[fevoldj2]

I'll ask in the freenode ubuntu and kubuntu channels.

[jetman]

kof94, on Nov 18 2006, 04:21 PM, said:

Thanks for your reply.

Do you have any ideas of how to get all the source files from ubuntu in one folder (instead of disc root) and successfully boot it (for live and install)?

You'd have to look at/find the cheatcodes for Ubuntu or their instructions for remastering. Essentially, I burned their CD, checked out the system for an hour, then put it away. I know it has to do w/ the "preseed/file" clause in isolinux/isolinux.cfg, but that's as far as I got. Having taken another look @ it, I can't wait til my new DVD burner arrives, as I'd like to update my disc to replace Mepis w/ Kubuntu ! I definitely didn't give it enuf attention when I was doing my distro eval during the summer....

If you make any progress w/ this PLEASE post your results. I won't be able to get back to this bef Wed the 22nd Nov. Good luck....

[fevoldj2]

I was able to use the alternate install disk and get into an installer, but it fails at some point. I can't remember the error exactly, but it has to do with the incorrect CD being in the drive. Either it doesn't like the md5sum or it can't find the files.

[kof94]

I've been trying to script the isolinux commands in CDShell to boot Knoppix and (eventually) ubuntu.

This should get around the tight restrictions on isolinux folders and allow multiple Linux distros controlled by CDShell.

As of yet though I haven't managed to get anything to boot.

So, does anyone have any good experience with the isolinux module in CDShell that could help me solve this problem?

-kof94

[deadbug]

kof94, on Nov 23 2006, 06:42 PM, said:

I've been trying to script the isolinux commands in CDShell to boot Knoppix and (eventually) ubuntu.

This should get around the tight restrictions on isolinux folders and allow multiple Linux distros controlled by CDShell.

As of yet though I haven't managed to get anything to boot.

So, does anyone have any good experience with the isolinux module in CDShell that could help me solve this problem?

-kof94

I've been trying to do the same thing (multiple Linux/Unix distros on one DVD) with no real success so far. I've managed to get SLAX in there, but that only needs a tiny amount of mangling so that it all lives under \SLAX on the DVD.

I can take a Debian ISO (business-card or net-install) and invoke that via CDshell's diskemu and it boots and runs quite happily but attempts to verify the integrity of the CD and obviously verifies the wrong thing (since it's not happy). There seems to be no easy way around this (but that's probably just because I don't know how the installer works).

I've also started to look at one of the install-Debian-from-USB pages as that seems to perform some jiggery-pokery that then loads up an ISO (from the USB) and installs. Sounds like exactly what I need, but I've not had time to play with it much yet.

Antonio

[kof94]

I have Knoppix already on my disc, booting via BCDW on the boot sector. Obviously this just calls isolinux inside the boot folder.

I want to rename/move the isolinux folder and then call any commands from CDShell through it.

This way your still using the original boot info but you get around the restrictions of calling isolinux.bin (I tried to hex edit it without much luck), which in turn allows multiple distro's on one disc (an isolinux folder for each distro in any location under any name).

That's the plan anyway. I might have this all wrong as well but I'm determined to get Knoppix and ubuntu on one disc booting through CDShell.

The next task is to get ubuntu (or any other distro) in one folder instead of the root of the disc. There has to be a simple way to do this as well, without rebuilding the whole OS .

No wonder people use Windows over Linux when you have to p*** about like this!!!

This post has been edited by kof94: 24 November 2006 - 03:13 PM

[jetman]

kof94, on Nov 24 2006, 04:03 PM, said:

I have Knoppix already on my disc, booting via BCDW on the boot sector. Obviously this just calls isolinux inside the boot folder.

I want to rename/move the isolinux folder and then call any commands from CDShell through it.

This way your still using the original boot info but you get around the restrictions of calling isolinux.bin (I tried to hex edit it without much luck), which in turn allows multiple distro's on one disc (an isolinux folder for each distro in any location under any name).

That's the plan anyway. I might have this all wrong as well but I'm determined to get Knoppix and ubuntu on one disc booting through CDShell.

The next task is to get ubuntu (or any other distro) in one folder instead of the root of the disc. There has to be a simple way to do this as well, without rebuilding the whole OS .

No wonder people use Windows over Linux when you have to p*** about like this!!!

