Grub4DosConfig

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shinobar
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Live CD from floppy boot

#121 Post by shinobar »

gcmartin wrote:Does this mean that if I have QuickPET/PUP5.2 LiveCD in cdrom at diskette boot time, I will not be able to select an option to start the LiveCD to boot?
You cannot with grub4dos.

If the PC cannot boot off from CD, it means the BIOS cannot handle the CD.
At the boot stage, the boot loader grub4dos reads the files on the CD via BIOS.
But if the BIOS cannot handle the CD, the boot loader grub4dos cannot.

If you want to read the files, vmlinz and initrd.gz on the CD at the boot stage,
there is an option using PLOP.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=40226

WakePup2 was the tool for this purpose, but i don't know on what hardware does it work or not. It depends on what CD driver it has. (also same as for PLOP)
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 2&start=19
Downloads for Puppy Linux [url]http://shino.pos.to/linux/downloads.html[/url]

Reaperz

#122 Post by Reaperz »

Doesn't Syslinux have better compatibility booting off of disc drives?

I personally use Grub4Dos in most instances, with the only caveat being that I have to chainload a Plop floppy image to boot from USB on one of my older PC's.

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shinobar
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Syslinux

#123 Post by shinobar »

Reaperz wrote:Doesn't Syslinux have better compatibility booting off of disc drives?
Think syslinux does not support NTFS.
And hard to make multiple boot across partitions and drives.
Grub4Dos is universal.
Downloads for Puppy Linux [url]http://shino.pos.to/linux/downloads.html[/url]

nooby
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#124 Post by nooby »

I got SuperOS to boot frugally too. Only needed to change the part referring to initrd.gz to lz.

Jolicloud boots too so that is cool.
I use Google Search on Puppy Forum
not an ideal solution though

nancy reagan
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If only I could do this

#125 Post by nancy reagan »

Reaperz wrote:Doesn't Syslinux have better compatibility booting off of disc drives?

I personally use Grub4Dos in most instances, with the only caveat being that I have to chainload a Plop floppy image to boot from USB on one of my older PC's.
Would it be hard to describe this method so that even a simple soul like me would understand it ? (what is chainloading ? and edit syslinux ?)

For my compu does not boot usb and therefore the Plopflop does not read the grub on the stick.


thanks in advance.

nooby
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#126 Post by nooby »

Nancy, the following suggestion is a wild card so only use it if Shinobars or Reapers don't have to tool needed.

I had a HP/Compaq from say 2002 or 2003 maybe that I found in the dumpster.

If failed to boot an USB with puppy on it.

Then I used a CD that it booted and made a fake frugal install.

It only had two files instead of three so the .sfs was missing but it looked like the real thing from boot perspective.

So when I start it up and pretend it should boot from HDD if finds this faked boot menu.lst that looks like an ordinary does.

Anyway. The script for booting some Puppies mount all hardware connected.

So if finds the .sfs on the USB and boot it and it works .

But it was some 8 months ago I tested it.

Wild card because if BIOS don't allow USB to be seen at boot time then why would my wild card see it?
Maybe because the script can do things that BIOS don't do? But most likely me is wrong but why I suggest it is that it did book an USB that failed to boot any other way on that machine and it is a fast and nondestructive test. .
I use Google Search on Puppy Forum
not an ideal solution though

noryb009
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#127 Post by noryb009 »

Then should we worry about this much? What is the chances of:

1) A user travailing. (pretty common)
2) That has a puppy linux USB.
3) Who has a password on it. (most people would have it on a USB)
4) Who runs into an emergency.
5) Uses accents in their password.
6) Can't use windows for it.
7) Can't use pfix=ram.
8) Doesn't have anyone around them to help.

