fine but now v6.2.1 will not pxe boot from my nfs share.
Hello willbrown,
PXE / NFS boot works fine on my setup, both from the knoppix "iso" file and from the extracted dvd content.
I you plan to use the extended memory model you also need to add the recompiled kernel module "c2_k2631"
into your k621 nfs share and the file "knoppix.sh" into the knoppix directory of your k621 nfs share.
The knoppix.sh script will be started at boot time and used to patch the rfs with the c2_k2631 cloop using unionfs.
This is required to have a stable system using the new recompiled kernel (with large memory model) and the Knoppix dvd.
Please find below my grub config file for PXE boot and NFS share:
(nfs share = dvd content + c2_k2631 +/knoppix/knoppix .sh)
Hope this will help,
Best Regards,
Gilles

You will need to use the knoppix.sh file included in: http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx621d.zip
(I had a small bug in the knoppix.sh file of knx621c.zip)

title Network Boot Knoppix 6.2.1 from 10.0.0.1 NFS + bigmem
kernel /c2_linux nfsdir=10.0.0.1:/nfsshare/k621 nodhcp myconf=scan cloop=c2_k2631 lang=us \
ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock \
nolapic_timer vt.default_utf8=0 nomce loglevel=0 tz=localtime noprompt
initrd /c2_minirt_621a.gz
boot
PS: the cloop cheatcode can used to load more cloop files to patch the Knoppix cd/dvd at boot time
in order to add more functionality (this works for nfs, samba, and/or iso boots). As an example I am using
the cloop cheatcode to load the Nvidia proprietary drivers, the VMware tools and workstation application
(depending if I am running within a vm or as a host) and other types of customizations using Knoppix as a base:
cloop=c2_k2631,c2_src,c2_vmt227600,c2_vmw227600,c2 _nv,my_custom_cloop

If you want to boot from the iso file and the large memory model kernel from either nfs, smb or local,
you will also need to have the knoppix.sh script and the cloop file(s) within the same (k621) directory
where the iso file is located. Please find below an example of my grub config file for iso boot via nfs + large memory:

title Network Boot Knoppix 6.2.1 from 10.0.0.1 ISO + bigmem
kernel /c2_linux nfsdir=10.0.0.1:/nfsshare bootfrom=k621/*.iso nodhcp myconf=scan \
cloop=c2_k2631 lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet \
hostname=auto-clock nolapic_timer vt.default_utf8=0 nomce loglevel=0 tz=localtime noprompt
initrd /c2_minirt_621a.gz
boot
If you want to boot via samba instead of nfs, replace " nfsdir=10.0.0.1:/nfsshare" by "nfsdir=//10.0.0.1/smbshare".

willbrown

03-29-2010, 11:32 AM

Hello ruymbeke

Thank you for your help.
I have been through eveything again:
1 - initrd=wip_knx/minirt_621c.gz nfsdir=//192.168.1.1/knoppix-share
From a windows CIFS share this works.

2 - initrd=wip_knx/minirt_621c.gz nfsdir=192.168.1.19:/nfsroot
From my NFS share fails "Trying to mount CD on..." as listed above

3 - Replace inux file and minirt_620m.gz rom 620m.zip
init=wip_knx/minirt_620m.gz nfsdir=192.168.1.19:/nfsroot
This also works with my V6.2.1 "big" KNOPPIX file.

My conclusion is that my /etc/exports must need updating. Presently I have:
/nfsroot 192.168.1.0./255.255.255.0 (rw,no_root_squash,async)

So the good news is. it works great on a newly setup windows share but I really need this to work via my nfs share.
Do you think my /etc/exports really does need changing, even though it's been working fine with knoppix v5.1.1 & 5.3.1 ?

Regards,

Will

PlayWithKnoppix

03-31-2010, 09:59 AM

Hi Community

I setted up Knoppix 6.2.1-DE to boot over PXE and an NFS-Share.
My /etc/exports looks like:
/my/dir/toKnoppix 192.168.0.0/255.255.0.0(async,ro)

I followed this Tutorial to Configure my Server and Knoppix:
http://pxe.dev.aboveaverageurl.com/index.php/PXE_Booting/Knoppix

I use the Kernel and the minirt.gz from Knoppix, when u set up a TerminalServer (see Tutorial above).

This is a snippet out of my PXE-Configuration:
APPEND nfsdir=192.168.1.10:/my/dir/toKnoppix nodhcp dma lang=ch keyboard=ch xkeyboard=ch ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off nomce vga=791 xmodule=fbdev initrd=knoppix/knoppix-miniroot.gz BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix

When i boot a Client over PXE i get this errors:
Modules not found..
af_packet.*o
sunrpc.*o
lockd.*o
nfs_acl.*o
I actually work on this Problem.

It boots forward until to a long waittime that produces this error:
/static/mount.nfs 192.168.1.10:/my/dir/toKnoppix ....
[ 45.740005] rpcbind: server localhost not responding, timed out
[ 80.740002] rpcbind: server localhost not responding, timed out

After this Knoppix boots normal.

How i can solve this errors? Primary the error with the rpcbind, because this is a long Time to wait.

If u need more Info's don't hestitiate to ask ;)

Thanks for ur help.

Greets
a rookie

Ps.: how to mount the miniroot? i can't with
mount -o loop miniroot /mnt/miniroot/
mount -o loop,rw -t ext2 miniroot /mnt/miniroot/
i got this error: please specify filesystem type

# gunzip miniroot.gz
# mkdir work && cd work
# cpio -iv ../miniroot

MAKE NOW UR CHANGES

# find | cpio -o -H newc | gzip -9 > ../new-miniroot.gz
copy the new-miniroot.gz into ur PXEdir

willbrown

04-06-2010, 02:53 PM

Hello PlayWithKnoppix,

I tried changing my exports to (async,ro) from (ro,no_root_squash,async) but I still get the "rpcbind" error.
I am not sure why yours worked after a delay, did you also have a knoppix CD in the drive as well?

Still stuck really do need help.

Regards,

Will

carolus

04-07-2010, 05:52 PM

Hello,
Please find below an update for the Koppix 6.2.0 ISO boot including an option for the large memory kernel (>4GB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx620l.zip

Thanks for providing this tool. To save having to read all 62 pages of this thread, can you cite instructions for how to install or use the contents of the zipfile? Also, I would be grateful for a pointer to the corresponding file for Knoppix 5.3.1.

willbrown

04-13-2010, 04:09 PM

Hello,

I am hoping this may be a clue. I found that from a knoppix V6.2.1. booted PC I could not access my NFS shares but I could from the same PC but booted from my knoppix V5.3.1. build. I would get a
mount.nfs: operation not permitted After some googling I found I needed to add "ver=3" to my script:

mount.nfs 192.168.xxx.xxx:/nfsroot /nfs1 -o 'vers=3' -o nolock

If the files generated by the knoppix Terminal services & thus ruymbeke files as well, use the same approach then this would explain my problem. Although what the resolution is remains, got to identify a problem first to fix it. Either I need to look at the configuration of my nfs share or minirt.gz requires modification.

Ruymbeke would you be prepared and do you have time to give some thought to this?
Any help would be much appreciated ( or I should say any further help would be much appreciated ).

Regards,

Will

willbrown

04-20-2010, 05:05 PM

Hello,

Here is a quick update.

Built a new debian server based on 504-i386 to replace the sme server and now I can PXE from a nfs share.

In line with V5.3.1 I could not PXE my laptop which has a Broadcom 4401 nic, using b44.ko.
By strace insmod b44.ko & trial and error I found that adding ssb.ko and pcmcia.ko to /modules in the expanded minirt.gz file ( and re-compressing of course etc) fixed it.
It appears b44.ko is dependent on ssb.ko, which in turn is dependent on pcmcia.ko. Although the pcmcia.ko surprised me it is definitly working and I have now used the technique to pxe from V5.3.1. as well.

Could anyone perhaps help with a better dependency check than the one I have used?

ruymbeke, if you agree with my findings would you be prepared to add them to your customised minirt.gz files? Plus, I have the bigmem version working as well now, so a BIG thankyou to ruymbeke.

Finally, I now find that machines using a bnx2.ko freeze on v6.2.1. Again they work fine on V5.3.1 and again this is on PXE only. From cd both versions work fine. I have the firmware files in my build. How does this work if there are no firmware files in the minirt.gz? Does anyone have any ideas on this?
It locks up here:

Probing network device(s) handled by bnx2.ko
I tried adding a intel nic adapter & pxe'd from that but it still locked up at the bnx2.ko stage. The broadcom is on board & cannot be disabled.

Regards,

Will

johnrw

07-08-2010, 06:36 AM

The forums have changed. Links are broken now. Gilles, your VMWare links that point here are running into a "not found" error here, as well as, the links you have managed at the first post of this thread.

What genius decided to improve the forums?
What a Great Improvement!

Well, I decided to toy around with VMware, and since I could not find the vmware tools for linux guests, I thought I'd look over at VMware.com for one of your Virtual appliances featuring Knoppix 5.3.1.

Well I do have one working... but without the tools for linux guests.... it sucks.
Gilles... I am running vmware player 3.1 on XP host. Do you know where I can get the tools for linux? Even downloaded Workstation and it didn't seem to have any iso's in it... just a 300+ MB script... that after I ran, didn't have any iso's in /var Or your knoppix 5.3.1 appliance would be great too.

