booting from iso file (not from iso cdrom)

[Rava]

Maybe a silly question....

The cheatcodes.txt says:

Code: Select all

from=/path/porteus.iso
       
   ... Loads Porteus from the specified device, folder or ISO file.

I found on the web this, but it's about grub2:

Rather then wasting a CD or wearing-out one of your USB sticks, you could boot directly off the ISO. See below for a sample entry of the Grub2 40_custom file. Change /path/to/iso.iso as required. More options

menuentry "Porteus ISO" {
set iso="/path/to/iso.iso"
loopback loop (hd0,1)$iso
linux (loop)/boot/syslinux/vmlinuz from=/dev/sda1$iso iso-scan/filename=$iso noeject
initrd (loop)/boot/syslinux/initrd.xz

(from http://peter-heinrich-claus.eu.org/arti ... x.php#v3_1 )

Since it says nothing in the cheatcodes.txt, does that mean one can load any bootable ISO, be it Porteus, another Linux or even BSD or Windoze from an given ISO file like so?
Is any more stuff needed to be told to Porteus when it's NOT a Porteus ISO to boot, or will all bootable ISO work that way?

[neko]

@Rava
My understanding is as following.

These functions are depending on grub.
----------------------------------------------
set iso="/path/to/iso.iso"
loopback loop (hd0,1)$iso
linux (loop)/boot/syslinux/vmlinuz
initrd (loop)/boot/syslinux/initrd.xz
----------------------------------------------

Other functions are depending on the initram of each distribution.
----------------------------------------------
from=/dev/sda1$iso iso-scan/filename=$iso
----------------------------------------------

Thanks.

[Rava]

^
I also think the non Porteus quoted stuff is about grub.

But the Porteus cheatcodes.txt just says the above.

"from=/path/porteus.iso"

No more info, therefore my question: will any bootable ISO boot like so? With the usual frugal USB or Harddisk install running Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com, using syslinux and/or isolinux and/or ldlinux.sys, but NOT grub?

But the standard porteus.cfg has aditional info already, like:
KERNEL vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=initrd.xz nomagic base_only norootcopy

Now, what to do when the iso has, say, initrd but no initrd.gz?
What to do when the vmlinux and initrd is not in boot/syslinux, but maybe in the ISO root directory?



(Why is Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com named .com and not .sh anyway?)

[Ed_P]

Maybe these grub4dos lines will help.

Code: Select all

timeout 300
default 0
fallback 1

map --unhook

set ISOx=elementaryos.iso
set ISO31=Porteus-LXQT-v3.1-x86_64-nu.iso
set ISO30i=Porteus-RazorQT-v3.0.1-i486-nu.iso
set ISO30=Porteus-RazorQT-v3.0.1-x86_64-nu.iso
set ISO21=Porteus-RazorQT-v2.1-x86_64.iso

# menu entries

title Porteus 3.1   changes=EXIT  \n186MB\n %ISO31%  
find --set-root                       /ISOs/%ISO31%
map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0   /ISOs/%ISO31% (0xff) 
map --hook
root (0xff)
kernel /boot/syslinux/vmlinuz    from=/ISOs/%ISO31% changes=EXIT:/porteus3.1/changes/porteussave.dat extramod=/porteus3.1/Modules volume=40 ramsize=80%  
initrd /boot/syslinux/initrd.xz

title Windows 7 System Repair Disc - 64-bit\n 187MB\n\ When prompted press Enter to boot disc.
find --set-root /ISOs/repair_disc_windows_7_64_bit.iso
map /ISOs/repair_disc_windows_7_64_bit.iso (hd32)
map --hook
root (hd32)
chainloader (hd32)

title X. Elementary OS  \n 845MB\n -unstable-amd64.20140810.iso
find --set-root                       /ISOs/%ISOx%
map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0   /ISOs/%ISOx% (0xff) 
map --hook
root (0xff)
#kernel /casper/vmlinuz           file=/ISOs/%ISOx% iso-scan/filename=/ISOs/%ISO% boot=casper quiet splash --   
kernel /casper/vmlinuz           file=/ISOs/%ISOx% iso-scan/filename=/ISOs/%ISO% boot=casper quiet splash --   
initrd /casper/initrd.lz

Whether it's from= or file= or whatever depends on the OS but yes ISO can be booted.

[Rava]

^

Interesting.... I look into it ASAP... G'night for now!

[Bogomips]

To clarify in advance: Yes, this is about Grub2, and Grub2 only. Grub Legacy doesn't really support booting off ISO.

IMHO one cannot categorically write off Grub Legacy, as the loop mount need ony be done just the once. (See http://forum.porteus.org/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=3994) Quite a few of us use Grub Legacy to boot across distros, satisfying each distro's idiosyncracies with its own set of kernel parameters. e.g. Mint needs live-media=, while others require fromiso= etc.

