[IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
- fanthom
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[IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
There was a suggestion for going with one loader like grub instead of syslinux, lilo, isolinux, extlinux. After reading of this topic:
http://www.porteus.org/forum/viewtopic. ... p=477#p477
I'm getting convinced to 'grub' (grub4dos?) option as a unified solution. It would require rewriting of bootinst.bat and bootinst.sh scripts.
The deadline is March i guess, as first BETA of Porteus-v1.0 should be released then.
What do you think?
Any volunteer who could start working on this?
http://www.porteus.org/forum/viewtopic. ... p=477#p477
I'm getting convinced to 'grub' (grub4dos?) option as a unified solution. It would require rewriting of bootinst.bat and bootinst.sh scripts.
The deadline is March i guess, as first BETA of Porteus-v1.0 should be released then.
What do you think?
Any volunteer who could start working on this?
Please add [Solved] to your thread title if the solution was found.
- brokenman
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Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
What we have now works great (i have updated syslinux and use extlinux to boot from ext partition).
'Why was it chosen in the first place?' would be the question to explore. Grub was available then.
I vote for grub. It is more widely used and people are familiar with it.
'Why was it chosen in the first place?' would be the question to explore. Grub was available then.
I vote for grub. It is more widely used and people are familiar with it.
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- francois
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Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
Grub for sure will be a bootloader a lot more convenient and compatible. Great!
Prendre son temps, profiter de celui qui passe.
Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
Yesterday I found time, look through documentation and trying several installation via grub4dos on 32-bit and 64-bit Porteus
I prepair small comparision which could be useful for making descision.
First is grub loader - (last version grub itself which have much modern possibilities ) - isn't possible to implement as we have install scripts not only for Linux but for Windows.
So compairing grub4dos and bunch of tool syslinux(syslinux, isolinux, pxelinux and extlinux)
1. Supported file systems
grub4dos - allow to bood from FAT12/FAT16/FAT32, NTFS, EXT2/EXT3 and EXT4(partly cannot install MBR to EXT4 partiton), ISO 9660
syslinux tools - allow to boot from - FAT12/FAT16/FAT32(syslinux), ISO 9660(isolinux), EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/btrfs(extlinux), pxelinux(PXE boot by network)
2. Design of usage - are different phylosophy
grub4dos - one tool for everything
syslinux tools - each tool for separate task
3. Working with Windows
grub4dos - fine. Could boot from NTFS even
syslinux tools - poor. Booting with Windows possible only if 1-st partiton is FAT, EXT or by using grub4dos or other bootloader
4. Support, code stability and future development
grub4dos - medium. The project itself based on outdated code base. Last small fixes from Aug of 2010, project deleloped but add new possibilities rare, only small fixes. Installation tools like grubinst do not updated from begin of 2008. I found one bug on 64-bit linux - grubinst binary cannot find start sector ad USB stick(FAT32). So for installatrion of bootsector I have to use bootlace.com. On 32-bit grubinst binary works well. Though grub4dos has ext4 support, its MBR code CANNOT load grldr (The main boot loader file) from an ext4 partition.
syslinux tools - good. Last release extinux in middle 2010, added not only bug fix but also add new filesystem support btrfs
Last realise of syslibux in October 2010 - bugfix.
5. Boot scripts
grub4dos - more powerful but more hard(changing menu.lst template are needed)
syslinux tools - less powerful but less hard(changing slax.cfg do not needed but limitation by 1-st partiton filesystem)
5. Boot menu design and appearance
grub4dos - looks very bad - bootsplash support only 14 colours and *.xpm images only. Only simple menu are possible
syslinux tools - looks good - bootsplash support diffirent image type(png, jpg, bmp, etc) and number of 16 colors.
Allowed also complex menu with selection see screens with complex.c32 http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Screenshots
To compare bootsplashs looks please get this tar file
http://falcony.googlecode.com/files/botsplash.tar.gz
slax.jpg - original bootloaded of syslinux menu, full colour
slax.bmp - 14 colour image, done with gimp - that's how grub4dos bootsplash at bootselecting ugly looks
slax.xpm.gz - converted slax.bmp to slax.xpm and gunzipped. You could use it with grub4dos menu
I prepair small comparision which could be useful for making descision.
First is grub loader - (last version grub itself which have much modern possibilities ) - isn't possible to implement as we have install scripts not only for Linux but for Windows.
So compairing grub4dos and bunch of tool syslinux(syslinux, isolinux, pxelinux and extlinux)
1. Supported file systems
grub4dos - allow to bood from FAT12/FAT16/FAT32, NTFS, EXT2/EXT3 and EXT4(partly cannot install MBR to EXT4 partiton), ISO 9660
syslinux tools - allow to boot from - FAT12/FAT16/FAT32(syslinux), ISO 9660(isolinux), EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/btrfs(extlinux), pxelinux(PXE boot by network)
2. Design of usage - are different phylosophy
grub4dos - one tool for everything
syslinux tools - each tool for separate task
3. Working with Windows
grub4dos - fine. Could boot from NTFS even
syslinux tools - poor. Booting with Windows possible only if 1-st partiton is FAT, EXT or by using grub4dos or other bootloader
4. Support, code stability and future development
grub4dos - medium. The project itself based on outdated code base. Last small fixes from Aug of 2010, project deleloped but add new possibilities rare, only small fixes. Installation tools like grubinst do not updated from begin of 2008. I found one bug on 64-bit linux - grubinst binary cannot find start sector ad USB stick(FAT32). So for installatrion of bootsector I have to use bootlace.com. On 32-bit grubinst binary works well. Though grub4dos has ext4 support, its MBR code CANNOT load grldr (The main boot loader file) from an ext4 partition.
syslinux tools - good. Last release extinux in middle 2010, added not only bug fix but also add new filesystem support btrfs
Last realise of syslibux in October 2010 - bugfix.
5. Boot scripts
grub4dos - more powerful but more hard(changing menu.lst template are needed)
syslinux tools - less powerful but less hard(changing slax.cfg do not needed but limitation by 1-st partiton filesystem)
5. Boot menu design and appearance
grub4dos - looks very bad - bootsplash support only 14 colours and *.xpm images only. Only simple menu are possible
syslinux tools - looks good - bootsplash support diffirent image type(png, jpg, bmp, etc) and number of 16 colors.
Allowed also complex menu with selection see screens with complex.c32 http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Screenshots
To compare bootsplashs looks please get this tar file
http://falcony.googlecode.com/files/botsplash.tar.gz
slax.jpg - original bootloaded of syslinux menu, full colour
slax.bmp - 14 colour image, done with gimp - that's how grub4dos bootsplash at bootselecting ugly looks
slax.xpm.gz - converted slax.bmp to slax.xpm and gunzipped. You could use it with grub4dos menu
Last edited by Falcony on 07 Jan 2011, 18:51, edited 1 time in total.
- fanthom
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Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
one problem: Windows users wont be able to install Porteus on NTFS without Grub4dos
It could be used just for Windows, while normal Grub (Grub2?) could do the job for rest of fs on linux boxes.
my 2cents
BTW - great research!