Best,
johnrw

johnrw

07-08-2010, 07:11 AM

This worked.
# ./VMware-Workstation-Full-7.1.0-261024.i386.bundle --help
{...}
# ./VMware-Workstation-Full-7.1.0-261024.i386.bundle --extract=/media/sda1/vmware

produced the needed linux.iso file under /media/sda1/vmware/vmware-tools-linux/

Gilles, I'd still like to get my hands on your already made vmware appliance for knoppix 5.3.1. I'll promise to review it even... :)

ICPUG

07-19-2010, 05:58 PM

In the news section some time ago Ruymbeke investigated the version 6.3 DVD and deemed that the minirt_621c would work with it.

I have finally got my laptop to work with this Knoppix version and found I could not get it to work with minirt_621c. I never actually tried Knoppix 6.2.1 so that may not have worked either. The last working Poor man's Install I had was 6.2.0.

With 6.3 I, initially, could not get the live CD to boot. Goes into a black screen of death when X is started. I have now found that this is due to Kernel Mode Setting in the latest kernels and the fact my laptop uses an 855 Intel Graphics chip. It happens with the latest Ubuntu and Puppy as well. The solution is fairly straightforward - add a cheatcode:

i915.modeset=1

If you like your terminal to be a standard VGA the use of the following cheatcode is also recommended:

video=640x480

This was all fine and dandy when using the Knoppix 6.3 Live DVD. However, when using a Poor Man's Install with minirt_621c.gz and adding the cheatcodes to the kernel line of my menu.lst I still get the black screen of death.

Ruymbeke - Can you think of a reason and a possible solution as to why this is happening? All my other cheatcodes seem to be working OK.

ruymbeke

07-28-2010, 06:56 AM

Hello John and ICPUG,
Sorry for the long delay in my response, I have been swamped at work...
Please find below a couple links to my latest 531 and 630 Knoppix vm and
the minirt + grub I use for Knoppix 630 (which also work for Knoppix 621)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk531_203739.zip
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk630_261024.zip
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knx630a.zip
Hope this helps,
Gilles

PS: One the few hours of spare time I have, I am trying to put together a 64 bit kernel and initrd for a dual boot config
still using the official Knoppix DVD (as of today the kernel boots up but the init script still hang probably because of
trying to load some 32bits libraries) So there is still quite some more work to be done there...

PS2: I also need some time to contact /respond to Clinton and find a way to restore a snapshot of the old forum
and publish it as as read only, so we can at least recover the broken links and progressively move to the new forum.
As you can see, there not much activity on the forum since the upgrade because it is almost useless with broken links
(at least for me...)

ICPUG

07-28-2010, 09:14 PM

The minirt in knx630a.zip is the same as that for Knoppix 6.2.1 that I have already tried and found not to work.

I guess the answer to my original question is that you don't know why this should fail when the cheatcode i915.modeset=1 is required.

ruymbeke

07-29-2010, 05:03 PM

ICPUG,
Correct. It works on all the systems I have tried so far and I do not have your setup.
Did you try both boot modes (default Knoppix official and extended memory model + Core2) ?
Best Regards,
Gilles

ICPUG

09-27-2010, 06:29 PM

It took a long time but I have finally got The Poor Man's install of Knoppix 6.3 DVD to boot!

Rymbeke's minirt from Knoppix 6.2.1 WAS OK. The problem lay in the boot codes I used. In previous versions I did not have to specify a screen boot code. I had a look in the isolinux configuration file on the DVD and noticed a reference to vga=791. I tried this on my setup along with the i915.modeset=1 cheatcode and it booted up!

Things are still not fully right as with this setting I cannot see the startup messages or the screen to create the file to enable persistence. This is really strange because when booting from the DVD all is OK.

I have other boot code issues. In previous versions I used lang=uk to get a UK keyboard. With this version if I do that my keyboard doesn't work! If I do not specify a keyboard it boots up and allows me to type with a US keyboard layout. The time zone appears to be US as well since my clock shows time 5 hours behind the time it showed when I had lang=uk.

Of course, these problems are nothing to do with the Poor Man's install so I am happy to report that a Poor Man's Install of Knoppix 6.3 can be achieved on a machine with the Intel 855 chipset.

ICPUG

03-31-2011, 05:54 PM

Calling Ruymbeke

I read on the Knoppix mailing list that you have done your magic on the version 6.5 Knoppix distributed with Linux Magazine recently.

Would you care to share the revised minirt.gz with us here?

ruymbeke

03-31-2011, 07:58 PM

Hi ICPUG,
Here it is: http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/minirt_650a.gz and http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/64_minirt_650a.gz
with some grub menu.lst sample config file. Please provide some feedback...
Hope this helps. Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: To use data persistence on a partition (instead of a loopback file) use data=sdb1 as an example (but please be careful...)
PS2: For ISO boot you need to add the file knoppix.sh (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knoppix650.zip) within the same directory as your iso file.

title Knoppix 6.50 64 from sda1 ISO
kernel /linux64 bootfrom=/dev/sda2/[bB][oO][oO][tT]/k650/*.iso myconf=scan cloop=vmt385536,vmw385536 lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 /
apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock nolapic_timer vt.default_utf8=0 nomce loglevel=0 tz=localtime noprompt data=ramdisk
initrd /64_minirt_650a.gz
boot

title NFS Network Boot Knoppix 6.50 64 from 10.0.0.1 ISO
kernel /linux64 nfsdir=10.0.0.1:/home/nfs/iso bootfrom=k650/*.iso nodhcp myconf=scan cloop=vmt385536,vmw385536 lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 /
apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock nolapic_timer vt.default_utf8=0 nomce loglevel=0 tz=localtime noprompt data=ramdisk
initrd /64_minirt_650a.gz
boot

title Samba Network Boot Knoppix 6.50 64 from 10.0.0.44 ISO
kernel /linux64 nfsdir=//10.0.0.44/public bootfrom=iso/k650/*.iso nodhcp myconf=scan cloop=vmt385536,vmw385536 lang=us ramdisk_size=100000 /
apm=power-off nomce vga=791 quiet hostname=auto-clock nolapic_timer vt.default_utf8=0 nomce loglevel=0 tz=localtime noprompt data=ramdisk
initrd /64_minirt_650a.gz
boot

Calling Ruymbeke
I read on the Knoppix mailing list that you have done your magic on the version 6.5 Knoppix distributed with Linux Magazine recently.
Would you care to share the revised minirt.gz with us here?

ICPUG

04-04-2011, 06:04 PM

I've done the first test.

I copied the Knoppix and Linux files from the DVD to an NTFS hard drive partition together with minirt_650a.gz. Knoppix 6.5 boots up as well as the DVD. Since 6.4 I've been able to do this with the standard minirt.gz so this is not a great test, It just proves minirt_650a.gz has not broken anything.

What I need to do next is test the capability of booting a iso, but to do that I need to create an iso from the DVD ...

ruymbeke

04-06-2011, 08:20 AM

Hi ICPUG,
I forgot to mention that for the ISO boot to work, you need to add the knoppix.sh file within the same directory as your iso file.
Download of the knoppix.sh file: http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/knoppix650.zip
I edited my previous post to add this info (PS2).
Best Regards,
Gilles

_yes

08-05-2011, 08:24 AM

Hi Gilles,
Will any of knoppix650.zip or knoppix630.zip work with v. 6.4.4 since they all have different kernel verisons? It is said that version 6.7 is also starting to appear in mirrors, hopefully we will be able to have your modified linux an miniroot.gz files to try.

ruymbeke

08-05-2011, 09:59 AM

Hi _yes,
Here it is: http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/minirt_670a.gz (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/minirt_650a.gz) and http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/64_minirt_670a.gz (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/64_minirt_650a.gz)
Please provide some feedback... Hope this helps. Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

08-15-2011, 03:43 AM

Hello,
Small improvement/bug fix:
[/URL]http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/minirt_670c.gz (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/minirt_650a.gz)
[url]http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/64_minirt_670c.gz
Please provide some feedback...
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

ICPUG

08-16-2011, 12:40 AM

Hello,
Small improvement/bug fix:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/minirt_670c.gz (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/minirt_650a.gz)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/64_minirt_670c.gz (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/64_minirt_650a.gz)
Please provide some feedback...
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

I am confused. The underlying file under these links says minirt_650a.gz and 64_minirt_650a.gz

Are the links pointing to the wrong files?

ruymbeke

08-16-2011, 04:54 AM

Hello,
The forum had a very strange behavior...
The "c" version is the correct update: (I also updated the previous post)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/minirt_670c.gz
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/64_minirt_670c.gz
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

10-06-2011, 11:13 PM

Hello,
Small improvement/bug fix for k670:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/minirt_670e.gz
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k670/64_minirt_670e.gz
and new ones for k671:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k671/minirt_671a.gz
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k671/64_minirt_671a.gz
Please provide some feedback...
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: Edited to correct the links because for some reason these forum links were not matching the data displayed...

utu

10-07-2011, 04:38 PM

Hi, Gilles

I'm interested to see what you've got to say,
but I don't think making forum links to EXECUTABLE programs is a very good idea.

This mentioned in all friendliness.

ICPUG

10-07-2011, 05:18 PM

Hi, Gilles

I'm interested to see what you've got to say,
but I don't think making forum links to EXECUTABLE programs is a very good idea.

This mentioned in all friendliness.

What is executable about a .gz file? As I understand it, it is a zipped up library.

