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swp009
08-21-2006, 03:50 PM
Hello there!

I decided to use knoppix as my default travel OS replacement. However, I still would like to make a few of tiny changes to it.
Most importantly, I'd like to make the default (just hitting the enter) code to be something like this: "knoppix splash dma config=scan". Can someone give me pointers to remastering howtos for newbies? I prefer english (my german is not very good). If i'll be able to do this the rest will come by itself.

Thanx
Marcel

78be6b9f
08-21-2006, 09:48 PM
kernel booting is not governed by any linux distribution, it is the responsibility of a boot manager. commonly, iso9660 filesystems on intel machines that follow the 'el torito" standard use "isolinux" for that purpose. isolinux defines a default boot directory. usually it is encoded in isolinux binary image, and may be verified if you dump the cd boot code in some iso-image editing software (like magiciso, ultraiso). on most systems it is "/boot/isolinux". from that directory "isolinux.cfg" configuration file is read that specifies boot kernel, options, and other such-like. it is a text file that may easily be modified and crafted to your own liking. and of course, bear in mind that cd's are read-only.

swp009
08-22-2006, 10:33 AM
...on most systems it is "/boot/isolinux". from that directory "isolinux.cfg" configuration file is read that specifies boot kernel, options, and other such-like. it is a text file that may easily be modified and crafted to your own liking. and of course, bear in mind that cd's are read-only.
thanx for your reply, mate. does this mean that all i need is to edit the second line of the abovementioned file?
(DEFAULT linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt.gz nomce quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix)

actually, that'd be something i expected. confirm, please.

cheers
marcel

ockham23
08-22-2006, 10:58 AM
Yes, but there are two limitations:
1. Don't edit isolinux.cfg with a windows editor, unless you know exactly how to preserve Unix text format.
2. You cannot simply write to the iso file. Instead you have to copy the files from the cd to a temporary folder, edit isolinux.cfg and create and new iso file with mkisofs. Take a look at the remastering article in the wiki. It explains how to modify the cd and how make a bootable iso file that contains your modifications. The only difference is that you don't even have to remaster because you can copy the KNOPPIX image file right from the cd without uncompressing it.

swp009
08-22-2006, 12:01 PM
Yes, but there are two limitations:
1. Don't edit isolinux.cfg with a windows editor, unless you know exactly how to preserve Unix text format.
2. You cannot simply write to the iso file. Instead you have to copy the files from the cd to a temporary folder, edit isolinux.cfg and create and new iso file with mkisofs. Take a look at the remastering article in the wiki. It explains how to modify the cd and how make a bootable iso file that contains your modifications. The only difference is that you don't even have to remaster because you can copy the KNOPPIX image file right from the cd without uncompressing it.
thanx for your reply.
ad 1)
indeed i'm a windows user who wants to switch. can you tell me how to "preserve Unix text format" on win system? maybe it is just a matter of a text editor.

ad 2)
good to know. I use UltraISO, which can update the files inside of iso file and preserve the bootability (and other properties).

feel free to comment

cheers
marcel