trying to setup grub2 for Porteus Mate

[gotPortee]

Hi All,
I've installed Porteus 3.0 Mate on a second partition in a HD.
The other OS is Ubuntu Mate.

The OS probe used in grub2 doesn't recognize Porteus so I have to setup the menu entry manually.

I've created a menu entry in the 40_custom file for Porteus but it doesn't work correctly.
I acquired the text for this menu from another use online - for his version of Porteus.
So I was crossing my fingers that what I entered would accurately work.

But its almost there.
Porteus does appear in the Grub boot menu - but when I select it - it doesn't actually startup Porteus.

So would anyone be able to help me find the correct menu parameters?

Sincere thanks

[Ed_P]

Show us what you got gotPortee. I normally boot ISOs but maybe I can help.

[gotPortee]

Thanks!
Here is what it is:
I wonder if the problem is in the set root parameter?

menuentry "porteus" {
set root=(hd0,5)
linux /32bit_v30/boot/syslinux/vmlinuz from=/dev/sda6/32bit_v30 changes=EXIT:/32bit_v30/mate login=root
initrd /32bit_v30/boot/syslinux/initrd.xz
}

[Ed_P]

Well, if you have only one /32bit_v30/boot/syslinux/vmlinuz file on your system you could replace your set root with:

search -f /32bit_v30/boot/syslinux/vmlinuz --set=root

[gotPortee]

Thank you Ed,
But what I have is three partitons.
A small one in which I intended to put the MBR
The second one has Ubuntu Mate
The third one has Porteus

I will try changing the set root string and see if that makes a difference.

I'm assuming the "initrd /32bit_v30/boot/syslinux/initrd.xz" would be correct for Porteus Mate v3?

[Ed_P]

What I have for booting Porteus on my USB drive.

Code: Select all

menuentry " Porteus 4.0 USB - EFI" --class slackware   --class icon-porteus  {

     set bootmgr=/EFI/boot/bootx64.efi

     set bootdrv=$root
     search -f $bootmgr --set=root
     if [ $root != $bootdrv ]; then
        chainloader $bootmgr
     else
        echo "----------------------------------------"
        echo USB drive NOT found.
        echo
        sleep -v -i 10
     fi
     set root=$bootdrv
     }

menuentry " Porteus 4.0 USB syslinux" --class slackware --class icon-porteus {

     set bootmgr=/boot/syslinux/chain.c32

     set bootdrv=$root
     search -f $bootmgr 
     if [ $? == 0 ]; then
        chainloader +1
     else
        echo "----------------------------------------"
        echo Porteus drive NOT found.
        echo
        sleep -v -i 10
     fi 
     set root=$bootdrv
     }

[gotPortee]

Ok after a dozen reboots I finally got it by pulling samples out of the grub.cfg which file the grub scripts create.
I was able to acquire the correct UUID from the PartedMagic boot-uable utility.

menuentry 'Porteus Linux' {
recordfail
savedefault
load_video
gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
insmod gzio
if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos6'
linux /boot/syslinux/vmlinuz root=UUID=5b0b2620-6c98-43a9-b0aa-ad18b60c1df0 ro recovery nomodeset
initrd /boot/syslinux/initrd.xz
}

[gotPortee]

Ok, now I have another issue.
I changed the desktop background setting - but after reboots it isn't saving that change.
And I added my WIFI credentials and that didn't come up in the next reboot.
So I'm thinking its not saving user changes.

I understand there may be some config file internal within Porteus that allows it to save user settings?
Thanks!

[gotPortee]

Working on trying to save a PorteusSaved.dat file
Have created it but Porteus doesn't appear to be saving to it.

[Ed_P]

So, your Porteus partition is not a Linux format. Which is fine, and you've created the porteussave.dat file, so now you simply have to tell Porteus that you have it and where. You have to add the changes= cheatcode to the linux /boot/syslinux/vmlinuz line. There are 2 options for the changes= cheatcode. One as changes= which records changes as they occur. The other option is changes=EXIT: which record changes you've made when you shutdown Porteus, which is what I use.

Code: Select all

changes=EXIT:$linux_folder/changes/porteussave.dat"

Your changes= line would look similar to mine.

[neko]

@gotPortee
My example might be useful for you.

I boot Porteus with grub2.

This is my custom.cfg.

Code: Select all

set timeout="30"
set hidden_timeout_quiet=false

submenu 'BigSizePartition' {
set BIGuuid="c41f04a5-ca7f-4551-9466-c3cb0bc7e858"

menuentry "4.0=====>Porteus-CINNAMON-v4.0-x86_64-19.03.18.iso<======" {
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root $BIGuuid
set ISO="/porteus/4.0/64/Porteus-CINNAMON-v4.0-x86_64-19.03.18.iso"
loopback loop $ISO
linux (loop)/boot/syslinux/vmlinuz from=UUID:${BIGuuid}$ISO copy2ram  kmap=jp \
changes=UUID:${BIGuuid}/porteus/persist/cinnamon64  
initrd (loop)/boot/syslinux/initrd.xz
}

}

Code: Select all

# blkid
/dev/sdb2: LABEL="MAIN" UUID="c41f04a5-ca7f-4551-9466-c3cb0bc7e858" TYPE="ext4" PARTUUID="c2191b4d-5d07-411d-b9c8-1431a77e3986"
# mount
/dev/sdb2 on /mnt/sdb2 type ext4 (rw,noatime,nodiratime)
# ls /mnt/sdb2/porteus/4.0/64/
Porteus-CINNAMON-v4.0-x86_64-19.03.18.iso
# ls /mnt/sdb2/porteus/persist/
cinnamon64

Thanks.

[gotPortee]

Actually I the partition is formatted for ext4
Even though this is the case - the grub2 code does reference "msdos" for some reason.

If I understand you, I have to also add into the "menuentry" code - a parameter called "changes" which includes the UUID and the path where the PorteusSaved.dat file is located?

changes=UUID:5b0b2620-6c98-43a9-b0aa-ad18b60c1df0 /porteus

[Ed_P]

Yes, but no space between the uuid code and the folder on the drive where the file is located.

changes=UUID:5b0b2620-6c98-43a9-b0aa-ad18b60c1df0/porteus


hmmm neko Another ISO booter I see.

[gotPortee]

Thanks Ed,
I added this to the menuentry script.
And then booted into Porteus and changed the desktop to a solid color.
Then rebooted - but the change I made to the desktop did not keep.
Am I missing something?
You mentioned the option parameter of changing on exit - but I would prefer to have changes made in real-time if that is possible.
Thanks!

[Ed_P]

I suspect your RO cheatcode is preventing changes.