It could be used just for Windows, while normal Grub (Grub2?) could do the job for rest of fs on linux boxes.
my 2cents
BTW - great research!
Please add [Solved] to your thread title if the solution was found.
Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
falcony, grub4dos is active.
http://svn.gna.org/viewcvs/grub4dos/trunk/
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=51697
it supports ext4 and you can boot also .iso images saved on the usb/flash filesystem (I'm using like this on my pendrive to boot different live distros or slackware/debian/ubuntu mini iso installers).
once you create the template for booting slax (or whatever) you can add different options simply editing menu.lst, it's very handy, I'll post mine (on the first vfat partition of my usb drive) as an example
for the bootsplash I personally doesn't care. 
http://svn.gna.org/viewcvs/grub4dos/trunk/
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=51697
it supports ext4 and you can boot also .iso images saved on the usb/flash filesystem (I'm using like this on my pendrive to boot different live distros or slackware/debian/ubuntu mini iso installers).
once you create the template for booting slax (or whatever) you can add different options simply editing menu.lst, it's very handy, I'll post mine (on the first vfat partition of my usb drive) as an example
Code: Select all
default /default
title Boot from Hard Drive - Windows XP (NTLDR)
fallback 1
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /ntldr
map () (hd0)
map (hd0) ()
map --rehook
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /ntldr
chainloader /ntldr
savedefault --wait=2
title Boot from Hard Drive - Windows Vista/7 (BOOTMGR)
fallback 2
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /bootmgr
map () (hd0)
map (hd0) ()
map --rehook
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /bootmgr
chainloader /bootmgr
savedefault --wait=2
title --------------------
root
title Start Hiren's BootCD
find --set-root /HBCD/boot.gz
map --mem /HBCD/boot.gz (fd0)
map --hook
chainloader (fd0)+1
rootnoverify (fd0)
map --floppies=1
boot
# If you have any problem loading the above grub4dos map commands then try using memdisk kernel
# title Start Hiren's BootCD
# find --set-root /HBCD/boot.gz
# kernel /HBCD/memdisk
# initrd /HBCD/boot.gz
title Mini Windows Xp
find --set-root /HBCD/XPLOADER.BIN
chainloader /HBCD/XPLOADER.BIN
title --------------------
root
#title Debian squeeze 64bit 20101019
#find --set-root /ISO/debian-testing-amd64-netinst.iso
#map /ISO/debian-testing-amd64-netinst.iso (0xff)
#map --hook
#root (0xff)
#kernel /install.amd/vmlinuz boot=/install.amd/vmlinuz iso-scan/filename=/ISO/debian-testing-amd64-netinst.iso vga=788 --
#initrd /install.amd/initrd.gz
#boot
#title Debian squeeze 64bit 20101019
#kernel /debian-installer/amd64/linux
#append priority=low vga=788 initrd=debian-installer/amd64/initrd.gz --
#boot
title Ubuntu 64 mini
find --set-root /ISO/ubuntu-64-mini.iso
map /ISO/ubuntu-64-mini.iso (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
kernel /linux boot=linux iso-scan/filename=/ISO/ubuntu-64-mini.iso quiet splash --
initrd /initrd.gz
boot
title Ubuntu 32 desktop
find --set-root /ISO/ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso
map /ISO/ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
kernel /linux boot=linux iso-scan/filename=/ISO/ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso quiet splash --
initrd /initrd.gz
boot
title Slackware 64 current mini iso
map (hd0,0)/ISO/slackware64-current-mini-install-new.iso (hd33)
map --hook
chainloader (hd33)
boot
#title Slackware current mini iso
#map (hd0,0)/ISO/13.1-mini.iso (hd33)
#map --hook
#chainloader (hd33)
#boot
title Slax remix v0.9 x86_64
map (hd0,0)/ISO/slax-remix-v09-x86_64.iso (hd33)
map --hook
chainloader (hd33)
boot
title Slax remix v0.9 i486
map (hd0,0)/ISO/slax-remix-v09-i486.iso (hd33)
map --hook
chainloader (hd33)
boot

