Simple install for users of non-Windows and non-Linux x86_64 systems

[Ed_P]

Zerotetration was referring to /boot/Installer-for Linux.com script, not make_iso.sh (which in any case, just make another iso, just the same, not hybrid) cerainly, a BSD compatible installer would be best, feel free to suggest the required tools if you have the time and inclination..

I wasn't aware the .com file was a script. If you are sure the make_iso.sh will make the same iso maybe the script at the bottom of the https://calomel.org/bootable_openbsd_cd.html webpage would work with the Porteus iso files or this isohybrid approach:

So isohybrid is a part of syslinux. Just install syslinux if you want access to it.

[ncmprhnsbl]

there's nothing on that page about hybrid isos. the bootablity of porteus isos is not in question, just in the particular case of using a flash drive like a cd.
if our bsd friend could "just install syslinux" this conversation would not exist. (hint : the "linux" part of syslinux)
i did, and i converted our standard iso to a hybrid iso(takes about 3 secs), which hopefully will work for Zerotetration..

wasn't aware the .com file was a script.

it's an archived script, who's main(only?) job is to make the installation bootable.. (for non efi systems)
specifically : it generates/adds the file: /boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys
btw, once you have this, it's a simple matter to upgrade(or clone another porteus usb) without having to run the "installer" again, just by copying the new files from the new iso.
in fact, i don't think you can get rid of ldlinux.sys without formatting the drive/partition...

[Zerotetration]

Ed a little off topic but...I think you are inadvertently making this more complicated than you have to regarding trying out OpenBSD. If you want to try out OpenBSD without installing to your hard disk:

1. Get a USB flash drive 1 GB or larger in size. Make sure it has nothing you want to keep on it because the process will disrupt any existing files.
2. Download the file install64.fs (for 64 bit systems) or install86.fs (for 32 bit systems) found at https://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq4.html#Download
3. Use dd to write it to the flash drive. For example something like dd bs=128m if=install64.fs of=/dev/sdb. Make sure you get the RIGHT output device otherwise you very well may overwrite your hard drive.
4. Now you have a bootable flash drive. You don't need to mess around with the ISO unless you want to make a bootable cd.
5. Reboot and boot from your flash drive.
6. Install the system onto the same flash drive by downloading the base package sets with the installer or alternatively onto a second flash drive by using the package sets included with the image. The first option will overwrite the installer. If you want to use the first option you really only need to dd floppyXX.fs to the flash drive to boot the installer. That is quicker download and dd write. Follow the FAQ. Again make sure when doing the install you select the right device so you don't overwrite your hard disk.
7. Reboot once the install is complete. Now you can boot your "live" flash drive OpenBSD. Install whatever packages you want on it. If you want a static or tamper proof system like a live CD then mount your file systems read only and use mfs (memory file systems for dynamic things).

It is that simple.

[Ed_P]

there's nothing on that page about hybrid isos.

True but since it's designed to run on a BSD system I suspect it will create a file that boots on a BSD system which means it's a hybrid file. Yes?

if our bsd friend could "just install syslinux" this conversation would not exist. (hint : the "linux" part of syslinux)

I'm not sure that's not possible. I don't know enough about BSD to know that. (no live system to experiment with.)

i did, and i converted our standard iso to a hybrid iso(takes about 3 secs), which hopefully will work for Zerotetration..

A very nice gesture.

wasn't aware the .com file was a script.

it's an archived script,

How does one convert a text script to an archived script??

who's main(only?) job is to make the installation bootable.. (for non efi systems)
specifically : it generates/adds the file: /boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys
btw, once you have this, it's a simple matter to upgrade(or clone another porteus usb) without having to run the "installer" again, just by copying the new files from the new iso.
in fact, i don't think you can get rid of ldlinux.sys without formatting the drive/partition...

Ok, what would it take to make the script create a hybrid iso?

It is that simple.

Thanks Zerotetration but that doesn't sound simple. Maybe someone with a bootable BSD USB will make an ISO of it and post it.

[burdi01]

Providing (a zip of) a filesystem that only contains the infrastructure to boot the ISO and that can be dd'ed (*nix) or written by Etcher (linux, windows) or Rufus (windows) to the USB would resolve this chicken-and-egg problem. The only thing the user has to do afterwards is copying the ISO (or its files).
See https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hYMj-n ... sp=sharing for an example that sports Grub2 loopback booting in EFI as well as MBR mode. The problem worked around is the fact that one needs a linux system to issue the grub-install command for the MBR mode.

On Linux the dd invocation would be:

Code: Select all

unzip -p '/E/Lindoc/Rescue/zero/rescue0.img.zip' | dd of=/dev/sdX bs=1M

I assume a comparable command to be available on *bsd.

[Ed_P]

A 1.9GB img file!!

My Grub2 menus boot several linux distro isos on BIOS and EFI systems with Secure Boot disabled. Two even boot on EFI systems with Secure Boot enabled. A Ubuntu iso and a Porteus iso using Ubuntu's grub2 modules.