Rymbeke creates this to replace the standard minirt.gz of a Knoppix live CD to enable booting from an iso file on an ntfs file system - amongst other things. He performs a very useful service as this very long thread attests

utu

10-07-2011, 06:05 PM

When I click on any of gilles' links that begin 'html' and end in '.gz',
one of my cpus goes to 100% and X is locked-up, maybe indefinitely.
I got tired at five minutes and restarted x.

I presume the discussion has to do with some worthy revisions of the init
within the minirt.gz of Knoppix, or something like that.
I'd like to follow that, if that's what it is.

I'll need to counter this lock-up effect if I am to learn much about
what's going on. I wasn't expecting that to be necessary.

Listing the product in the present form is counter-productive, if the
objective is for all forum members to be able to comfortably participate
in the exposition.

ruymbeke

10-07-2011, 08:03 PM

Hi Utu,
Instead of just clicking on the link try the "save link as" option (after a mouse right click on the link).
For some reason your web browser is trying to do something with this cpio compressed initrd file.
This alternate boot ramdisk is backward compatible and adds functionality to the default Knoppix initrd.
Even though Klaus already added some of my improvements in his latest init script (look for #@@@GvR)
there are still some features that I like (and I need) which are missing and since I thought that some
other people may also be interested in them, I just offer to share the result of my wok in here.
The extra features are: boot from iso, also via nfs or samba/cifs, if typo in iso path (wrong partition)
search for and use alternate location, add some kernel module to support Knoppix as a guest virtual machine,
add kernel modules for (pxe) network boot, allow to use custom cloops located within the same directory
as the iso file (also works with nfs and samba/cifs network boot) by looking for and executing local knoppix.sh,
allows for custom data persistence (within a specific local partition as an example), dynamic hostname (based on
either date/time or MAC address) to avoid duplicate hostnames on the same network, ... just to name a few.
Please find below my menu.lst as an example of my grub config file:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k671/sample_menu.lst
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

utu

10-07-2011, 08:36 PM

Hi, Gilles.

Thanks for reminding me how to bring this stuff in.
I'm anxious to see what you've done.

Best Regards.

ruymbeke

11-13-2011, 08:37 PM

Hello,
Small improvement/bug fix for k671:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k671/minirt_671b.gz
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k671/64_minirt_671b.gz
Please provide some feedback...
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

johnrw

12-05-2011, 06:21 AM

Hi Gilles,

I just stopped in, mostly to see if you were still at it... with your minirts. I am really glad to see that you still are... even though you don't have any time to spare.
I also found your vmWare virtual appliance for Knoppix 6.2.0... over at vmWare's appliance section... and I am wondering if you might be updating that to the latest Knoppix.
Now that multi GB thumbdrives are so cheap (I just got a few 16GB sticks for $20 each), I'd like to carry both a bootable Knoppix thumbdrive... and a vmWare virtual machine
of a late model KNOPPIX.

Me??? Well I work way too much these days... 7 days a week... and never have any free time.
I am still using Knoppix 5.3.1... and tonight finding I have a few minutes to spare... to try out something new.

Thanks Gilles... for all you have done...

ruymbeke

12-05-2011, 10:12 AM

Hi johnrw,
Long time no talk... good to read from you. And yes I am also very busy...
Please find below a link to a new VmWare Player 4.0.1 Knoppix 6.7.1 appliance I just created tonight for you:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk671_528969.zip
Hope this helps and please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

FYI: 528969 is the build number for the VmWare Tools of the VmWare Workstation build 528992.

johnrw

12-06-2011, 07:36 AM

Thank You Gilles. I tried looking for Knoppix 6.2.0 and it seems to be removed from all the mirrors.
I'll definitely make time tonight to try and get it running.

John Hart

12-07-2011, 09:35 PM

I have successfully booted from an ISO file on my ntfs drive. At the Knoppix boot prompt I types "knoppix bootfrom=/dev/sda1/K.iso" where sda1 was the
hard drive designator as seen by Knoppix and K.iso was the name of the ISO file . Not sure if a wild card will work.

johnrw

12-15-2011, 08:50 AM

Gilles,

It works great! Firstly I told vmWare Player to use an existing VM.
Then all I did was to tell vmWare Player where the Knoppix ISO file was... in Settings.
Viola!. Knoppix that has NTFS support built in.

When I looked into the menu.lst on sda1... so I could add the "home=scan"... I found a parameter I don't understand.
"data=ramdisk"

What I was hoping to do was to add a new disk to the VM... and put a knoppix.img persistent home on it...
I did manage to get that created... and it showed up as /dev/sdb

Something did crop up... the screensaver... it goes straight to it after X finishes loading.
Data persistence would help that out.

But I am using vmware player 3.1.5 build-491717... because ver 4 needs better hardware than my laptop I have at home. (I'm never there!)

Thank You

ruymbeke

04-10-2012, 08:15 AM

Hello,
Please find below the links to the improved minirt init boot for Knoppix 7.0.0 (Magazine release):
(please do not just left click but use the "save as" right click option to save it)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k700/minirt_700a.gz
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k700/64_minirt_700a.gz
and a minimal virtual machine using the latest vmware tools from their current beta
(as the official released tools do not work with the new kernel used in Knoppix 7.0):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk700_646643.zip
Please provide some feedback...
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

04-10-2012, 08:41 AM

Hello,
For those who are interested in 3D acceleration when running Knoppix 7.0 as a Vmware guest
since Linux guest graphics are currently very badly supported by Vmware (they are working on it):
as an example, a compile (as the Linux kernel) can take up to twice the time in a single cpu config
depending on the Linux console window size as half of the cpu time is used for the window scrolling !
So I played with the 3D acceleration of the Knoopix 7.0 guest in the beta VmWare Workstation
and I got it working more or less after adding few very new packages: mesa, vmwgfx, ...
This is obviously an experimental preview and is not recommended for normal use.
Please find below as info the script I used. Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

#! /bin/sh (to be used as root)
# Inspired from: http://www.mesa3d.org/vmware-guest.html

apt-get update
apt-get -y -t experimental --reinstall install git-core xutils-dev
apt-get -y -t experimental --reinstall install automake libtool libpthread-stubs0-dev
apt-get -y -t experimental --reinstall install xserver-xorg-dev x11proto-xinerama-dev
apt-get -y -t experimental --reinstall install libgl1-mesa-dri libxcb-glx0-dev

git clone git://anongit.freedesktop.org/git/xorg/driver/xf86-video-vmware
pushd xf86-video-vmware
make clean
./autogen.sh --prefix=/usr #--libdir=/usr/lib64
make -j4
make install
popd

rm -f /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx.ko*
git clone git://anongit.freedesktop.org/git/mesa/vmwgfx
pushd vmwgfx
make clean
make -j4
make install
busybox cp -f 00-vmwgfx.rules /etc/udev/rules.d
depmod -a -ae
depmod -a #-ae
popd
rmmod vmw_balloon
rmmod vmwgfx
modprobe vmwgfx

dmesg | grep vmwgfx
glxinfo | grep Open | grep VM
glxinfo | grep Open | grep Mesa

echo Please type "init 5" to restart X
init 3

ruymbeke

06-07-2012, 06:38 AM

ruymbeke

06-07-2012, 07:24 AM

johnrw wrote:
When I looked into the menu.lst on sda1... so I could add the "home=scan"...
I found a parameter I don't understand: "data=ramdisk"Hi John,
Sorry for the delay in my response, I did not notice your question until now... Good catch !
I have to admit that you are the first one to have noticed this and I am glad that you asked what it is used for.
The "data=ramdisk" linux kernel parameter is to setup the "after boot" data persistence into a separate ramdisk "/mnt/data"
which is different from the original ramdisk "/ramdisk" which now only contains the modified data from the boot process,
mainly resulting from the hardware auto-detection. The goal of this way to handle the data persistence is double:
First it allows to use a disk partition as a whole (instead of a file within a shared partition) allowing for much faster access
and bandwidth by using something like "data=sdb1". Just be aware that the data in that "sdb1" partition will be overwritten.
Then this is also an attempt to only have the persistence of the data that matters and keep the hardware specific data
out of it allowing for an easy migration of a customized setup (with valuable data persistence but not boot persistence)
to another hardware without loosing the great Knoppix hardware auto detection benefits. This is especially handy when
you have this setup on a USB dongle that you use to run on multiple and different hardware.
I hope that my explanations are clear enough for you to understand...
Best Regards,
Gilles

russed

06-08-2012, 03:34 AM

I successfully booted Knoppix 6.7 from its .iso image file in an usb flash drive, following guidelines from some thread somewhere in the forums of this website, using Grub as boot manager, with this entry in menu.lst:

title Knoppix 6.7
ls /KNOPPIX_V6.7.1CD-2011-09-14-EN.iso > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /iso/KNOPPIX_V6.7.1CD-2011-09-14-EN.iso
map /KNOPPIX_V6.7.1CD-2011-09-14-EN.iso (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
kernel /boot/isolinux/linux ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init apm=power-off vga=791 nomce lang=es keyboard=es xkeyboard=es BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix bootfrom=/.//KNOPPIX_V6.7.1CD-2011-09-14-EN.iso noprompt
initrd /boot/isolinux/minirt.gz
boot

This also would work in order to boot the same .iso image file in a NTFS partition in the hard disk, using grub as boot manager. In fact, I use something alike to do it.