Your issue is with the tools you want to use to get the job done. The CDSHELL menus I've seen aren't especially impressive or unique, so what's the diff ? Maybe yours is really unique, but KUBUNTU's boot menu is as good as (if not better than) any CDSHELL menu I've seen. KUBUNTU uses ISOLINUX which does virtually everything CDSHELL does, exc when it comes to launching certain boot loaders. Similar to the KUBUNTU boot splash, I have a dithered photo as my ISOLINUX boot splash and an integrated text menu, for selecting menu items. ISOLINUX' config file syntax is very easy-to-understand. So, the bottom line is what's the diff bet CDSHELL or ISOLINUX ? Both work well for the menu task.

Finally, about putting KNOPPIX, KUBUNTU, whatever in their own sub-dirs on your CD: the answers are already in your hands. You're annnoyed not w/ the fact that this can't be done, but rather that you haven't been able to find a ready-made answer on a particular web page. It's not that the ans isn't out there, you can't find it. But, you've forgotten that these live CD are fully scripted (unlike Windows), so that you can (w/ some work on your own) uncover the variables that need to be changed, that will permit the core directories on a given live CD to be relocated. I'm sure it's only a matter of a couple of shell variables that need to be changed. Is it worth the effort ? I can't speak for you, but while I'd like to know (if you ever find out), but other than a few more GOOGLE queries, I'm prepared to let distro sub-dir relocation go by the wayside. Simply isn't worth much more effort on my part.

BTW, here's an article about a multi-distro live CD I found. Enjoy....

[kof94]

Quote

You're annnoyed not w/ the fact that this can't be done, but rather that you haven't been able to find a ready-made answer on a particular web page.

Got it in one!

Seriously though, I'm not bothered about the work involved I just want more information. For me my boot disc is a continuing personal project!

I'm loathed to leave CDShell behind because it's so easy to use and because I enjoy using it!

However, if you could provide me with some more info about using isolinux may be I'll stop being a grumbling old git and embrace change .

Do you know of a syntax guide to isolinux?

How do you go about booting windows/PE and floppy images?

How would you go about adding CDShell to isolinux? (e.g. UBCD)

As you can see I have a lot of questions that need answers before I convert.

Help...

[jetman]

kof94, on Nov 25 2006, 06:39 AM, said:

Quote

You're annnoyed not w/ the fact that this can't be done, but rather that you haven't been able to find a ready-made answer on a particular web page.

Got it in one!

Seriously though, I'm not bothered about the work involved I just want more information. For me my boot disc is a continuing personal project!

I'm loathed to leave CDShell behind because it's so easy to use and because I enjoy using it!

However, if you could provide me with some more info about using isolinux may be I'll stop being a grumbling old git and embrace change .

Do you know of a syntax guide to isolinux?

How do you go about booting windows/PE and floppy images?

How would you go about adding CDShell to isolinux? (e.g. UBCD)

As you can see I have a lot of questions that need answers before I convert.

Help...

You're not a grumbling old git. Quik confession: I have my own "obsession" w/ GRUB. I decided I wanted a better boot splash than ISOLINUX and GRUB will deliver that, *underneath* a nice menu. Last month, I spent over twenty hours, trying at least forty diff ISOs, but no joy. It hasn't beaten me, but I gave it a break so I could do some paying work. I will get it !

I haven't figured out booting CDSHELL, however I would like to add either UBCD or Hiren's Boot CD to my SuperDVD. My guess was to use its bootsector. This looks like a job for GOOGLE, altho I'd start by GOOGLEing MSFN.

Feed

Quote

+ISOLINUX +"home page"

to GOOGLE and something serendipitous may happen.... One of the links is the home page of ISOLINUX. Inside the SYSLINUX-311.ZIP (where all three boot loaders live), is a file called SYSLINUX.DOC, w/ the specs on the ISOLINUX/SYSLINUX/PXELINUX.CFG menu format.

