ISO boot from FAT/NTFS/USB (GRUB.exe, grldr from boot.ini)
Knoppix34.iso boot from a single NTFS partition
I have been able to boot knoppix 3.4 from the loop back file system image
file being on a logical fat32 partition using Grub 0.95 + the grub4dos patch. Grub was loaded from the boot.ini of the XP boot loader being on the primary and active NTFS partition. Yes grub can now be loaded from a NTFS partition and do not need to have it's stage1 in the master boot record of the disk !
I am trying now to boot knoppix entirely out of a single NTFS partition without CD, floppy nor any change in the disk mbr... I am looking for the minimum amount of changes to get a very easy and safe knoppix boot. Grub does a great job so far to load the kernel and the ramdisk from the NTFS partition but knoppix hangs when the linuxrc is looking for the loopback file system what ever it is included within the iso file or not. I have added the ntfs.o within the miniroot.gz and modified the linuxrc to have a chance to mount the ntfs. This is where I am right now and don't know how to move forward. Please advise. Thanks, Gilles
Re: Knoppix34.iso boot from a single NTFS partition
Quote:
Originally Posted by ruymbeke
I have been able to boot knoppix 3.4 from the loop back file system image
file being on a logical fat32 partition using Grub 0.95 + the grub4dos patch. Grub was loaded from the boot.ini of the XP boot loader being on the primary and active NTFS partition. Yes grub can now be loaded from a NTFS partition and do not need to have it's stage1 in the master boot record of the disk !
I am trying now to boot knoppix entirely out of a single NTFS partition without CD, floppy nor any change in the disk mbr... I am looking for the minimum amount of changes to get a very easy and safe knoppix boot. Grub does a great job so far to load the kernel and the ramdisk from the NTFS partition but knoppix hangs when the linuxrc is looking for the loopback file system what ever it is included within the iso file or not. I have added the ntfs.o within the miniroot.gz and modified the linuxrc to have a chance to mount the ntfs. This is where I am right now and don't know how to move forward. Please advise. Thanks, Gilles
Gilles,
Would you mind going into a little more detail on what you did? I'm thinking that maybe you can help me! I'm very interested, but a bit confused. If you or other posters get a chance, I posted a question of my own here http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...?p=53064#53064 , and I could sure use whatever help I can get on booting a "fromhd" poor man's using a USB thumbdrive. Booting from CD is wicked slick, but I sure would like to do the USB thing. OTOH, with what you're doing, sounds like I wouldn't even need it (of course, I'm still very reluctant to mess with Windows bootloader)
Eco2Geek, if you're still peeking in, please stop by and weigh in on this also (along with anyone else willing to help).
jd
Re: Knoppix34.iso boot from a single NTFS partition
Quote:
Originally Posted by j.drake
Phase 1: I would like to boot from a USB key, in my case, it's /dev/sda1/. There is a lot of info on the WIKI and this forum about doing that with previous versions, but I couldn't find anything relevant to version 3.4. I think bootfloppies are pointless.
As far as I know, the Knoppix CD can access USB keys and other 1394 peripherals after having mounted the loopback file (/knoppix/knoppix). Now what you are trying to do is different, you want the kernel (linux24) and the ramdisk (minirt24.gz) to be able to access the content of the USB dongle to mount the loopback file. This means that the kernel and the ramdisk should have the ressources to mount a USB device and the filesystem in it, and also the script (linuxrc) to to look for the loopback file. I am not sure if that is already the case, but if not it could probably be done. If I remember right the minirt24.gz ramdisk of the Knoppix 2.3 CD (which is a compressed ext2 filesystem) doesn't include any scsi driver, and I think that a USB dongle is seen as such a device. Now the question is: how can it be done and if someone have already done it, where can it be found ? This is quite similar to what I am trying to achieve right now... execpt that I am looking for a boot from a single NTFS partition already hosting XP and with a minimum of changes and risk for the user.
Quote:
Originally Posted by j.drake
Phase 2: I would like to integrate my cheatcodes into this boot image if possible. The idea being that if I want Windows running, I simply leave out the USB key and boot with the stock Windows XP bootloader. When I want Knoppix, I simply plug in the USB key, reboot, go get a beer, and when I come back from the kitchen, my knoppix 3.4/2.6 desktop is up and
waiting for me, printer file installed and apps in my PH available to me. IOW, I want to integrate the following cheatcode line"knoppix26 home=/dev/hdb5 myconfig=scan bootfrom=/dev/hdb5".
