bootfrom cheatcode doesn't work so use tohd and fromhd cheatcodes instead

[don999]

Hi all,

My favorite cheatcode "bootfrom" which worked so well in knoppix 5 series just doesn't work in knoppix 6 versions. I struggled mightily figuring that out. If you can make the "bootfrom" cheatcode work with knoppix 6, I'd sure like to hear how you did it.

However, an alternative method which works just as well is to use the "tohd" and "fromhd" cheatcodes. You just boot up the knoppix cd and type

"knoppix tohd=/dev/sda1"

if you want to copy the knoppix disc to /dev/sda1 and knoppix will copy itself to that partition and use that instead of going to the cd-rom disc. Note that knoppix will create a "Knoppix" directory on that partition.

Once you've done the tohd, the next time you boot you can use "fromhd" and you won't have to redo the copy.

"knoppix fromhd=/dev/sda1"

I've actually come to like this way, as I don't have to mess around creating an *.iso disc image for the "bootfrom" parameter.

[Forester]

My favorite cheatcode "bootfrom" which worked so well in knoppix 5 series just doesn't work in knoppix 6 versions. ... If you can make the "bootfrom" cheatcode work with knoppix 6, I'd sure like to hear how you did it.

Oh. Works for me:

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ cat /proc/cmdline 
ramdisk_size=100000 lang=en vt.default_utf8=0 apm=power-off video=vga16fb:off 
initrd=minirt.gz nomce loglevel=1 tz=localtime fromhd=/dev/sdc1 BOOT_IMAGE=linux

That's with Knoppix 6.4.3 (EN) DVD. I know it works 'cos the boot partition (/dev/sda1) doesn't have an iso image on it.

[Forester]

Looks like bootfrom= went the same way as home= (not supported, no reference at all in /init anymore).

There has been an admission that the cheat code documentation was not updated correctly for 6.0.

It looks to me like

bootfrom=/dev/sdx1/somewhere/some.iso

could be done with:

fromhd=/dev/sdx1 knoppix_dir=somewhere knoppix_name=some.iso

but it hardly seems worthwhile.

[ICPUG]

bootfrom did not do the same thing as tohd, fromhd

bootfrom was used to boot from an iso file.

You cannot point to an iso file with knoppix_name and then use fromhd. You point to the KNOPPIX file.

The original poster must have started from an already burnt cd with knoppix files on it, rather than an iso file. How else to explain his preference to fromhd because he does not have to create an iso?

The whole point of bootfrom was to allow users to download an iso and boot from it, perhaps because they did not have CD burning capabilities to create a Knoppix CD. While I do not use this method a lot of people seem to ask for it.

If 'bootfrom' HAS gone the way of 'home' Klaus has been very lax in keeping the documentation correct. He has updated the date on the cheatcode file which gives the impression that it is current - but you cannot rely on the contents now.

[utu]

@ ICPUG

May fromhd apply from a usb device as well as an hdd?
I might like to use fromhd=/dev/sdb1 where sdb1 is an SD Card (LiveUSB).

Thanks.

[ICPUG]

Utu,

You got an affirmative answer to this query on another thread - where I have answered your other question!

Although I have not done it across devices I see no problem with using fromhd this way as long as the device is recognisable at boot time, when it is looking for sdb. I have used fromhd to specify different partitions without problem.