Finally, here's something live that boots BartPE, multiple Linux distros, *and* a couple of odd floppy images:

Quote

#### Boot the WinPE/BartPE system by default....
DEFAULT /BOOTSECT.BIN

PROMPT 1
DISPLAY boot.msg
F1 boot.msg
F2 f2
F3 f3
TIMEOUT 300

LABEL slax
KERNEL /boot/slax/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=769 max_loop=255 initrd=/boot/slax/initrd.gz from=/slax init=linuxrc load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 ramdisk_size=4444 root=/dev/ram0 rw nopcmcia
LABEL slaxltop
KERNEL /boot/slax/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=769 max_loop=255 initrd=/boot/slax/initrd.gz from=/slax init=linuxrc load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 ramdisk_size=4444 root=/dev/ram0 rw
LABEL server
KERNEL /boot/server/vmlinuz
APPEND vga=769 max_loop=255 initrd=/boot/server/initrd.gz from=/server init=linuxrc load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 ramdisk_size=4444 root=/dev/ram0 rw nopcmcia
####
LABEL bartpe
KERNEL /BOOTSECT.BIN
APPEND -
####
LABEL chntpw
KERNEL memdisk
APPEND initrd=/FLPYS/chntpw.bin
####
LABEL ksink
KERNEL memdisk
APPEND initrd=/FLPYS/KTCHNSINK.ima
####
LABEL pmagic
KERNEL memdisk
APPEND initrd=/FLPYS/PQPM8.IMA
####
LABEL mepis
KERNEL /boot/mepis/vmlinuz init=/etc/init apm=power-off vga=791 quiet
APPEND initrd=/boot/mepis/initrd.gz
####
LABEL mepisvesa
KERNEL /boot/mepis/vmlinuz init=/etc/init apm=power-off vga=normal quiet xdrvr=vesa
APPEND initrd=/boot/mepis/initrd.gz
####
LABEL knoppix
KERNEL /boot/knoppix/linux
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=/boot/knoppix/minirt.gz nomce quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix

The broken APPEND stmts shown above are supposed to be one single line when reconstituted.

Here are a couple of undoc'd things about ISOLINUX:

1) To use the ISOLINUX.BIN boot loader, you *must* use an ISO program like MKISOFS, which has -boot-info-table capability. No NERO or EZ CD Creator to create the bootable ISO image. You can burn the ISO image w/ anything, but the ISO must be created w/ a -boot-info-table. For MKISOFS, just use that cmd-line opt and you're done.

2) ISOLINUX.CFG (the boot loader's menu spec) can be in the root, in /isolinux, or in /boot/isolinux. Consistent w/ your need for "order", I put the all of the ISOLINUX files (help files, memdisk, boot splashes) into /boot/isolinux, the kernel/ramdisk images for ea distro in a sub-dir under /boot (/boot/slax, /boot/knoppix, /boot/mepis, etc), and the floppy images in /FLPYS.

3) An ISOLINUX boot splash is pretty straight-fwd (now that I know how !) Get GIMPSHOP for Windows (freebie) to convert JPEGs/BMPs into PPMs. There's a webpage out there [CHALLENGE !] that explains the precise proc for using the PPM2LSS script (under Linux) that comes in the SYSLINUX kit. That is, once you have some PPMs that you want to finalize, boot your fav Linux live CD to convert them using PPM2LSS. I made my boot splashes 640x420, allowing up to three lines of text for the menu and a sgl line for the 'boot:' prompt from ISOLINUX.

I've already done virtually everything you're trying to do. Relocating core files for certain distros is where I drew the line, mainly bec this effort isn't commercial. If it were, I'd have done that too.

Chew on this for a while. Good luck....

[kof94]

I'm gonna finalise my current uber disc tonight using CDShell (everythings done bar afew tweaks) then I'm gonna start on this.

Thanks.

[jetman]

kof94, on Nov 25 2006, 12:19 PM, said:

I'm gonna finalise my current uber disc tonight using CDShell (everythings done bar afew tweaks) then I'm gonna start on this.

Thanks.

I have a question: you've seen the Knoppix boot splash. Does CDSHELL do anything like that ? I got so confused at first, I never really gave it a full shake down. I got confusing info from diff web pages about the syntax for BCDW 1.50 vs 2.0, where the .INI files were placed, and the CDSHELL website started out by explaining the syntax of scripting lang, instead of a simple starter menu template, that I gave up on it and switched to ISOLINUX. Never looked back after that....Jet

[kof94]

CDShell has a BCDW module for it.

The boot syntax for it is:

bcdw boot /<your path>/<your file>.

The module doesn't come with CDShell but you can get it from the website.

Yes, you can have images in CDShell just look here for an example.

Personally I like the retro feel of a scripted menu.

