ISO boot from FAT/NTFS/USB (GRUB.exe, grldr from boot.ini)

**musclemania20079** · 09-10-2007, 10:18 AM

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?

**ruymbeke** · 09-17-2007, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by musclemania20079

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/viewtop...=110555#110555

Originally Posted by ruymbeke

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/viewtop...=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

Code:

[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

Code:

	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

Code:

k37.iso
linux24
linux26
memtest
minirt24_ntfs.gz
minirt26_ntfs.gz

- C:\BOOT\Knoppix.511 directory contains the following files

Code:

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:

Code:

/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

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:

Code:

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)

**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:

Code:

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
	boot

to 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:

Code:

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.gz

However, when I boot from the key and select the Knoppix entry, it says it's booting from /knoppix.511/linux, but then says

Code:

Could not find kernel image /knoppix.511/minirt_511a.gz

I 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/viewtop...?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