ruymbeke

06-10-2012, 09:46 AM

Hi russed,
Good idea, I use grub a lot like you to boot some small iso and where the speed is not an issue.
But if I remember this right, th cd/DVD emulation done by grub uses heavily the the bios for disk accesses
which is quite slow and may create problems on older systems with large disk sizes (especially if the iso
is located at the end of the disk) I am also not sure how the Linux kernel handle shared data (or can coexist)
with the grub/bios routines. For this reason I much prefer to rely only on the Linux kernel and only
use grub for the bootstrap. That being said, I am glad that this option works for you.
My two cents,
Gilles

ruymbeke

06-10-2012, 09:53 AM

Hello,
Please find below the link to a minimal virtual machine using the latest vmware tools 8.0.3
[/URL][url]http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk702_703057.zip (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk700_646643.zip)
Please provide some feedback...
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

06-11-2012, 02:01 AM

Hello,
Please find below the link to a zip file which contains everything you need to
patch Knoppix 7.0.2 live at boot time and add the missing ntfs 3g support:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702_ntfs_3g.zip (20MB)
This technique can also be used to live patch Knoppix with whatever other feature you may need.
I am using this method on a ntfs formatted bootable USB dongle (for Windows compatibility)
and it only requires a couple files to be located at the right place (matching the grub menu.lst)
Among them are the knoppix 7.0.2 iso file and the "ntfs" cloop patch. You can use bootlace.com
(which runs as both a dos and Linux executable) to make your media storage device bootable:
./bootlace.com --time-out=0 /dev/sda (be sure to use the proper boot device, here it is sda)
You also need to have grldr (grub binary) in the root of your boot device so it can be found
by the bootsector executable (installed by bootlace). The knoppix.sh script needs to be next to
(same folder as) the Knoppix iso and "ntfs" patch files. You need to use the slightly customized
minirt_702a.gz init ramdisk. The also included two Linux Kernels are unchanged from the 7.0.2 DVD.
Hope this helps. Please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: Please find below the direct link to the ntfs patch file: (2.3MB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/ntfs

Capricorny

06-16-2012, 11:21 PM

Hello,
Please find below the links to the improved minirt init boot for Knoppix 7.0.2
(please do not just left click but use the "save as" right click option to save it)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/minirt_702a.gz
It includes both the 32 and 64 bits Linux kernel modules and use them accordingly.

I haven't looked into this minirt version, but it seems to work fine with 7.0.2 running in a virtual machine under Knoppix - using workstation 8.0.3. I did an ordinary flash install from the 7.0.2 ISO under vmware (formatting the virtual disk as FAT32), and mounted the disk and edited the minirt references in syslinux.cfg. With the ordinary minirt, it seemed like I could not get the image mounted, it continued to do the loading from the ISO image, and crashed when I removed that. For me, it is very useful to be able to carry the Poor Man's install over to VMs.

I'll report any problems I may run into, none so far, thank you Gilles for the useful work! :)

ruymbeke

06-17-2012, 03:36 AM

... For me, it is very useful to be able to carry the Poor Man's install over to VMs.
I'll report any problems I may run into, none so far, thank you Gilles for the useful work! :)

Hello Capricorny,
FYI, I am booting Knoppix 7.02 from a USB dongle ntfs formatted (for Windows compatibility) using grub (grldr + menu.lst) and the Knoppix 7.02 ISO (+ Linux kernels and my custom initrd) and a custom VmWare Workstation cloop live patch in order to run a Windows virtual machine on various friends physical machines without having to worry about the hardware changes. (since the great Knoppix hardware auto-detection and the vmWare visualization are providing Windows with a complete hardware abstraction). So no need to travel with a computer anymore: I just need to carry my bootable USB dongle and find a computer I can borrow to run my complete personal environment including both my licensed programs and my private data such as emails, bookmarks ... No need to say that this not intrusive for the other computer since I am not using the local hdd at all (only my USB dongle).
BTW, did you try my Knoppix 7.2 virtual machine (with the VmWare tools already installed) ?
cf: http://knoppix.net/forum/threads/11589-ISO-boot-from-FAT-NTFS-USB-%28GRUB.exe-grldr-from-boot.ini%29?p=126964&viewfull=1#post126964
The tools add a lot of nice features and it was not that easy to get the tools to compile properly with the new Linux kernel... FYI, VmWare just released Workstation 8.04 and player 3.04 which is mainly a security fix and also have new guest tools.
Best Regards,
Gilles

Capricorny

06-17-2012, 08:29 AM

Hello Capricorny,
FYI, I am booting Knoppix 7.02 from a USB dongle ntfs formatted (for Windows compatibility) using grub (grldr + menu.lst) and the Knoppix 7.02 ISO (+ Linux kernels and my custom initrd) and a custom VmWare Workstation cloop live patch in order to run a Windows virtual machine on various friends physical machines without having to worry about the hardware changes. (since the great Knoppix hardware auto-detection and the vmWare visualization are providing Windows with a complete hardware abstraction). So no need to travel with a computer anymore: I just need to carry my bootable USB dongle and find a computer I can borrow to run my complete personal environment including both my licensed programs and my private data such as emails, bookmarks ... No need to say that this not intrusive for the other computer since I am not using the local hdd at all (only my USB dongle).
BTW, did you try my Knoppix 7.2 virtual machine (with the VmWare tools already installed) ?
cf: http://knoppix.net/forum/threads/11589-ISO-boot-from-FAT-NTFS-USB-%28GRUB.exe-grldr-from-boot.ini%29?p=126964&viewfull=1#post126964

1. USB installs: I'm doing something similar, and now I will try to expand on it, running a few virtual machines simultaneously, for a development environment - but the usual mode of use will be to copy from the USB to HD partitions and run from them. Still there is a enormous saving of setup/administration work this way. Using a USB3 mounted SSD drive looked promising for USB-only running.
2. I was not able to get your VM past kernel booting on Linux Knoppix 7.0.2 host, it didn't find the knoppix, and I don't know why. Any suggestions?
3. I will try out how it works running cloop Knoppix in a virtual machine for "real life" tasks. I will also try to compare efficiency of VMware and qemu-kvm. While qemu-kvm is about ideal for development and testing, I'm not sure it is good enough for ordinary use yet. But for the occasional task running, like creating USB Knoppix from ISO, it's quite fine IMHO.
4. I'll mention it here, too: It would be useful to have a Knoppix version of the debootstrap tool, to create minimal versions on the fly.

ruymbeke

06-17-2012, 09:07 AM

1)
USB installs...
What I use on my USB(3) dongle also works on my main system, effectively providing a very easy to setup multi boot environment.

2)
I was not able to get your VM past kernel booting... Any suggestions?
Did you setup the virtual dvd to use your Knoppix 7.02 ISO image ?
If not located in "c:\boot\k702\KNOPPIX_V7.0.2DVD-2012-05-30-EN.iso"
you may need to update the vm settings to match the location of your iso file.
Why create a vm ? ==> to have the VmWare Tools installed.
(because the official Knoppix iso does not include them and I like the hgfs
folder sharing and the cut/paste between the host and the guest vm)

4)
... debootstrap tool ...
I am not sure about the benefit (for me) of using the debootstrap tool as the setup I am using with Knoppix already allows me to boot Knoppix on a foreign system and only using a minimal amount of compressed files: official Knoppix iso, compressed cloops for my customizations such as VmWare Workstation, 3d acceleration, ARM cross compilation tools, ... and a partition or loop back file for my data persistence. It is very easy and fast to both install then use everyday...
Best Regards,
Gilles

Capricorny

06-17-2012, 09:56 AM

2)
Did you setup the virtual dvd to use your Knoppix 7.02 ISO image ?
If not located in "c:\boot\k702\KNOPPIX_V7.0.2DVD-2012-05-30-EN.iso"
you may need to update the vm settings to match the location of your iso file.
Why create a vm ? ==> to have the VmWare Tools installed.
(because the official Knoppix iso does not include them and I like the hgfs
folder sharing and the cut/paste between the host and the guest vm)

After I did, it works. Didn't realize it runs off the ISO image.. :)

4)
I am not sure about the benefit (for me) of using the debootstrap tool as the setup I am using with Knoppix already allows me to boot Knoppix on a foreign system and only using a minimal amount of compressed files: official Knoppix iso, compressed cloops for my customizations such as VmWare Workstation, 3d acceleration, ARM cross compilation tools, ... and a partition or loop back file for my data persistence. It is very easy and fast to both install then use everyday...

There are a few uses for such a knxbootstrap which may be hard to substitute, for example creating "pure" 64-bits versions, creating minimal installs, creating versions based on alternative sets of libraries.. But none of them may apply to you. For running Knopppix instances as servers, it is enough with minimal cloops (debootstrap results in ca 200MB uncompressed, and judging from latter CD versions, Knoppix wouldn't need that much more?). Maybe it could be considered as DSSL Damned Small Sustainable Linux? ;)

Capricorny

06-18-2012, 12:43 PM

I must admit, the Damn Small Sustainable Linux, as a Knoppix derivative, has quite a lot of appeal to me. One of the reasons is the ability for specialized installations: Right now, I need one VM running Oracle XE, one VM running JBoss and possibly one running a mailserver. I would like to keep them as small as possible, and the entire machines might have running from ramdisks as an option.