- Ahau
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Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
@Falcony - great job! Thank you for setting that up!
@Ponce - thank you for the info, especially your menu.lst! I just put grub4dos on a USB drive, and was about to tackle the menu.lst. Now, all I have to figure out is how to set it up to boot Porteus when extracted.
@fanthom - since most drives are FAT by default, or could be reformatted to FAT from within windows, the lack of NTFS support in SYSLINUX would only seem to be a limitation if someone has a drive that they don't want to reformat or repartition for some reason. Could you elaborate some more on why this is an issue?
@all - does anyone know if grub, grub2 or grub4dos supports pxe? If not, then moving away from SYSLINUX tools would require a custom setup for someone who wishes to use pxe.
Also, does anyone know if it would be possible to install grub4dos in windows, with a setting that would immediately chainload into grub? If so, could we then move to grub (or grub2) as a universal bootloader, with the added (but virtually invisible) step of grub4dos as a cheat for those installing from windows? This would allow more unified configuration and feel, as well as a nicer bootsplash. I guess what I don't know is whether or not grub would have to be installed (other than just having the files present) in order to work.
I will be playing with this some more in the coming days
I'm pretty far outside my understanding here, so forgive me if I'm speaking in gibberish.
@Ponce - thank you for the info, especially your menu.lst! I just put grub4dos on a USB drive, and was about to tackle the menu.lst. Now, all I have to figure out is how to set it up to boot Porteus when extracted.
@fanthom - since most drives are FAT by default, or could be reformatted to FAT from within windows, the lack of NTFS support in SYSLINUX would only seem to be a limitation if someone has a drive that they don't want to reformat or repartition for some reason. Could you elaborate some more on why this is an issue?
@all - does anyone know if grub, grub2 or grub4dos supports pxe? If not, then moving away from SYSLINUX tools would require a custom setup for someone who wishes to use pxe.
Also, does anyone know if it would be possible to install grub4dos in windows, with a setting that would immediately chainload into grub? If so, could we then move to grub (or grub2) as a universal bootloader, with the added (but virtually invisible) step of grub4dos as a cheat for those installing from windows? This would allow more unified configuration and feel, as well as a nicer bootsplash. I guess what I don't know is whether or not grub would have to be installed (other than just having the files present) in order to work.
I will be playing with this some more in the coming days

I'm pretty far outside my understanding here, so forgive me if I'm speaking in gibberish.
Please take a look at our online documentation, here. Suggestions are welcome!
Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
looking at what markds posted here an entry likeNow, all I have to figure out is how to set it up to boot Porteus when extracted.
Code: Select all
title porteus
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz from=/slax/ ramdisk_size=6666 root=/dev/ram0 rw copy2ram autoexec=xconf;startx
initrd /boot/initrd.lz

http://slackbuilds.org/repository/13.1/system/grub4dos/
the only problem is the bootlace.com
Code: Select all
$ file /usr/sbin/bootlace.com
/usr/sbin/bootlace.com: ELF 32-bit
$ ldd /usr/sbin/bootlace.com
not a dynamic executable