If you want help with CDShell I'll be happy to post my setup. You could also check out Flyakites guide, although you've probably done that already.

I've theoretically worked out how to boot CDShell with isolinux but I need some more experience first.

Now some questions about isolinux.

Can you use diskemu to boot floppy images with isolinux? Memdisk can cause problems some times.

How do you debug your menu, do you need to create a .iso each time you want to test it?

How do I go about getting a basic isolinux folder together, what files do I need?

I think thats it... for now .

-kof94

This post has been edited by kof94: 25 November 2006 - 02:20 PM

[jetman]

kof94, on Nov 25 2006, 02:20 PM, said:

CDShell has a BCDW module for it.

I've theoretically worked out how to boot CDShell with isolinux but I need some more experience first.

Now some questions about isolinux.

Can you use diskemu to boot floppy images with isolinux? Memdisk can cause problems some times.

How do you debug your menu, do you need to create a .iso each time you want to test it?

How do I go about getting a basic isolinux folder together, what files do I need?

I think thats it... for now .

-kof94

Had I seen those CDSHELL samples I mite have made a different choice.

About DISKEMU, I have no cloo. But I'd imagine it would work, as long as it's a simple binary, that is, not an .EXE. Remember ISOLINUX isn't an OS, but then CDSHELL/BCDW aren't either. What's wrong w/ MEMDISK ?

About testing an ISOLINUX menu, yes you'll have to make an ISO and boot it under VMWARE or VPC to test it.

A basic ISOLINUX boot setup, again you have one in your hands. KNOPPIX is what I used for my core files, even though I d/l'd the basic SYSLINUX kit (mainly for the docs.) They illustrate how a boot splash is setup (a text file which includes some funky control codes to clear the screen then the name of the splash file.) For a simple text menu, you have pad each line in the the text file w/ spaces out to the full screen size, but otherwise it's a no-brainer.

Later....

[fevoldj2]

If this works well with just isolinux, why doesn't it work with the isolinux in cdshell?

[kof94]

@fevoldj2

Basically, you just need to script it calling the isolinux module.

The problem is I can't get it to work and no-one else has offered a solution.

If isolinux can be as versatile as CDShell then I'm willing to give it ago.

@jetman

It might just be CDShell but some images don't like memdisk. Obviously you then have the choice of using diskemu or bcdw instead. I use diskemu mainly.

I know I said I like a retro menu in CDShell but looking at the ubuntu isolinux menu I feel an image is definitely in order for my menu .

[fevoldj2]

You can call the isolinux module. You just use: isolinux <isolinux commands>

[kof94]

Have you got it working ?

If so could you post your commands for Knoppix and ubuntu please.

Edit:

How are you doing with the remastering, is there any simple way of doing it?

This post has been edited by kof94: 26 November 2006 - 09:09 AM

[fevoldj2]

No, I haven't got it working

[kof94]

I finally managed to get Knoppix 5.0.1 and ubuntu 6.10 to boot through CDShell using the default boot options.

For Knoppix put the isolinux folder inside the KNOPPIX folder on your disc the use this command to boot it:

if $lastKey == key[f4]; then isolinux /KNOPPIX/isolinux/linux ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=/KNOPPIX/isolinux/minirt.gz nomce quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix

And use this command for ubuntu (no isolinux folder required and source files at root of disc):

if $lastKey == key[f8]; then isolinux /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw quiet splash --

Obviously change the keys to fit your menu.

The only draw back with this approach is you would need to script each isolinux command in CDShell if you wanted the extra boot options.

I found an interesting thread here that could be adapted to provide the full isolinux boot menu for each distro. However, I do not yet poses enough knowledge about mkisofs to decipher exactly what is being done here... jetman?

On the topic of relocating source files.

I've also read somewhere that you can append source file locations to the isolinux command. Although I havn't tried this yet, I worry this could cause problems during installation (ubuntu) even if it manages boot live. I'll try to find the topic again to give to guys an example.

-kof94

This post has been edited by kof94: 28 November 2006 - 04:22 AM

[gugutz]

so kof94, using this: "if $lastKey == key[f8]; then isolinux /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=1048576 root=/dev/ram rw quiet splash --"

in my cdshell.ini it would boot the setup for ubuntu?

if yes, where must i put the ubuntu folder? AOIDVD\Ubuntu ?