Can give, as an example, regular Porteus boot of iso file from hd using Grub Legacy:-

Entry in menu.lst:

Code: Select all

title           Porteus Live UPrmPorteus-KDE4-v3.1-i486.iso (Remastered)
root		(hd0,0)
kernel          /por/up3.1/vmlinuz  from=/tmp/iso/UPrmPor-KDE4-v3.1-i486.iso copy2ram ramsize=30% noauto changes=/dev/sda4 changes-ro guiexec=palemoon~-profile~/mnt/sda1/tmp/DVD_Space/pmProfile timezone=Europe/London volume=80%
initrd          /por/up3.1/initrd.xz

Kernel command line:

Code: Select all

guest@porteus:~$ cat /proc/cmdline
quiet from=/tmp/iso/UPrmPor-KDE4-v3.1-i486.iso copy2ram ramsize=30% noauto changes=/dev/sda4 changes-ro guiexec=palemoon~-profile~/mnt/sda1/tmp/DVD_Space/pmProfile timezone=Europe/London volume=80%

Using a stopwatch and timing from moment of hitting Grub entry, and loading from iso file with copy2ram, changes, rootcopy; activation of VLC, python, gtk+3; opening of Konsole, Kate, Nautilus windows; right up to final opening of PaleMoon window, took 1min 35sec with kernel 3.18.18 and 1min 34sec with kernel 3.18.19.

[francois]

@bogomips:
Does your grub legacy strategy works for other distributions isos: archlinux or the sort ?

[Bogomips]

@bogomips:
Does your grub legacy strategy works for other distributions isos: archlinux or the sort ?

Just a sample from latest menu.lst:

Code: Select all

# ISO boot	Sat Nov 30 17:44:40 UTC 2013

title           Linux Mint 16 Petra Cinnamon DVD  'iso-scan/filename='linuxmint-16-cinnamon-dvd-32bit.iso'	26.11.13
root		(hd0,0)
kernel          /Mint/Petra/vmlinuz live-media=/dev/sda10 iso-scan/filename=/tmp/linuxmint-16-cinnamon-dvd-32bit.iso file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper noprompt 
initrd          /Mint/Petra/initrd.lz

# ISO boot	Sat Jun 21 16:30:16 CEST 2014 

title           KaOS Live KDE 4.13.2 'fromiso=' KaOS-2014.06-x86_64.iso	12.06.14
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/KaOS/kdeosiso kdeosisolabel=p_10 quiet lang=engb xdriver=no xres=1280x1024 kdeosisobasedir=tmp/kaos
initrd		/KaOS/kdeosiso.img

title		Kanotix Live - GFX - EN  'fromiso='	kanotix-2.6.38	PERSISTENCE EXAMPLE
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/kx/vmlinuz fromiso=/dev/sda5/kx/kanotix-2.6.38.iso boot=live config utc=yes locales=us quiet gfx=on persistent noprompt
initrd		/kx/initrd.img

# ISO boot	2014-09-13 22:46:20

title           Elementary OS Luna DVD  'iso-scan/filename='elementaryos-stable-i386.20130810.iso'	10.08.13
root		(hd0,0)
kernel          /ElOs/Luna/vmlinuz live-media=/dev/sda9 iso-scan/filename=/Hold/elementaryos-stable-i386.20130810.iso file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper noprompt quiet splash --
initrd          /ElOs/Luna/initrd.lz

title		AgiliaLinux  fromiso=AgiliaLinux-8.1.1.1-x86.iso	1.04.13
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/AgL/vmlinuz32
initrd		/AgL/initrd32.img

title		Chakra Live KDE 13.37  'fromiso=' chakra-2012.05-Archimedes-i686.iso	06.06.12
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/Ckr/chakraiso chakraisolabel=iso quiet lang=engb nonfree=no xdriver=no xres=1280x1024 chakraisobasedir=Ckr
initrd		/Ckr/chakraiso.img

Had Mandriva at one time. Arch should work, as one of above distros is based on Arch. Not certain which.

Update 2-8-15: Chakra it was that forked from Arch in 2010.

[Rava]

Have my entries for TinyCore and Puppy fatdog:. I use the Porteus installer, this is from my boot/syslinux/porteus.cfg :

Code: Select all

LABEL tc
MENU LABEL Boot TinyCorePure64
TEXT HELP
Boot TinyCorePure64 with Embedded X/GUI extensions.
ENDTEXT
KERNEL /boot/vmlinuz64
INITRD /boot/corepure64.gz
APPEND loglevel=3 vga=791
        
#LABEL Fatdog64 7.00 via memdisk
#KERNEL memdisk
#INITRD boot/Fatdog64-700.iso
#APPEND iso
#TEXT HELP
#    Run fatdog from ISO file
#    via memdisk (part of
#    syslinux)
#ENDTEXT

Please see that Puppy is deactivated.

TC is now the TC style frugal install, since I am not that good at creating my custom TC iso yet (because of not being able to create a TC conform to rules palemoon module), and so I go for frugal to play and learn about TC and be able to expand it and not having anything lost cause it sad no such sing like Porteus save.dat file.