I have not been able to start from a plain remastered image (yet?), but flash-installing from ISO file in VMware and mounting+copying remastered image over afterwards worked fine, using the modified minirt. What is most useful for my needs, is that virtual 7.0.2, 3.3.7-64 kernel, seems to run with no problems under my 64-bits version of 6.4.4 - which reduces the needs for creating a new 64-bits version now a lot. One might not believe that running Knoppix under Knoppix should be efficient and/or useful, but for some needs, it's both :)

ruymbeke

06-22-2012, 05:32 PM

Hello,
Please find below the link to a zip file which contains everything you need to
patch Knoppix 7.0.2 live at boot time and add both ntfs 3g and 64 bits supports:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702_ntfs_3g_64.zip (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702_ntfs_3g.zip) (59MB)
The 64 patch provides both 64 bits run-ntime support and 64 bits compilation (gcc) support.
As mentioned previously you may need to adjust the menu.lst to match your needs
especially if the Knoppix 7.0.2 dvd iso and the patch files are not located on sda1 partition
(for a usb dongle as an example) but on sda2 (as for the c:\ drive of Windows Vista or 7)
The included "64l" (l for light) cloop file does not include the Debian installation packages
nor the updated Debian repositories list (created by apt-get update) to keep the patch small.
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/64l (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/ntfs) (40MB)
If you like the full patch (including the Debian install packages and the repository lists)
please download the following "64" (without the l) cloop file (to be locates in the k702 folder)
and replace in the grub menu.lst the string "64l" by "64" (please do not rename the file).
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/64 (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/ntfs) (110MB)
Hope this helps and please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: The 64[l] cloop patch file only union with the Knoppix file system if a 64 bits kernel is detected.
The grub menu.lst detects if the machine is 64 bits capable and default the boot option accordingly.
The installation has been done following the instructions provided by Klaus (cf: /bin/_64 script):
http://knoppix.net/forum/threads/29878-Knoppix-7.0.2-EN-DVD-notes-comments?p=126922&viewfull=1#post126922
You can check the 64 bits setup using the command: "_64 check" from a Linux shell console.
The folder \opt\test64\pi_quick_start.tgz contains a pi benchmark (with the "gmp" high precision
math library) which can be used to test the 64 bits gcc compile and 64 bits run time execution.
Unpack the content, go in the unpacked folder and run ./start.sh

ruymbeke

06-26-2012, 07:45 PM

Hello,
Please find below a new version of the 64 bits package using the latest Debian repository changes
(with gcc 4.7.1) using the updated install method from Klaus2008 as described in here:
http://knoppix.net/forum/threads/29878-Knoppix-7.0.2-EN-DVD-notes-comments?p=127085&viewfull=1#post127085
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702_ntfs_3g_64b.zip (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702_ntfs_3g.zip) (80MB)
You can download the new cloop patch files (light & full versions) below:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/64l (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/ntfs) (60MB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/64 (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/ntfs) (150MB)
Hope this helps and please provide some feedback...
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

07-06-2012, 01:04 AM

Hello,
Please find below the link to the improved minirt init boot for Knoppix 7.0.3:
(It includes both the 32 and 64 bits Linux kernel modules)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k703/minirt_703a.gz (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/ntfs) (10MB)
and the Knoppix 7.0.3 64 bits cloop patches:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k703/64l (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/ntfs) (light version: 69MB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k703/64 (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k702/ntfs) (full version: 167MB)
and the link to a Knoppix 7.0.3 minimal virtual machine
(with the "VMware Workstation June Preview" tools installed):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk703_754035.zip (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk702_703057.zip) (50MB)
(You still need the Knoppix 7.0.3 official CD or DVD iso image)
Please provide some feedback...
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: please do not left click but use the "save as" right click option to save the content of these links.

ruymbeke

07-31-2012, 02:41 AM

Hello,
Please find below the latest minirt init boot for Knoppix 7.0.3 (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k703/minirt_703c.gz (10MB)
and the latest Knoppix 7.0.3 minimal virtual machine
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk703_744019.zip (50MB)
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

08-13-2012, 10:42 PM

Hello,
Please find below some updates to the minirt boot for Knoppix 6.7.1 (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k671/minirt_671d.gz (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k703/minirt_703c.gz) (9.31MB)
and the latest Knoppix 6.7.1 minimal virtual machine
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk671_744019.zip (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk703_744019.zip) (48.1MB)
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

08-25-2012, 10:21 PM

Hello,
Please find below the minirt boot for Knoppix 7.0.4 (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k704/minirt_704.gz (10.4MB)
and the Knoppix 7.0.4 minimal virtual machine with the latest tools (WS 9.0.0)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk704_802388.zip (43.7MB)
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

11-13-2012, 05:24 AM

Hello,
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk704_894247.zip (43.9MB)
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

12-22-2012, 12:48 PM

Hello,
Please find below the Knoppix 7.0.5 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k705/minirt_705.gz (10.5MB)
and the Knoppix 7.0.5 minimal virtual machine with the latest tools (WS 9.0.1):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk705_894247.zip (45.4MB)
Please provide some feedback. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
Gilles

PS: Edited to correct the links (for some reason this forum does not cut and paste links properly...)

Blacksimon

12-22-2012, 08:01 PM

Incorrect link ? it's point to minirt_k704.gz

Blacksimon

12-23-2012, 12:44 PM

downloaded manually copying http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k705/minirt_705.gz in a new empty browser tab. But archive format is not recognized!

ruymbeke

12-23-2012, 11:57 PM

Hello Blacksimon,
The archive is a gzipped cpio format and is typically used for Linux ramdisk boot images.
To read it's content you may try the following commands: gunzip minirt_705.gz; cpio -ivu --no-absolute-filenames < minirt_705
Thank you very much for your feedback and help in providing the correct link. It is now also updated in my original post.
For some reason the cut and paste of previous posts does not always work as expected, especially with links content.
Best Regards,
Gilles

Blacksimon

12-24-2012, 05:26 PM

Thank you, all works fine.

ruymbeke

12-31-2012, 06:18 PM

Hello,
I finally got the 3D support working with Knoppix 7.0.5 in a VMware virtual machine guest
and the VMWare tools. Please find below the link to the vm data zipped:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk705_894247_3d.zip (149 MB)
It is actually quite nice to see a video playing on the compiz cube rotating smoothly and
live with the mouse without taking too much processing power when inside a VM guest.
Please provide some feedback. Happy New Year 2013 !
Gilles

PS: I used the following script to make it work:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k705/build_3d.sh.txt

Capricorny

02-08-2013, 10:13 AM

Just want to report that the 7.0.5 modified minirt works very well for me with an ISO remastering of Knoppix 7.0.5 and Workstation 8.0.5. (While the stock minirt.gz does not work.) I just threw the modified minirt into the boot/isolinux directory, made an alternative for booting with that in isolinux.cfg, and created the ISO. Started Workstation 8 on that, set up and formatted virtual disk as FAT32, and used the flash install. I'll write this up more completely in a separate thread.

Thanks again, Gilles!

ruymbeke

02-08-2013, 12:17 PM

Hi Capricorny,
Thank you very much for your feedback.
To get Knoppix to work as a VmWare guest I had to add some Linux Kernel modules in the minirt.
BTW, did you try the knoppix vm guest I posted in my previous post ? It uses the Knoppix iso as a base
so the vm data is practically the VmWare tools plus the 3D acceleration supports under VmWare 9.0.1
(nice to see the compiz cube within a vm guest). At boot time (grub menu) you will have two boot options:
one to boot with a ramdisk and the other with data persistence (in a separate virtual disk).
Just try it if you can and please let me know how it works for you.
Best Regards,
Gilles

Capricorny

02-08-2013, 12:34 PM

Adding kernel modules: Interesting, hope I'll get to look at it some day - but I'm just happy to use your modifications.
I installed VMware tools the standard way, and because these VMs will be used mostly as servers, I don't know if I will take the time to try out your more comprehensive customization. But if some of them are to be run under Windows, I might try!

As for grub, maybe I should format the virtual disk as ext2/ext3, and install legacy grub to it? But for my present use, using isolinux boot is adequate for now. Using the flash-installer has got a lot of appeal to me..

And I must say, packing your minirt with the ISO, and using it from the first guest boot on, seems so simple and safe to me.

ruymbeke

02-08-2013, 01:32 PM

Hi Capricorny,
I use this setup on a win7 64 host (as a Linux server) and it is really easy to use, nothing to install: just download, unzip & play.
If needed the persistence allows me to add the config files and links to the services I need to run at boot time.
BTW, I do use ext4 for my virtual drives (not in the vm I did post but I could post it if you like)
as an ext4 has some clear benefits. But for this I had to create first a small ext3 boot partition
(before the large ext4) to hold grldr as the grub master boot record cannot find grldr in an ext4 partition.
I just found out recently about another master boot record "wee" which should be capable to load grldr from an ext4.
It has a "lba only" limitation (will not work on old machines) but should be ok in a vm. (I did not try it yet though...)
BTW, I also created a simple setup to boot Knoppix as a host from the iso located within a win7 ntfs partition and
add/patch at boot time (using the unionfs) a cloop containing the VmWare Workstation application in such a way
that I can use Knoppix as a host (from an external hdd or a usb dongle) on someone else computer to run vmware
and from there have various guests (such as Win 7) without touching the host computer data. Great to travel light...
Cheers,
Gilles

PS: I may have removed the persistence option in the grub config file, but I could post an update if you like to try it.