This could be done by using the proper boot loader (lilo or preferably grub) on your USB dongle and using the right boot parameters after the kernel command line, assuming that your BIOS can boot on a USB device. If not you can use grub.exe from the dos, or grldr (grub version which can be started from the NT/XP boot loader using a extra line in the boot.ini). Grldr can be located on either a fat16/32 or NTFS partition.
Quote:
Originally Posted by j.drake
Phase 3: When I can afford a 1 GB USB thumbdrive or larger (probably much larger), I want to integrate the Knoppix image, PH, configuration file and data into the thumbdrive as well, so that I can have access to my entire system, apps, preferences and data available to me from any x86 PC I can find with a USB port.
If the 1) can be done, then just add the loopback file system image in your dongle fat32 partition, add the right cheatcode and go drink your beer...
BTW: have you seen this: http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...t=5257&start=0
Hoping this will help a little bit... Cheers, Gilles
Boot from a USB key dongle
JD: in the same order, if you have an extra non-ntfs partition to store your loop back file system image (cd/knoppix/knoppix), you can use the autoexec.bat of a dos formatted and active partition on your dongle to run grub.exe and start knoppix. Cheers, Gilles
Knoppix 3.4 boot from a USB dongle
Please find below an other way to boot Knoppix 3.4 boot from a USB dongle:
1) Create a Fat (16) partition on your USB dongle and make if active so you your BIOS will boot from it. You can use fdisk.exe, partition magic, or qtparted from linux/knoppix ...
2) install a dos boot on it: fdisk/mbr to install the master boot record, and sys.com to transfert the system io.sys, msdos.sys and command.com.
3) create in the root of the USB dongle an empty config.sys and create an autoexec.bat with 1 line like grub.exe.
4) in the root of the USB dongle, copy the grub.exe and create a file /boot/grub/menu.lst with a content like this, x being your fat partition on your hard drive: (type "root (hd, " + tab at the grub prompt to have a list of the partitions, grub has autocompletion...)
title Knoppix 3.4 kernel 2.4
kernel (hd,x)/knoppix/linux24 ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix lang=us
initrd (hd,x)/knoppix/minirt24.gz
boot
5) copy the linux24, minirt24.gz and knoppix files from the CD into /knoppix of the fat partition of your hard drive
This should work as well as the other option proposed by eco2geek.
Grub will nevertheless boot from the net, in case your network card doesn't do PXE and will also boot from a floppy disk image which can be very useful if you don't have a floppy drive in your laptop...
Cheers, Gilles
PS: you can download temporarily grub.exe from this link: http://s94592085.onlinehome.us/grub/grub.exe
GRUB Multi Boot from a NTFS partition
Please find below ALL you will need to get a Grub Multi Boot from a NTFS (or FAT) partition:
You can download temporarily grub.zip from this link: http://s94592085.onlinehome.us/grub/grub3.zip
This is my temporary compilation of grub with network and dos/ntfs patches, thanks to all the contributors !
In this zip you will find 2 directories: grub.bin with includes some binaries useful for other people setup and
Root_Of_NTFS which you will need to copy the content ino the root of your NTFS partition.
But before doing it, it would be probably a goof idea to backup your boot.ini into boot.bk and then
add "c:\bootgrub="Start Grub" at the end of your boot.ini to have grub as a boot option.
I included my boot.ini in the zip as an example. If your fat32 is not in /dev/hda3 as in my setup,
you may also need to modify the file \BOOT\GRUB\MENU.LST to match your setup.
In your case, you probably will replace hda3 --> hda2 and (hd0,2) --> (hd0,1)
So to summarize, you don't need a USB dongle to make a XP/Knoppix dual boot, just follow these steps:
1) Backup the boot.ini of your NTFS partition.
2) Download my grub.zip file
3) Copy the content of Root_Of_NTFS of my zip file into the root of your NTFS partition, but the BOOT.INI file
4) Add "c:\bootgrub="Start Grub" at the end of your BOOT.INI in your NTFS partition
5) Update the \BOOT\GRUB\MENU.LST to match your hd configuration and upate your cheatcodes for knoppix
6) reboot and enjoy an easy life...
Good Luck and let me know the result.
Cheers, Gilles
PS1: I would also to take this opportunity to thanks ALL the GREAT people
having worked very hard on Grub and Knoppix to make this easy setup possible !
PS2: I am still looking for help to get an even nicer boot of knoppix from the ISO file being in a NTFS partition...
GRUB floppy disk from windows 2K/XP
Please find in this link what is required to make a GRUB floppy disk from windows 2K/XP: http://s94592085.onlinehome.us/grub/makeflo2.zip
Note for j.drake:
By replacing /dev/fd0 by the device used for your USB dongle the macro FLOMAKE.BAT should work as well to install a bootable Grub into your dongle. You may also loose the data on your USB dongle. But be careful, dd (disk dump) is a very dangerous and powerful command. You may need administrator rights to use it and you may erase the content of your hardrive very quick if not properly used ! Let me know the results ...