(I used to have an entry for the ISO file as well, but seems I not saved that entry, silly me.

And here my entries for a Porteus ISO and good ol Slax iso:

Code: Select all

LABEL xfceRava.ISO
MENU LABEL Text mode XFCe, RavaStyle
KERNEL vmlinuz
APPEND from=/boot/Porteus-3.1.1_XFCe.iso initrd=initrd.xz sgnfile=porteus-v3.1-x86_64.sgn ramsize=45% zram=20% timezone=Europe/Berlin volume=75% kmap=de
TEXT HELP
    Run Porteus the Rava way:
    from local ISO file
ENDTEXT

LABEL Slax.ISO
MENU LABEL Slax, RavaStyle
KERNEL /slax/boot/vmlinuz
APPEND from=/boot/slax-German-7.0.8-x86_64.iso vga=normal initrd=/slax/boot/initrfs.img load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 rw printk.time=0 slax.flags=perch,xmode
timezone=Europe/Berlin
#initrd=initrd.xz volume=75% kmap=de
# sgnfile=porteus-v3.1-x86_64.sgn ramsize=45% zram=20%
TEXT HELP
    Run Slax the Rava way:
    from local ISO file
ENDTEXT

Be aware of my custom changes, e.g. German keyboard, sound volume and such.

[francois]

@bogomips:

With grub legacy here is what I have as menu.lst:

Code: Select all

title     NEMESIS .iso 
root      (hd0,1)
kernel        /1_isos/nemesis/vmlinuz  from=/1_isos/nemesis-v1.1.0-151013-x86_64.iso changes=/1_isos/nemesis login=root
initrd          /1_isos/nemesis/initrd.xz

I realized that this would not boot unless I extract vmlinuz and initrd to the /1_isos/nemesis folder. Thus that has to be done for each different iso.

Is there a way to add modules to such a running installation? My provisional answer is no, as the /nemesis/modules (i.e. equivalent of /porteus/modules) folder is inacessible. Not even thru the /mnt/live/nemesis/modules folder.

[Bogomips]

I realized that this would not boot unless I extract vmlinuz and initrd to the /1_isos/nemesis folder. Thus that has to be done for each different iso.

If changing iso files with such frequency afaik with grub2 it is possible to loop both initrd and vmlinuz.

[francois]

In fact, not sure that grub2 makes it easier.

For grub legacy, it might be possible to make a few scripts.
1) for extracting vmlinuz and initrd.xz of a given iso and set it in the iso appropriate folder
2) mounting the iso, inserting the modules in /porteus/modules folder and makeiso newiso and replacing oldiso with new iso in menu.lst.
3) very easy to change menu.lst in root mode

For grub2:
1) no extraction needed for vmlinuz and initrd.xz
2) idem as for grub legacy.
3) after changing menu entries have to update-grub

[francois]

@bogomips:
For grub legacy menu entries:

Code: Select all

title           Elementary OS Luna DVD  'elementaryos-0.3.2-stable-amd64.20151209.iso'
root      (hd0,1)
kernel          /ElOs/freya/vmlinuz live-media=/dev/sda2 iso-scan/filename=/1_isos/elementaryos-0.3.2-stable-amd64.20151209.iso file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper noprompt quiet splash --
initrd          /ElOs/freya/initrd.lz

Where:
In /ElOs/freya I have copied the vmlinuz and initrd.lz of mloop of elementaryos-0.3.2-stable-amd64.20151209.iso
live-media=/dev/sda2, or sda2 is the hdd on which /1_isos/elementaryos-0.3.2-stable-amd64.20151209.iso

Thanks, this worked like a charm.

[Ed_P]

FWIW This grub2 menu works for isos without extracting files from it.

Code: Select all

menuentry "Porteus LXQT ISO"   {
     set iso=/ISOs/Porteus-LXQT-v3.1-x86_64.iso
     search -f $iso --set=root
     echo ISO root is:          $root
     echo ISO is:               $iso
     if [ -f (hd0,1)/USB_INSTALLATION.txt ]; then
         set linux_drv=/mnt/sdb1/porteus3.1
     else
         set linux_drv=/mnt/sda5/porteus3.1
     fi
     echo Porteus extramods     $linux_drv
     set porteus_parms="extramod=$linux_drv/Modules;$linux_drv/modsavedat volume=33 reboot=cold"
     echo Porteus parms are:    $porteus_parms
      loopback loop $iso
     sleep -v -i 17
     linux (loop)/boot/syslinux/vmlinuz from=$iso $porteus_parms
     initrd (loop)/boot/syslinux/initrd.xz
}

[Rava]

What is the reason for these:

Code: Select all

     if [ -f (hd0,1)/USB_INSTALLATION.txt ]; then
         set linux_drv=/mnt/sdb1/porteus3.1
     else
         set linux_drv=/mnt/sda5/porteus3.1
     fi
     echo Porteus extramods     $linux_drv