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

[Salvano]

I have a hack to get around the mount problems. I've tacked the following lines onto linuxrc (using ruymbeke's minirt.gz) just before the call to exit():

# SMartin - HACK below just forces unmount of ntfs drive
# we are booting from (if we are booting from one)
# and gets mtab back in sync if its messed up.
/sbin/umount.ntfs ${LOOP_SOURCE} > /dev/null 2>&1
cat /proc/mounts > /etc/mtab


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I now have behavior like I had before with 4.02 without the mount complications tying up my ISO boot partition.
Now, it would be nice to fully know what tripped up the latest distributions...

This works for my system too.

Thank you.

Holger

[mr-roboto]

Hi,
As far as I know, "minirt" is a short for mini root which is the initial root file system
loaded by the boot loader at the same time as the kernel and used during the boot process
to bring up a linux system alive. The initial boot script (linuxrc) is part of the minirt.
Hope this helps,
Gilles

cf Knoppix wiki: http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Knoppix_Custom_Kernel_Howto ( THE KNOPPIX BOOT PROCESS)

Gilles: Thanx for the info. Lurking on the discussion, I got the mistaken impression that MINIRT is something custom w/ some kind of extra (cool) capabilities for controlling the boot process....

[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/umont and prevent to write in the iso boot partition will be greatly apretiated.
Best Regards,
Gilles

[martx]

Hi there i am booting knoppix from my NTFS partition and simply loving it!

Thanks Gilles!

However i was wondering if i could do the same with damn small linux for older machines?

[axitvn]

Hello i am newbie, i want to ask something :
1/ I can not download from link : http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk511_36983.zip (only can down about 15% than stop) anyone can help me up it to somewhere else.
2/ Is that only need vmk511_36983.zip, Vmware player we can iso boot from ntfs ?
3/ And like Martx, i want to know can we use other linux not knoppix ?

Sorry if it is too noob, i don't know anything about linux :P

Thanks at first !

[ruymbeke]

1/ I can not download from link : http://s94002264.onlinehome.us/grub/vmk511_36983.zip (only can down about 15% than stop) anyone can help me up it to somewhere else.

I just checked again that the download is ok from various locations and
since nobody complained about it before, I would guess that the problem is on your side.

2/ Is that only need vmk511_36983.zip, Vmware player we can iso boot from ntfs ?

vmk511_36983.zip is a vmware virtual machine to run Knoppix 5.1.1 with installed tools.
The minirt_511a.gz (or minirt_511.gz) & grldr (grub bootloader) are the tools required
to boot form a iso cd/dvd image file stored on a ntfs (XP) partition.

3/ And like Martx, i want to know can we use other linux not knoppix ?

As far as I know what I propose here only works with Knoppix (and it's derivative). (Same kernel, modules,...)
And obviously what I have done can be done for other linux distro was well but with some work,
which can be significant...

Best Regards,
Gilles

[martx]

Hmm Damn Small Linux is a derivative of knoppix, although perhaps they are now on different kernels and stuff...

Thanks anyway!

[axitvn]

Thanks Gilles ! I have another question, how can you make vmx, vmdk files ? Is there a tool or your write it by yourself ? I want to try some other linux so if i can do it by myself, it is great.

[ruymbeke]

Thanks Gilles ! I have another question, how can you make vmx, vmdk files ? Is there a tool or your write it by yourself ? I want to try some other linux so if i can do it by myself, it is great.

I used vmware workstation which is the paid version of the player.
Among other features, it allow you to create/edit the vm settings,
run multiple vm on a host and have share folders between host and guest.
You may want to try the server version which is much closer to the workstation than the player.
Or give a try to: http://www.easyvmx.com/easyvmx.shtml
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Gilles

[axitvn]

Ah, Gilles, thank you very much. I have tried your link and i can run Xpresslinux with VM player now so that some others may run too.

One more time thank you !