Capricorny

02-15-2013, 03:48 PM

I just wonder: Is there any special advantage of using grub for booting virtual machines, except,possibly, for underlying file system? Only the syslinux + kernel&initrd must be on the FAT32 part, right?
I also wonder if I could trick vmware into doing something similar to qemu-kvm? There, I simply boot legacy grub on the host boot partition, and select an ordinary Knoppix copy on some unmounted partition to run in the VM.

As for your ISO + persistent method, why do you use the ISO - this can be easily accomplished with only the stick too, right? With a 32 GB stick, I can have both full Knoppix, a well-endowed Windows VM + some room to spare.

Your vm is made under Workstation 9.X. Having 8.0.5 working so well, I thought I'd forgo the 9.1, but having looked more closely into it, there seem to be quite a few improvements, in addition to the obvious Windows 8 adaptation. Any problems with 9.X?

ruymbeke

02-16-2013, 06:01 AM

Hi Capricorny,
I like like grub for a couple of reasons: first of all it has an interactive mode where the command line
can be modified which is really useful for debugging and when some configurations have changed.
No need to boot the system in order to edit the configuration file and then reboot to verify the update.
Then the exact same binary and configuration files (including a tree of sub-menus for multi-boots)
can be used for local device boot and network (pxe) boot. Or in other words I use the exact same
setup whatever running inside a vm or as a host setup which is really handy. Finally it is really simple
to install (as the mbr code is capable to find the stage2 grldr code from all the scanned partitions)
and has a ton of scripting and hacking capabilities, cf: http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/grub4dos

I like to keep the original compressed and unmodifed knoppix iso file and have all the desired customizations and
persistence clearly separated in order to keep them small and have multiple variants of them on the same media
(as some of them may be incompatible with each other). BTW I keep my USB stick formatted with NTFS so it
can also be used as is on Windows system and since I only have a few files for the NTFS file system they are easy
to copy, update and be checked for integrity. Finally if I have any kind of corruption on the persistence, I can still boot
in Ramdisk mode to empty or erase the persistence and after reboot I still have all my extra functions and features
as they are in cloop outside of the iso file and are also separated from the data persistence.

The two vm: vmk705_894247.zip and vmk705_894247_3d.zip are using the Worstation 8.0 hardware compatibility
but have the Workstation 9.0.1 tools installed so they can be used with either versions of Workstation (8 or 9)
as as far as I know the tools are backward compatibles. The only problem I have found so far is the video recording
which is broken in version 9. I already filed a bug report with VMware but it did not get fixed from 9.0 to 9.1.
BTW, did you try yet the 3d support within the guest ?
Best Regards,
Gilles

Capricorny

02-17-2013, 01:02 PM

Hi Capricorny,
I like like grub for a couple of reasons: first of all it has an interactive mode where the command line
can be modified which is really useful for debugging and when some configurations have changed.
No need to boot the system in order to edit the configuration file and then reboot to verify the update.
Then the exact same binary and configuration files (including a tree of sub-menus for multi-boots)
can be used for local device boot and network (pxe) boot. Or in other words I use the exact same
setup whatever running inside a vm or as a host setup which is really handy. Finally it is really simple
to install (as the mbr code is capable to find the stage2 grldr code from all the scanned partitions)
and has a ton of scripting and hacking capabilities, cf: http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/grub4dos

Thanks a lot for the tips and the link - time for learning this now, I guess. But when I go into bootloading, I would like to view things in the UEFI context. Seems like they consider that too.

I like to keep the original compressed and unmodifed knoppix iso file and have all the desired customizations and
persistence clearly separated in order to keep them small and have multiple variants of them on the same media
(as some of them may be incompatible with each other). BTW I keep my USB stick formatted with NTFS so it
can also be used as is on Windows system and since I only have a few files for the NTFS file system they are easy
to copy, update and be checked for integrity. Finally if I have any kind of corruption on the persistence, I can still boot
in Ramdisk mode to empty or erase the persistence and after reboot I still have all my extra functions and features
as they are in cloop outside of the iso file and are also separated from the data persistence.

There is no reason you have to start with the unmodified Knoppix file, is it? You could have used a remastered version? And the technique here is separate overlays (like KNOPPIX1a, KNOPPIX1b etc) for different uses? What is the trick of selecting between overlays?

The two vm: vmk705_894247.zip and vmk705_894247_3d.zip are using the Worstation 8.0 hardware compatibility
but have the Workstation 9.0.1 tools installed so they can be used with either versions of Workstation (8 or 9)
as as far as I know the tools are backward compatibles. The only problem I have found so far is the video recording
which is broken in version 9. I already filed a bug report with VMware but it did not get fixed from 9.0 to 9.1.
BTW, did you try yet the 3d support within the guest ?
Best Regards,
Gilles

Think I'll try 9.1, then. Haven't looked at the 3d support - I tend to minimize graphics features for my needs, which tend to be more cpu-intensive.

ruymbeke

02-18-2013, 12:51 AM

Hi Capricorny,

There is no reason you have to start with the unmodified Knoppix file, is it? You could have used a remastered version?Yes but remastering the DVD takes a lot of storage space and takes a long time to create (since there are a lot of files and data to compress) so why do it over and over again with mostly the same data in it for each customization ? I much prefer work only on the deltas which are usually quite smaller (as the vmware tools) are faster to create and are not requiring much resources. It is also nice to select and use the deltas as required: as an example I have the same config for booting Knoppix via pxe whatever it is inside a vm guest (where I need the Vmware tools) or as a host where I use a cloop overlay with the VMware Workstation application this time in such a way that I can run multiple guests within my pxe booted Knoppix host. Finally having my customization stored outside of the Knoppix iso allows me to have an overall much smaller amount of data than having multiple big 5GB isos for each one of the customization. As a side effect it also takes much less room on my USB dongles, SSDs and other expensive media and is also much faster to copy, update or check for data integrity, ...

And the technique here is separate overlays (like KNOPPIX1a, KNOPPIX1b etc) for different uses? What is the trick of selecting between overlays?You can guess now why I like grub: I can edit the command line at boot time to add or remove cloops in order to add, reduce or change functionalities as desired. cf the kernel boot parameter: "cloop=vmt894247,3dd" These are two cloop overlays outside of the original Knoppix iso file which are adding the vmware tools and the 3d guest rendering functionalities at boot time. So as an example if you do not care for the 3d rendering you can just remove the ",3dd" parameter. I hope this will help. Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

03-11-2013, 11:59 PM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 7.0.5 VMware 9.0.2 virtual machine guest
with optional data persistence and 3D support. Please find below the link to the vm zipped:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk705_1031769_3d.zip (with 3D support 144MB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk705_1031769.zip (without 3D support 46MB)
Please provide some feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: I used the following script to get the Knoppix 7.0.5 guest 3D support to work:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k705/build_3d.sh.txt
Please find below a link to the 3D cloop file used in the above vm:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k705/3dd
and another link to the VMware 9.0.2 tools cloop file also used in the above vm:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k705/vmt1031769

ruymbeke

04-22-2013, 01:21 AM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix CeBIT 7.1.0 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k710/minirt_710.gz (10.6MB)
and the latest VMware 9.0.2 virtual machine guest zipped with optional data persistence and 3D:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk710_1031769_3d.zip (with 3D support 150MB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk710_1031769.zip (without 3D support 46.1MB)
Please provide some feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: I used the following script to get the Knoppix 7.1.0 guest 3D support to work:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k710/build_3d.sh.txt
Please find below a link to the 3D cloop file used in the above vm:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k710/3dd
and another link to the VMware 9.0.2 tools cloop file also used in the above vm:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k710/vmt1031769

Blacksimon

04-22-2013, 07:51 PM

Hi Ruymbeke,
it's correct that inside minirt_710.gz have you posted, the welcome message in init script file is still knoppix 7.0 and not knoppix 7.1 as I would expect?

Thank you

ruymbeke

04-22-2013, 08:10 PM

Hi Blacksimon,
Yes you are correct and I will fix it in the next rev (DISTRO="Knoppix 7.1" instead of DISTRO="Knoppix 7").
Practically I verified that the two init scripts are functionally identical and I did not import this cosmetic detail.
Thank you very much for catching this.
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

07-04-2013, 11:15 PM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 7.2.0 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k720/minirt_720.gz (11MB)
and the latest VMware 9.0.2 virtual machine guest zipped with optional data persistence and 3D:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk720_1140354_3d.zip (with 3D support 133MB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk720_1140354.zip (without 3D support 44.7MB)
Please provide some feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: Please find below a link to the 3D cloop file used in the above vm:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k720/3dd
and another link to the VMware 9.0.2 tools cloop file also used in the above vm:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k720/vmt1139289

ruymbeke

09-29-2013, 08:24 PM

Hello,
Please find below the latest VMware 10.0.0 virtual machine guest zipped
with optional data persistence and 3D graphic acceleration (within the guest):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk720_1295980_3d.zip (with 3D support 132MB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk720_1295980.zip (without 3D support 44MB)
Please provide some feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

Capricorny

09-29-2013, 09:18 PM

Ryumbeke,
just a question:
Does 7.2.0 run VMware 10 well, with no patching etc?
I gave up the efforts to get Workstation 8.1 to run on 7.2.0.

ruymbeke

09-29-2013, 10:12 PM

Hi Capricorny,
Yes, the kernel modules of VMware 10 (for both the workstation hypervisor and the Linux tools)
are much better and do compile without problem with the kernel 3.9.6 of Knoppix 7.2.0.
I just regret that Vmware removed the video recording option from the workstation menus.
Best Regards,
Gilles

Ryumbeke,
just a question:
Does 7.2.0 run VMware 10 well, with no patching etc?
I gave up the efforts to get Workstation 8.1 to run on 7.2.0.

ruymbeke

03-31-2014, 10:00 AM

Hello,
After finding out that the knoppix-terminalserver of Knoppix 7.3.0
is rejecting the 64bits config because different kernel modules
need to be loaded, I modified the init script to fix this issue and
created some kind of a "universal" minirt.gz replacement which
can be used for all boot configuration: normal cd/dvd boot,
usb boot, hdd boot (including from ntfs), pxe boot (nfs or smb),...
I also added some other very useful modules when running under
virtualisation like vmware: BusLogic.ko mptbase.ko mptscsih.ko
mptspi.ko and of course the ptp.ko pps_core.ko besides all the
network 32 and 64 bits kernel modules for the pxe network boot.
Best Regards,
Gilles

http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k730/minirt_730.gz
(please do not left click but use the right click "save as" option)

utu

03-31-2014, 04:31 PM

Greetings, Gilles.

