Boot to multiple iso -- how?

**stars** · 05-20-2005, 02:00 AM

Hi, I have been using the bootfrom options for awhile now and its very fast.
I have multiple iso livecd on my HD. Just wonder if this is possible to have a boot menu (small disc) configured just to load the individual iso files?
I am not very knowledgable about the linux boot process ... I have tried this. But becasue the iso are of different kernel/distributions, it does complains a lot!
I am wondering, could I burn a kernel/distribution independent bootloader disc? Just like a bootloader in MBR? I store all my iso files in /dev/hda1/iso/*.iso

Thanks!

**ruymbeke** · 05-20-2005, 03:52 AM

Originally Posted by stars

Hi, I have been using the bootfrom options for awhile now and its very fast.
I have multiple iso livecd on my HD. Just wonder if this is possible to have a boot menu (small disc) configured just to load the individual iso files?
I am not very knowledgable about the linux boot process ... I have tried this. But becasue the iso are of different kernel/distributions, it does complains a lot!
I am wondering, could I burn a kernel/distribution independent bootloader disc? Just like a bootloader in MBR? I store all my iso files in /dev/hda1/iso/*.isoThanks!

Look at http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Win_Partition
I boot several knoppix and kanotix versions from the iso files on my ntfs xp partition. And obviously you can do the same with other partition types like fat16/32 ext2/3, usb disk/dongle, ... The key thing is to use the grub boot loader (grldr, grub.exe, grub4lin,...) and the modified initrd_ntfs (eventhough you won't boot from ntfs). The initrd linuxrc has been modified to boot from an iso file, included in a ntfs partition or not. Hope this help.
Cheers, Gilles

**stars** · 05-20-2005, 07:06 AM

Thanks. I am able to boot from the iso files in NTFS too. the problem is, if I boot from, say a Knoppix CD, I can specify a knoppix.iso file ( and should be of the same kernel version). But if I wish to boot from, say kanotix, I have to swicth CD.

I hope to have a CD where I can use as a generic boot loader, where I can select any iso files. That way, I wont have to burn CDs any more

I just have to download the iso distrubutions to my HD and boot the from the "boot loader" CD.

Is this possible or do I make any sense?

Cheers!

**ruymbeke** · 05-20-2005, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by stars

Thanks. I am able to boot from the iso files in NTFS too. the problem is, if I boot from, say a Knoppix CD, I can specify a knoppix.iso file ( and should be of the same kernel version). But if I wish to boot from, say kanotix, I have to swicth CD.
I hope to have a CD where I can use as a generic boot loader, where I can select any iso files. That way, I wont have to burn CDs any more

I just have to download the iso distrubutions to my HD and boot the from the "boot loader" CD.
Is this possible or do I make any sense?

Cheers!

First Grub4lin (special version of grub which can be used as a cd boot loader) will do the job for you: use the cd media to load grub, and from grub you can load what ever kernel and initrd you want and from all kind of media (hd, usb, ...) including the boot cd.
But this is a very complicated way to do it. Grub.exe from a floppy disk or a USB dongle could do it as well. If you already have grub working from your nt boot loader (using grldr), why would you like to use a cd boot loader ? to hyde the knoppix boot hook ? Best Regards, Gilles

**stars** · 05-20-2005, 08:33 AM

Ah ... good question.

Ok ... here is the scenario. I have loads of iso distributions that I would like to have with me. But I dont want to carry/burn CDs all the time when there is a new release. Also note that each distribution may have slightly diff cheatcodes.

For instance, whoppix, kanotix, knoppix ... etc etc

so What I do is I carry with me a USB HD. (so its not easy to boot from USB either ... not nowing which is selected as SDA/SDB and not all bios supports that)
Floppy is not always available on notebooks! hehehe
CD on the other hand is very common ....

So what I did currently is I strip down the distribution to fit a credit card sized cdrw and bring it along with the USB HD (customizing to boot from iso). Problem is I have to have a cd for each distribution, other wise it complaims some modules are from diff kernel .... etc.

if I can have one custom CD ... that would be great!