But the BSD iso is different. So if you have Grub2 loopback code for it I am definitely interested.

-edit-

To your Rescue grub2 menu you might consider adding a search to the menus to reduce their dependencies on specific drive specs. I usually use:

Code: Select all

     set iso=/ISOs/Porteus-CINNAMON-v4.0-x86_64.iso
     search -f $iso --set=root

No hard coding (hd1,7), /dev/sda7. It's handy when moving stuff from one system to another which has a different harddrive arrangement.

Code: Select all

     set iso=/ISOs/Porteus-CINNAMON-v4.0-x86_64.iso

menuentry " Porteus 4.0 ISO - AF" --class slackware   --class icon-porteus  {

     set boot_parms="volume=33 reboot=cold $extramods "

     search -f $iso --set=root
     loopback loop $iso
     linux  (loop)/boot/syslinux/vmlinuz from=$iso $boot_parms
     initrd (loop)/boot/syslinux/initrd.xz
     }

[donald]

...i don't think you can get rid of ldlinux.sys without formatting the drive/partition...

lsattr shows Attributes
remove the i (immutable) attribute
chattr -i ldlinux.sys

Code: Select all

# chattr -i /boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys
# rm /boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys

[Ed_P]

Interesting.

Code: Select all

guest@porteus:~$ chattr -i ldlinux.sys
chattr: No such file or directory while trying to stat ldlinux.sys
guest@porteus:~$ ls /mnt/isoloop/boot/syslinux/ld*.sys
/bin/ls: cannot access '/mnt/isoloop/boot/syslinux/ld*.sys': No such file or directory
guest@porteus:~$ ls /mnt/sdb1/boot/syslinux/ld*.sys
/mnt/sdb1/boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys*
guest@porteus:~$ lsattr /mnt/sdb1/boot/syslinux/ld*.sys
lsattr: Inappropriate ioctl for device While reading flags on /mnt/sdb1/boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys
guest@porteus:~$ 

Not on the boot iso but on the flash drive install.

[donald]

@ Ed
Porteus 4.0 on a linux filesystem (ext 2)

Code: Select all

guest@porteus:~$ uname -rm
4.16.3-porteus x86_64
guest@porteus:~$ lsattr /mnt/sdb1/boot/syslinux/ld*.sys
----i------------- /mnt/sdb1/boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys
guest@porteus:~$ 

https://www.linuxquestions.org/question ... do-942097/

[ncmprhnsbl]

thanks donald, for reducing my level of ignorance
i imagine a fat32 install would not recognize attributes like it doesn't permissions..

Not on the boot iso but on the flash drive install.

because (the 'installer*.com)

it's an archived script, who's main(only?) job is to make the installation bootable.. (for non efi systems)
specifically : it generates/adds the file: /boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys

more correctly: an archive of scripts/binarys

How does one convert a text script to an archived script??

with this: https://makeself.io/
if you want to see what's in Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com do this:

Code: Select all

#./Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com --noexec --keep

Ok, what would it take to make the script create a hybrid iso?

did you read that quote? that's not what it's for.

[Ed_P]

if you want to see what's in Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com do this:

Code: Select all

#./Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com --noexec --keep

That didn't work for me but

Code: Select all

cat Porteus-installer-for-Linux.com

had interesting results.

Ok, what would it take to make the script create a hybrid iso?

did you read that quote? that's not what it's for.

I know that's not what it's for but could it be changed to make it so?

[Rava]

@Zerotetration, if you're still with us, here is a hybrid iso that you can dd to a flash drive:
Porteus-XFCE-v4.0-x86_64-hybrid.iso
md5sum= 84a29562437530112976e71f9c2a7252

Thanks a lot, ncmprhnsbl. I'll try that today.

Zerotetration, please do report back if the hybrid ISO ncmprhnsbl created for you is working as intended. Or did I miss your reply on that?

_______________________________

I wasn't aware the .com file was a script.

This is what irked me for years, a script should not be called .com in my book.

[nanZor]

zerotetration - thank you so much for the quickie install info. That kind of sharing is very welcome - at least to me. I've used OpenBSD / Net / Free myself on and off in the past, but I must disagree:

Installing OpenBSD, (or free or net) is not that difficult, even with the text-only installer interface. Any one of us who come from a Slackware background should have NO difficulty. Especially if one starts out with a dedicted drive and practicing an install on that first. Usually just accepting the defaults results in an easily bootable system with fvwm if one installs the x packages. What trips up many is the "after boot" attention to just a very small handful of text files.

Ok, want a Gnome desktop after this basic install? Do about THREE commands and you are done.

A recent very helpful book about just the very basics (only 77 pages) to get Open / Net / Free BSD up and running, along with the usual 3 extra commands just to get to the modern desktop and stopping there is on my bookshelf:

https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-In ... 8-14-spell

While it does not replace official documentation, it can get the impatient up and running very quickly.

Just wanted to say thanks for sharing. I think the isohybrid iso's will be very welcome. I miss dd too