(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

A complete GRUB boot manger system on floppy disk for Puppy

The attached file GRUBFD01.ZIP contains a GRUB boot manager system especially designed for Puppy users who need to floppy boot.

This kit should make things very easy and simple. The menu is easily modified with an editor, which is included.

This GRUB menu enables you to select booting either a type 1 or type 2 installation and boot on partitions hda1 through hda9

The package installation procedure is very simple.

1) download the GRUBFD01.ZIP and extract the files

2) copy all files to a bootable MS-DOS floppy disk

3) reboot the computer

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The menu system is very intituitive and doesn't need any explanation (I don't think).

Features include the ability to edit menu.lst, run GRUB or make a clean DOS boot.

You may also run 'readme' for details and explanation prior to copying the
files to the floppy as you wish.

I hope a few people will evaluate this package, check its operation, offer suggestions,
and see if you think any additional menu items or features should be included.

Important Edit on 2009-05-01

I'll leave the file here with some notes. A lot has changed with Puppy in the lost (last) four years. Thus rendering the menu.lst obsolete.

Also, most Puppians who use Windows are now using NTFS, if your Puppy installation is in NTFS, the version of GRUB in the floppy kit will not read inside NTFS.


~

Bruce B,
That's great!
Anyone volunteer to be a tester?
I'll put in a link to here from one of the web pages.

BarryK wrote:Bruce B,
That's great!
Anyone volunteer to be a tester?
I'll put in a link to here from one of the web pages.

I'd be more than flattered if you'd check it out. It doesn't take much time.

I'm thinking about making a second version with some improvements after suggestions. Maybe wait a few days until that version to link from the web page if you still want.

Would it be much trouble to also make one for booting from USB with a flash memory? (Including tips on how to install GRUB on the flash memory in the first place. )

Flash wrote:Would it be much trouble to also make one for booting from USB with a flash memory? (Including tips on how to install GRUB on the flash memory in the first place. )

It should be very easy - but I don't have the hardware to test and validate this kind of setup.

Here are my results trying out the package.

Using a dos 6.22 boot disk from bootisk.com, there was no file space left, as the boot disk made from the script took up all the disk space.

Trying a simple "bios flash" boot disk from the same source resulted in errors of the dos version (need dos 3.3+ or higher).

Using Windows XP, I used the format floppy utility to make a simple boot disk, then copied the uncompressed GRUBFD01.ZIP (actually used winzip for this) to copy the files onto the floppy, allowing over-ride of the files duplicated (command.com..). This worked.

The utility worked fine. I edited the menu.lst file and changed it to suit my Puppy install on hda11. No problem!

So, the only thing that I see is possibly having instructions on how to make a dos boot disk that does not occupy the entire 1.44 mb floppy.

I did not try to read the readme.bat file, so the directions might be in there? Of course, I was using Windows XP to set the disk up.

In terms of the menu, possibly adding USB boot menu to assist in booting systems that generally will not boot from USB is a good idea. I would love to see how this works.

> Here are my results trying out the package.

Thanks for testing it and posting

> Using a dos 6.22 boot disk from bootisk.com, there was no file space left,
> as the boot disk made from the script took up all the disk space.

I'm not familiar with that boot disk but I'll look into it. An MS-DOS boot disk
only needs three files; IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS and COMMAND.COM - this would leave
plenty of space for the Grub system and then some.

> Trying a simple "bios flash" boot disk from the same source resulted in errors
> of the dos version (need dos 3.3+ or higher).

It probably wasn't MS-DOS, I've tried it with all the DOSes and only MS-DOS works.


> Using Windows XP, I used the format floppy utility to make a simple boot disk,
> then copied the uncompressed GRUBFD01.ZIP (actually used winzip for this) to copy
> the files onto the floppy, allowing over-ride of the files duplicated (command.com..).
> This worked.

That's an operating system made by Mircosoft isn't it? XP is the reason I use Linux.


> The utility worked fine. I edited the menu.lst file and changed it to suit my Puppy
> install on hda11. No problem!

I thought making the menu go to hda9 would be high enough - maybe not.

> So, the only thing that I see is possibly having instructions on how to make a dos boot
> disk that does not occupy the entire 1.44 mb floppy.

I can do that. If you are running DOS you can make a boot disk by typing the command:

format a: /s

The bootable disk will have over 1.4 mb free space when done.

> I did not try to read the readme.bat file, so the directions might be in there?

No readme.bat just pops up menu.lst which has notes in it.

> Of course, I was using Windows XP to set the disk up.

You must have the patience of a Saint.

> In terms of the menu, possibly adding USB boot menu to assist in booting systems that
> generally will not boot from USB is a good idea. I would love to see how this works.

Sure, but I don't have a way of testing. Will you post what GRUB command combinations to use
for this and I'll add it to the system, then you can test it.