Thanks!

**ruymbeke** · 05-20-2005, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by stars

Ah ... good question.

Ok ... here is the scenario. I have loads of iso distributions that I would like to have with me. But I dont want to carry/burn CDs all the time when there is a new release. Also note that each distribution may have slightly diff cheatcodes.
For instance, whoppix, kanotix, knoppix ... etc etc
so What I do is I carry with me a USB HD. (so its not easy to boot from USB either ... not nowing which is selected as SDA/SDB and not all bios supports that) Floppy is not always available on notebooks! hehehe CD on the other hand is very common ....
So what I did currently is I strip down the distribution to fit a credit card sized cdrw and bring it along with the USB HD (customizing to boot from iso). Problem is I have to have a cd for each distribution, other wise it complaims some modules are from diff kernel .... etc.
if I can have one custom CD ... that would be great!

Thanks!

I think that the new beta version of grldr will do the job for you. It is a special version of grub which can be also used as a cd boot loader.
cf link: http://s119307663.onlinehome.us/grldr and you could use something like this to generate the iso cd image:
mkisofs -R -J -N -l -v -no-iso-translate -relaxed-filenames -graft-points -no-emul-boot -b grldr -boot-load-seg 0x1000 ...
Hope this help. Cheers, Gilles

**stars** · 05-24-2005, 06:00 PM

the current possible solution I think is to extract the kernel/minirt.gz equiv from each dist and compile it into one boot CD. A bit messy.

The other method is much slower and very resource hungry ... but maybe workable is qemu.

**ruymbeke** · 05-24-2005, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by stars

the current possible solution I think is to extract the kernel/minirt.gz equiv from each dist and compile it into one boot CD. A bit messy.
The other method is much slower and very resource hungry ... but maybe workable is qemu.

And you probably need to update the minirt.gz to allow to boot from the iso file and from a ntfs partition...
BTW, Qemu runs way faster on a Linux machine if you use the accelerator version. Only a 2 times slower factor.
But Qemu has a lot of restriction regarding the hardware emulation: no parallel port (required by some software dongles) and you will probably not have direct access to the various wireless hardwares and load the special drivers required to recover a lost encryption key, just as an example ...
Cheers, Gilles

**stars** · 05-25-2005, 05:22 AM

I saw another product ... XEN. But that requires porting!
No wireless support by qemu?

Hmm ... I have compile kqemu. Will try it out. I usually use Kanotix as the base as its support for wireless adapter is better.

Will see how it goes

Thanks!

**bfree** · 05-27-2005, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by stars

I usually use Kanotix as the base as its support for wireless adapter is better.

Lazy method (if you can follow what I'm about to say):

Take a kanotix iso and copy the contents of the iso without the large KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX file to a folder.
Now in the boot folder (actually doesn't matter where) make a folder for each other distro you want.
Copy the kernel and initrd for each distro to the folders you just made for them.
Edit the grub menus or make a new one with the best guess lines for each distro (you can modify each distros lines as you wish).
Build a new (small) bootable iso out of this.

Of course you could equally start with damnsmalllinux (or any other small enough image) and leave it intact to boot from cd, just adding the extra stuff to it's boot loader.

As ruymbeke has mentioned you will need a modified initrd for Knoppix to boot like this, as bootfrom requires the KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX file, for Kanotix you can use just add the fromiso cheatcode .If the kanotix image is on your usb hd as KNOPPIX/KNOPPIX.ISO ... otherwise you can do fromiso=path/to/KAN*.iso making sure only one iso will match if you use wildcards, which you should to keep the command line shorter. If you use fromiso=path/to/KAN*iso then it will search your drives for this, so if your usb hd end up as /dev/sda or /dev/sdb it will find it at /dev/sd?/path/to/KAN*.iso.

For other distributions your mileage may vary though I think Morphix may also have a similar fromiso cheatcode now. I have been able to port the same technique to damnsmalllinux to boot it fromiso and I'm sure the technique should be generally applicable so an initrd could be made for any similar type of livecd.