SuSE 9.1 with grub: BOOT from CD fails.

I have just upgraded - yes, it has been awhile- from SuSe 8.0 Pro to 9.1 Pro. 9.1 installs grub and as a dual boot, windoze 2K and SuSE 9.1 works fine.

Nothing I do seems to allow a boot from Knoppix iso cd. I changed the boot list so CD is first, etc., etc..

I have come to the conclusion that I must add the Knoppix cd boot to the grub list, so that it can be selected just like Windoze and SuSE. I want to
run Knoppix for a variety of reasons - BUT do NOT want a HD installl.

I just don't have time right now to become a grub expert. However, I have performed a fairly careful search of the Internet without any usable results.

Can anyone share the additional grub code to do this?

Thanks!

Musen :?

Do you mean your machine does not boot from CD even after you've made sure its's the first device in the BIOS boot list? I don't know whether grub allows one to boot from cdrom, but the "smart boot manager" diskette sure does, even for systems with a broken BIOS. Google for it, it's a smallish download.

Mr. Baldyeti,

Exactly, the boot list is CD, Floppy ...! The CD makes noises as if it wants to boot but GRUB kicks in - I have set the GRUB boot delay to 60 sec. but it still takes over after 10~15 seconds.

I want to keep grub so I'm really looking for a way for Knoppix to coexist with it - untill Novell/SuSe figures out what they are going to do. I want to use Knoppix for the usual rescue functions and to use on client sites so I can keep my work off their machines - so I need to use it on my own machine once in a while to keep my fingertip memory intact 8). Also, at this point Knoppix autoprobe is superior so I need Knoppix occasionally for Kfax, etc.

Thanks for your response,

musen

Have you tried this CD on another machine, just to confirm it's not a case of bad burn or something...

Dr. Baldyeti:

We think alike - I also tried several versions of Knoppix - I have the Japanese 3.3 version - I obtain the same results - no booting - with known good CDs. If SuSE were still independant I would try them. But, under Novell - well, ....

Thank you for sharing your thoughts,

Musen

Are you certain you have a bootable cd? Does it boot on another box?

Yes sir,

Not only does it boot on another box, it and its' brothers booted on this box UNTIL SuSE 9.1 installed grub. I have lots of Knoppix experience - made 3.2 HD resident on an old box with a floppy disk boot. But I am stumped now, I believe that grub could boot knoppix - just don't know the code ..

something like:

Knoppix:
line to address CD
chainloader +1
boot

Anway, yet another challenge.

Thanks for your help,

musen

Dunno why your computer won't boot off the Knoppix CD once you've set the BIOS to boot from CD...

Anyway, AFAIK GRUB loaded from the hard drive (or a floppy) won't allow you to boot off a CD. (I've tried to find a way to do it and can't.)

But you can do a "poor man's install" and use the "fromhd=" parameter from within GRUB, to boot the Knoppix image, if you've got ~700MB free on your SuSE partition to copy the Knoppix compressed image to.

Señor ECO2Geek:

It looks like we should pass this on to the Grub staff at GNU? I want to
keep my MBs free in the Linux partion and don't have any to spare on the W2K side.

Do you have any failed grub code that referenced the CD that you can pass on to me? OR will you make a report/request to the GNU staff? I am happy to make the report but, would like to show them, at least, something that was tried but didn't work. If we can think about grub booting from a cd SOMEONE can make it happen? no??

I have worked on Sequent boxes made in Beaverton - you perhaps know them.

Tnx to my neighbor who lives in the state just north of mine,

Musen