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

[ruymbeke]

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="Micro soft 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]

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]

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]

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

Thanks for the marvelous speed of your work! I hope to have time to try your init soon.
I hope you will be able to fix the persistence so we can save the knoppix ramdisk image file to
a partition other than the one with the KNOPPIX directory (as it was in Knop4).

When you have time, could you please help us kernel newbies with a walkthrough tutorial?
I would like to learn your method so I can do my own custom kernel settings next time I make a custom boot disk.
(My first experiment would be to turn on ACL and XATTRs for the tmpfs ramdisk, then a 686 version).
(I have built many packages from source, but not a modern kernel.)

Thanks again
Charles

[ruymbeke]

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]

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 (104'026'49

[willbrown]

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]

... 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]

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]

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/i...ooting/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

[SOLVED]
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

[/SOLVED]