I'm looking forward to an 'After CeBIT' version of Knoppix 7.3, and do not have the CeBIT version.
Do you know if KK plans to include an accommodation of your good works in that version?

I know your minirt.gz is versioned 730, so I expect it might NOT be universally applicable to 7.3.x;
is that the case? -OR-
Would you expect your minirt.gz to work with any 7.3.x that shows up?

Thanks & Best Regards

ruymbeke

04-01-2014, 06:17 AM

Hello utu,

Do you know if KK plans to include an accommodation of your good works in that version?
I sure hope so but I don't know.

I know your minirt.gz is versioned 730, so I expect it might NOT be universally applicable to 7.3.x;
is that the case? -OR- Would you expect your minirt.gz to work with any 7.3.x that shows up?
The minirt is really Kernel dependent: so as long as the same 3.13.0 kernel is used, the same minirt can be used.
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

04-21-2014, 11:31 PM

Hello,
Please find below:
1) small bug fix for k705 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k705/minirt_705.gz (14.6MB)
2) the latest VMware 10.0.2 virtual machine Knoppix 7.0.5 guest zipped with optional data persistence and 3D:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk705_1744117_3d.zip (with 3D support 195MB)
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk705_1744117.zip (without 3D support 46.9MB)
Please provide some feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

utu

04-27-2014, 02:22 PM

Greetings, Gilles.
Would you please remind us how to decipher a Knoppix minirt.gz?
I've lost the old reference I had for this.
Thanks.

ruymbeke

04-28-2014, 12:46 AM

Hi Utu,
Please try the following command: "cpio -ivu --no-absolute-filenames < minirt.gz"
Best Regards,
Gilles

utu

04-28-2014, 01:33 AM

Please try the following command: "cpio -ivu --no-absolute-filenames < minirt.gz"

Thanks, Gilles.

What seems to work is gunzip minirt.gz, then

cpio -ivu --no-absolute-filenames < minirt (not minirt.gz)

Then go look at init to see what the magic is.

ruymbeke

04-28-2014, 02:23 AM

Hi Utu,
Yes you are correct. I was going a little too fast... Something like this works better:
gunzip -c minirt.gz | cpio -ivu --no-absolute-filenames
Best Regards,
Gilles

utu

04-28-2014, 04:11 AM

Thanks again, Gilles.
There's a lot to study here.

ruymbeke

01-31-2015, 02:23 PM

Hello,
Please below the link to the improved minirt for 742 with nfs, samba and vm boot support:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k742/minirt_742.gz (please use "save as")
I am still working on a vm with 3d support... but please find below a VMware 11 tools cloop for 742:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k742/vmt2305329
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

05-02-2015, 09:22 AM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 7.5.0 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k750/minirt_750.gz (14MB)
and the latest VMware 11.1.0 virtual machine guest zipped with 32/64 bits boot, 3D and optional data persistence
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk750_2496824.zip (59.6MB)
Please provide some feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: Please find below a link to the VMware 9.9.2 tools cloop file also used in the above vm:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k750/vmt2496824 (25.6MB)

cf: http://knoppix.net/forum/threads/31368-Knoppix-7-5-at-CeBIT-2015?p=132371#post132371

ruymbeke

07-29-2016, 07:45 AM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 7.7.0 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k770/minirt_770.gz (16MB)
and the latest VMware 12.1.1 virtual machine guest zipped with 32/64 bits boot, 3D and optional data persistence
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk770_3770994.zip (63.6MB)
Please provide some feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: Please find below a link to the VMware Tools 10.0.6 cloop file also used in the above vm:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k770/vmt3770994 (33.6MB)

PS2: you may notice that in order to get the cut & paste and drag & drop between the guest and the host
working properly the file /etc/vmware-tools/vmware-user.desktop had to be modified as follow:
Exec=/usr/bin/vmware-user ==> Exec=env VMWARE_USE_SHIPPED_LIBS=1 /usr/bin/vmware-user

ruymbeke

02-20-2017, 05:19 AM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 7.7.1 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k771/minirt_771.gz (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k770/minirt_770.gz) (16.8MB)
and the latest VMware 12.5.2 virtual machine guest zipped with 32/64 bits boot, 3D and optional data persistence
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk771_4352439.zip (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk770_3770994.zip) (68.9MB)
Please provide some feedback.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: Please find below a link to the VMware Tools 10.0.6 cloop file also used in the above vm:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k770/vmt4352439 (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k770/vmt3770994) (34.7MB)

PS2: to avoid mouse problems with the automatic grab/ungrab feature
not automatically grabing input when cursor enters the window
it was necessary to add to the VMware config file (.vmx) the following lines:
mouse.vusb.enable = "TRUE"
mouse.vusb.useBasicMouse = "FALSE"
cf: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/VMware/Installing_Arch_as_a_guest

Capricorny

02-20-2017, 10:18 AM

Thank you very much Gilles!
Just a question: Is there any relatively simple way to make 7.7.1 run under VMware WS 10.X? (That's what I have got running under Debian Jessie.)

ruymbeke

02-21-2017, 03:14 AM

Hi Capricorny,
Did you just try to edit the vmk771.vmx file and replace virtualHW.version = "12" by virtualHW.version = "10" ?
I did not try your exact configuration but this should be ok. Could you please let us know if this works ?
Thanks,
Gilles

Thank you very much Gilles!
Just a question: Is there any relatively simple way to make 7.7.1 run under VMware WS 10.X? (That's what I have got running under Debian Jessie.)

Capricorny

02-21-2017, 01:27 PM

Hi Capricorny,
Did you just try to edit the vmk771.vmx file and replace virtualHW.version = "12" by virtualHW.version = "10" ?
I did not try your exact configuration but this should be ok. Could you please let us know if this works ?
Thanks,
Gilles
Thanks for the suggestion. I will try this out as soon as I get time for it, and report the outcome. I also tried an ordinary install of 7.7.1 under Workstation 10.X, using flash-knoppix. Seems to work fine, but I won't go further along that line until I have a remastered ISO to start from. Knoppix ran just fine with the 64-bit kernel. The host, Debian Jessie, runs with 3.16 kernel as default.

ruymbeke

05-04-2017, 05:45 PM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 8.0.0 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k800/minirt_800.gz (17.7MB)
and the VMware 12.5.2 virtual machine guest zipped with 32/64 bits boot, 3D and optional data persistence
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk800_4352439.zip (63.4MB)
As usual feedbacks are always welcome.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: Please find below the last working VMware Tools 10.0.6 cloop file (also used for Knoppix 7.7.1):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k800/vmt4352439 (34.7MB)
For some unknown reason the latest vmware tools distributed with VMware 12.5.5 cannot be installed properly.
But the older vmware tools installed in the above vm guest do work just fine also with the latest VMware 12.5.5.
I am still trying to understand why the latest tools cannot be installed as I am getting the error message below.
Please let me know if you have a solution.

...
Making sure services for VMware Tools are stopped.

Failed to stop vmware-tools.service: Unknown unit: vmware-tools.service
See system logs and 'systemctl status vmware-tools.service' for details.
Failed to get load state of vmware-tools.service: No such property 'LoadState'
Unable to stop services for VMware Tools

Execution aborted.

ruymbeke

05-07-2017, 10:00 AM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 8.0.0 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k800/minirt_800.gz (17.7MB)
the VMware 12.5.5 build-5234757 virtual machine guest zipped with 32/64 bits boot, 3D and optional data persistence
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk800_5234757.zip (67.6MB)
and the Vmware Tools 10.1.6-5214329 cloop file:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k800/vmt5234757 (39.1MB)
As usual feedbacks are always welcome.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: the work around to install the latest VMware Tools 12.5.5 is to use the option
--skip-stop-start when starting the vmware-config-tools.pl
in order to avoid the following error: (cf: https://communities.vmware.com/thread/561909)

...
Making sure services for VMware Tools are stopped.

Failed to stop vmware-tools.service: Unknown unit: vmware-tools.service
See system logs and 'systemctl status vmware-tools.service' for details.
Failed to get load state of vmware-tools.service: No such property 'LoadState'
Unable to stop services for VMware Tools

Execution aborted.

thriftee

08-27-2017, 02:57 PM

Where can I get a copy of 8.0? It seems silly to invest lots of time working with 7.7.1 if its being replaced soon.