Last edited by ponce on 07 Jan 2011, 18:44, edited 2 times in total.
Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
Sure that won't L)one problem: Windows users wont be able to install Porteus on NTFS without Grub4dos![]()
May be grub2 - but only from Linux, from Windows -other way. You may try out this way.It could be used just for Windows, while normal Grub (Grub2?) could do the job for rest of fs on linux boxes.
For me personnally - for next release I would keep isolinux/isolinux/extlinux and may be update to last version
This is way of booting I know well
grub4dos already is currently- as option for HDD installation - may be rewrite scripts
Yep, minor bug fixing at 12 Aug 2010
And no code change for one year.
It seems I read old readme on sourcforge.
Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
poor activity can mean also that's pretty stable 

Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
And no developmentpoor activity can mean also that's pretty stable
Not only one - grubinst on 64-bit buggythe only problem is the bootlace.com
Does it mean that Porteus 0.9 has that support?but 32bit elf support in kernel can be enough
Yesterday I set grub4dos to usb on 64-bit Porteus
- fanthom
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Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
it is an issue for those who want to set up porteus on 80GB (or 320GB) external hd formatted with NTFS (don't think that anybody would use FAT there). They wont be able to do it from Windows.Ahau wrote:@fanthom - since most drives are FAT by default, or could be reformatted to FAT from within windows, the lack of NTFS support in SYSLINUX would only seem to be a limitation if someone has a drive that they don't want to reformat or repartition for some reason. Could you elaborate some more on why this is an issue?
don't know any bootloader which would allow PXE boot. AFAIK - PXE client must be included in the PC firmware (probably NIC).Ahau wrote:@all - does anyone know if grub, grub2 or grub4dos supports pxe? If not, then moving away from SYSLINUX tools would require a custom setup for someone who wishes to use pxe.
i think it's not possible as Windows user wont be able to execute linux code of normal grub, so it wont be possible to add it to the MBR. Windows users must rely on Grub4dos in this case.Ahau wrote:Also, does anyone know if it would be possible to install grub4dos in windows, with a setting that would immediately chainload into grub? If so, could we then move to grub (or grub2) as a universal bootloader, with the added (but virtually invisible) step of grub4dos as a cheat for those installing from windows? This would allow more unified configuration and feel, as well as a nicer bootsplash. I guess what I don't know is whether or not grub would have to be installed (other than just having the files present) in order to work.
@ponce
if bootlace.com is compiled statically (and probably is) the we shouldn't have a problem on 64bit box.
We still have 3 months left to 1.0 release so can try some experimentsFalcony wrote: For me personnally - for next release I would keep isolinux/isolinux/extlinux and may be update to last version
This is way of booting I know well

yes - 64bit version of Porteus currently uses 32bit /sbin/init as we need statically compiled executable for proper shutdown procedure (otherwise aufs will be 'busy').Falcony wrote:Does it mean that Porteus 0.9 has that support?
64bit, compiled statically /sbin/init gives segfaults so i decided to go with 32bit and works nice

Please add [Solved] to your thread title if the solution was found.
- Ahau
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Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
Ok--my thought was that we might be able to avoid writing grub to the MBR altogether, in the case of windows install. Grub would sit in the /boot folder, and only run when Grub4dos invoked it.fanthom wrote:i think it's not possible as Windows user wont be able to execute linux code of normal grub, so it wont be possible to add it to the MBR. Windows users must rely on Grub4dos in this case.
Of course, folks installing from linux could just install grub to the MBR directly.
I'm still very curious about this.
Posted after 2 hours 2 minutes 19 seconds:
@ponce-
Do you have to keep the menu.lst and grldr files in the device's root directory, or have you found a way to put them into /boot?
Just trying to keep this clean.
Thanks!
Please take a look at our online documentation, here. Suggestions are welcome!
Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
Sure.We still have 3 months left to 1.0 release so can try some experiments![]()
i done enough experiments to understand that on 64-bit grub4dos is buggy and developers have not time to update code from 32 to 64-bit.
In my opinion - grub4dos may use as option but is not good as one uniform solution for all paltform
That's reason why L)64bit, compiled statically /sbin/init gives segfaults so i decided to go with 32bit and works nice![]()
- brokenman
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Re: [IMPORTANT] Boot loader for next release.
Ahau ... easy BCD chains to grub i think. It places a menu.lst in c:\NST
How do i become super user?
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