Gilles
Re: GRUB Multi Boot from a NTFS partition
Quote:
Originally Posted by "ruymbeke"PS2: [b
I am still looking for help to get an even nicer boot of knoppix from the ISO file being in a NTFS partition...[/b]
Hi ruymbeke, thanks for your great howto, are there progresses on booting the ISO from within a NTFS partition using your method? It would be extremely useful for Windows users to be able to boot the ISO from NTFS.
Re: GRUB Multi Boot from a NTFS partition
Quote:
Originally Posted by probono
Hi ruymbeke, thanks for your great howto, are there progresses on booting the ISO from within a NTFS partition using your method? It would be extremely useful for Windows users to be able to boot the ISO from NTFS.
Yes I got it working using the bootfrom= cheatcode.
I didn't try yet the new version of the japan flavor of knoppix with should also have ISO from NTFS capability: http://unit.aist.go.jp/it/knoppix/kn...20.zip.torrent
Q for Fabianx: ISO boot from NTFS: bootfrom fromhd meaning ?
Hi Fabianx,
First of all, thank you for your great work on Knoppix. Very well done !
I have a couple of question about the knoppix boot: ramdisk / scripts ...
And I would really appreciate if you would have some time to help me on this.
I really like knoppix and I believe that it would be even more popular if people working with a corporate computer running XP on a single NTFS partition could have a clean hardrive install. Basically I am talking about what you call the poor man install, and by clean I mean no change in the Mater Boot Record nor the partition table.
I already managed to boot GRUB from the boot.ini of the nt/xp boot loader. This boot.ini is a text file and everybody can understand that there is no risk to modify it and that it is very easy to remove this hook and the other "files" required by the knoppix boot (grub, kernel, ramdisk, and iso), to remove everything quickly in case of a corporate audit or IT issue...
I got grub with ntfs support in order to read the Knoppix kernel and ramdisk from the NTFS partition. I also got the Japanese flavor of knoppix 3.4 including the ntfs driver in the ramdisk and a modified linuxrc which allow me to boot Knoppix from the KNOPPIX loop back file out of the NTFS partition.
==> Well, it basically works, but I am trying now to
1) boot from the ISO file instead of the KNOPPIX file and
2) I would like to make it work on the 3.6 release.
==> So, could you please tell me:
1) How / when should I use or what is the meaning of the "bootfrom" and "fromhd" cheatcodes ?
2) The official 3.6 release si supposed to have NTFS support according to the knoppix-cheatcodes.txt file. What should I do to get my knoppix boot to work out a single ntfs partition as described above ?
Thank you for your time and answer,
ruymbeke
Re: GRUB Multi Boot from a NTFS partition
Hi,
Quote:
Originally Posted by ruymbeke
In this zip you will find 2 directories: grub.bin with includes some binaries useful for other people setup and
Root_Of_NTFS which you will need to copy the content ino the root of your NTFS partition.
since I am a total Linux newbie I dismissed your post at first and tried my hand at the topologilinux grub version [which also works]. Since I didn't fancy having to fix after every defrag or copy, I googled and thought a bit further and tried your solution.
Reason for my post: the above sentence threw me of track, since my goal was to have grub on a FAT16 active partition, and then loading Knoppix from my OS-NTFS-partition. Your solution works for this case as well: perhaps evident for any old linux hand, but not for everybody just leaning a bit out of windows <g>. It also works loading Knoppix from the same partition and from a FAT32 (just tested it for the fun of it).
Now I just have to figure out which cheatcodes [what is bootfrom ??] to put where in the grub menu file and perhaps play a bit with DOS-floppy images for old times sake before jumping deeper into pinguin infested seas :D
thx a lot
thomas
Re: GRUB Multi Boot from a NTFS partition
Quote:
Originally Posted by knauserix
thx a lot, thomas
Glad to see it is helpful to someone...
Actually you are ritht, this way to boot knoppix (or other linux flavor) can be used not only to boot from an ntfs partition, but also from fat16, fat32, ext2/3, BSD fs, network, cd, ...
Grub can be started from:
- the disk or partition boot sector (stage1,1.5,2)
- from the NT/XP BOOT.INI (grldr)
- from DOS (grub.exe without emm386)
- from the NETwork (pxegrub, nbgrub) via pxe, dhcp/bootp and tftp
- from a boot CD (stage2_eltorito)
Gilles
PS: Fabianx, could you please give me some feedback ?