Thanks...

ruymbeke

10-07-2017, 01:33 AM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 8.0.1 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
(http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k800/minirt_800.gz)http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k801/minirt_801.gz (19MB)
the VMware 12.5.7 build-5813279 virtual machine guest zipped with 32/64 bits boot, 3D and optional data persistence
(http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk800_5234757.zip)http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk801_5813279.zip (70.9MB)
and the Vmware Tools 10.1.6-5214329 cloop file:
(http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k800/vmt5234757)http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k801/vmt5234757 (39.1MB)
As usual feedbacks are always welcome.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: as before the work around to install the latest VMware Tools 12.5.7
is to use the option --skip-stop-start when starting the vmware-config-tools.pl
in order to avoid the error: https://communities.vmware.com/thread/561909

ruymbeke

11-26-2019, 09:09 PM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 8.3.0 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k830/minirt_830.gz (21.4MB)
and the VMware tools 10.2.5-8068393 cloop file:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k830/vmt8497320 (36.4MB)
As usual feedback is always welcome.
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

11-26-2019, 09:15 PM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 8.5.0 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k850/minirt_850.gz (21.2MB)
and the VMware tools 10.3.2-9925305 cloop file:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k850/vmt12990004 (36.8MB)
As usual feedbacks are always welcome.
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

11-26-2019, 09:24 PM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 8.6.1 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k861/minirt_861.gz (21.9MB)
The VMware 15.1.0 build 13591040 virtual machine guest zipped with 32/64 bits boot,
3D and optional data persistence
(http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk800_5234757.zip)http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/ (http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk801_5813279.zip)vmk861_13591040.zip (http://http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk861_13591040.zip) (70.9MB)
and the VMware tools 10.3.10-12406962 cloop file:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k861/vmt13591040 (36.7MB)
As usual feedback is always welcome.
Best Regards,
Gilles

ruymbeke

01-03-2021, 04:01 AM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 9 minirt for nfs, samba and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k900/minirt_900.gz (23.5MB)
The VMware tools 10.3.10-12406962 cloop file:
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k900/vmt15785246 (37.8MB)
As usual feedback is always welcome.
Best Regards,
Gilles

otropogo

02-04-2021, 04:52 PM

Have downloaded minirt_900.gz in the faint hope that it will somehow lead me to a way of obtaining Knoppix 9.0. Have run into two issues so far.

1. whereas your post gives the download size of minirt_900.gz as 23.5MB, Windows file manager gives te size as 63.7 MB (66,866,176 bytes)

2. I've searched for the meaning of minirt with Duckduckgo, but the only hit is your post above, so I still have no idea what this file contains or is meant to do

3. I don't have a hash or checksum to test the integrity of the file.

PS. I have a (somewhat) working copy of Knoppix 8.6.1 At least, it boots reliably from flash, but has a fatal flaw it shares with the last six or more versions - Synaptic doesn't work, and I haven't found a way to fix or replace its function. So there is no way to install or update any apps, including virus signatures for Clamv.

I've also been unable to use my desktop monitor with any variants of Knoppix 7.xxx or 8.xxx (the display will not size to fit, so no functions are accessible via gui) and am forced to use my laptop's screen. This is why I keep looking for the latest version, in the faint hope that these issues will have been fixed.

ruymbeke

02-04-2021, 09:08 PM

Have downloaded minirt_900.gz in the faint hope that it will somehow lead me to a way of obtaining Knoppix 9.0. Have run into two issues so far.
[GvR] The original minirt is just a small file (932KB) included in the Knoppix DVD (4.36GB) that is used during the boot of Linux.

1. whereas your post gives the download size of minirt_900.gz as 23.5MB, Windows file manager gives te size as 63.7 MB (66,866,176 bytes)
[GvR] I just downloaded the file from above link http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k900/minirt_900.gz and have the correct file size of 24'742'814 bytes.

2. I've searched for the meaning of minirt with Duckduckgo, but the only hit is your post above, so I still have no idea what this file contains or is meant to do
[GvR] The minirt is a init ramdisk loaded by the boot loader at the same time as the Linux kernel that contains add-on boot files necessary to bootstrap Linux.
I customized the original minirt from Klaus Knopper Knoppix 9.0 to add some functionality such as booting from an ISO file and from the network. More precisely I updated the boot script and added some missing Kernel modules to support more network cards and hardware typically used in virtualized environment.

3. I don't have a hash or checksum to test the integrity of the file.
[GvR] Please find here the MD5: 9d150bac17e1598391d0c3bfeb9c1123 *minirt_900.gz

PS. I have a (somewhat) working copy of Knoppix 8.6.1 At least, it boots reliably from flash, but has a fatal flaw it shares with the last six or more versions - Synaptic doesn't work, and I haven't found a way to fix or replace its function. So there is no way to install or update any apps, including virus signatures for Clamv.
[GvR] Please see this post: http://knoppix.net/forum/threads/45021-Knoppix-8-6-1-is-out?p=189973&viewfull=1#post189973

I've also been unable to use my desktop monitor with any variants of Knoppix 7.xxx or 8.xxx (the display will not size to fit, so no functions are accessible via gui) and am forced to use my laptop's screen. This is why I keep looking for the latest version, in the faint hope that these issues will have been fixed.
[GvR] Did you try the kernel boot Cheatcodes ?

otropogo

02-05-2021, 05:56 AM

[GvR] I just downloaded the file from above link http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k900/minirt_900.gz and have the correct file size of 24'742'814 bytes.

I just downloaded it again from your link, and got a file exactly the same size as before. I made a screensave of the directory entries for both files, showing the time of download and the file size for both, but I don't seem to have an upload option. It's "65,299KB"

[GvR] Please find here the MD5: 9d150bac17e1598391d0c3bfeb9c1123 *minirt_900.gz

Thanks for your explanation and the MD5 sum. I just checked both downloads in Windows and both showed the MD5 hash:

8E1EDFA9986B870874293BE71593685D

[GvR] Please see this post: http://knoppix.net/forum/threads/450...l=1#post189973 (http://knoppix.net/forum/threads/45021-Knoppix-8-6-1-is-out?p=189973&viewfull=1#post189973)

Thanks, I spent many hours when 8.6.1 first became available for download, trying to make this fix work using VIM, but without success.

[GvR] Did you try the kernel boot Cheatcodes ?

I'm not sure. It's been a long time since I last played with Knoppix, but I still have fond memories of the time when it was user friendly. Still, the display is a minor problem, compared to the impossibility of installing or updating applications.

Anyway, thanks for your attention. I guess I'll wait for Knoppix 9.x in the hope it will work for me, finally. And maybe then I can also download a properly sized version of your minirt-900 and see how it works.

otropogo

03-12-2021, 06:56 PM

[QUOTE=otropogo;202010][GvR] I just downloaded the file from above link http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k900/minirt_900.gz and have the correct file size of 24'742'814 bytes.

I just downloaded it again from your link, and got a file exactly the same size as before. I made a screensave of the directory entries for both files, showing the time of download and the file size for both, but I don't seem to have an upload option. It's "65,299KB"

[GvR] Please find here the MD5: 9d150bac17e1598391d0c3bfeb9c1123 *minirt_900.gz

Thanks for your explanation and the MD5 sum. I just checked both downloads in Windows and both showed the MD5 hash:

8E1EDFA9986B870874293BE71593685D...

I went back and downloaded the above file from the same location a second time, only this time I did in while running Knoppix (the first time I downloaded it while running Windows). This time I got the correct MD5 hash. Have never seen this happen before...

BTW, I downloaded the Knoppix 9.1 DVD with Windows yesterday, and just now checked the sha1 and md5 codes, and both are correct.

ruymbeke

03-12-2021, 08:18 PM

Hello,
Please find below the latest Knoppix 9.1 minirt for nfs, cifs, nvme and iso boots (32 & 64):
http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/k910/minirt_910.gz (24.8MB, Md5: 558825ccd98bb32148ac54a16e015861)
As usual feedback is always welcome.
Best Regards,
Gilles

PS: the VMware tools 10.3.10-12406962 cloop file I created for Knoppix 9.0 also work for 9.1 as there is no kernel module involved.

otropogo

03-16-2021, 05:44 AM

Yesterday I downloaded the new minirt910.gz under Windows 8.1 using the Opera browser. As happened with version 90, the download failed the md5 checksum and was almost 3X the byte count expected. I then booted up Knoppix 8.6.1 and downloaded the file again but using Firefox (as I don't have Opera installed in Knoppix). Windows gave the right md5 sum for this download, and the byte count was as expected. Finally, I downloaded the file a third time, this time again under Windows, but using the Firefox browser. This download had the same byte count and the same (correct) md5 sum as the download made under Knoppix. I should probably add that I was running Opera in VP mode (as I am now), but there were no error messages or any other indication of a problem during the download.

I prepared a screensave of the three properties showing the size of the failed Opera download and the correct checksums of the two Firefox downloads, but couldn't figure out how to upload them. The only icon for inserting an image asks for a URL. Is it just that I don't have enough seniority to upload images from my hard drive, or is this a universal restriction? I don't have a website anymore, so this restriction will make it hard for me to display problems via screensaves.

The size Windows gives for the Opera download is 67.5 MB (70,810,112 bytes), while the other two are 24.8 MB (26,104,504 bytes)

I'm still looking forward to installing Knoppix 9.1 (while also trying to secure a copy of 9.2 from Linux-Magazine), after which I hope to discover how to install and use minirt910.

Thanks,

otro