Doesn't sound too common.

nancy reagan
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#128 Post by nancy reagan »

@nooby

Thanks for yer advice though I do not quite understand will give it a try

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shinobar
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Grub4DosConfig v1.6.2

#129 Post by shinobar »

Bugfix released Grub4DosConfig v1.6.2. See the top post of this topic.
# 20nov10 v1.6.2: fix RAM mode, fix puppyoptions, single item for single windows, wubi support
Downloads for Puppy Linux [url]http://shino.pos.to/linux/downloads.html[/url]

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Re: Grub4DosConfig v1.6.2

#130 Post by smokey01 »

shinobar wrote:Bugfix released Grub4DosConfig v1.6.2. See the top post of this topic.
# 20nov10 v1.6.2: fix RAM mode, fix puppyoptions, single item for single windows, wubi support
shinobar, every time I tried Grub4Dos 1.6.1, it seem to trash the file system. I wasn't able to mount the USB flash drive and Gparted didn't recognise the file system.

I have to admit I was operating in RAM mode as I have not been able to boot from a USB Flash drive. Neither my desktop, or two different Netbooks see the USB flash drive as a bootable drive. It keeps on coming up with no OS found. Even some of the flash drives that used to boot in the past no longer work. How weird is that?

I have tried both Bootflash and PUI. In the past I have made many bootable USB flash drives. It looks like I have lost my touch or something has significantly changed that I'm not aware of in the later puppies.

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Re: Grub4DosConfig v1.6.2

#131 Post by shinobar »

smokey01 wrote:[every time I tried Grub4Dos 1.6.1, it seem to trash the file system. I wasn't able to mount the USB flash drive and Gparted didn't recognise the file system.

I have to admit I was operating in RAM mode as I have not been able to boot from a USB Flash drive. Neither my desktop, or two different Netbooks see the USB flash drive as a bootable drive. It keeps on coming up with no OS found. Even some of the flash drives that used to boot in the past no longer work. How weird is that?

I have tried both Bootflash and PUI. In the past I have made many bootable USB flash drives. It looks like I have lost my touch or something has significantly changed that I'm not aware of in the later puppies.
The Bootflash can make 5 types of USB flash, USB-HDD, USB-ZIP, USB-HDD, ComboFomat or ISO9660.
Which do you use usually?

Try the Grub4Dos and make a rescue (main) 'How to do?':
For the USB, format(if you can erase all the data) with any of you like.
If you like Windows compatibility, recommended is NTFS.
To do it firmly, delete all partitions on the USB devide,
create new partition table (Device >> Create Partition Table) ,
Then make new partition and format.
Downloads for Puppy Linux [url]http://shino.pos.to/linux/downloads.html[/url]

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Re: Grub4DosConfig v1.6.2

#132 Post by smokey01 »

shinobar wrote:
smokey01 wrote:[every time I tried Grub4Dos 1.6.1, it seem to trash the file system. I wasn't able to mount the USB flash drive and Gparted didn't recognise the file system.

I have to admit I was operating in RAM mode as I have not been able to boot from a USB Flash drive. Neither my desktop, or two different Netbooks see the USB flash drive as a bootable drive. It keeps on coming up with no OS found. Even some of the flash drives that used to boot in the past no longer work. How weird is that?

I have tried both Bootflash and PUI. In the past I have made many bootable USB flash drives. It looks like I have lost my touch or something has significantly changed that I'm not aware of in the later puppies.
The Bootflash can make 5 types of USB flash, USB-HDD, USB-ZIP, USB-HDD, ComboFomat or ISO9660.
Which do you use usually?

Try the Grub4Dos and make a rescue (main) 'How to do?':
For the USB, format(if you can erase all the data) with any of you like.
If you like Windows compatibility, recommended is NTFS.
To do it firmly, delete all partitions on the USB devide,
create new partition table (Device >> Create Partition Table) ,
Then make new partition and format.
shinobar I normally use the USB-HDD type. I did try the ComboFormat without success. I have tried both Vfat32, Ext2, Ext3 and Ext4. I wouldn't expect the Linux partitions to work with Grub4Dos but I tried anyway.

Quite often what I have done in the past is format the flash drive to Ext3 then install grub which allows me to have multiple distributions on the one flash drive in different directories. I can't even get this to work at the moment.

I may have missed the create partition step.

I will let you know.

Thanks

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shinobar
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the Bootflash and the Grub4DosCinfig.

#133 Post by shinobar »

smokey01 wrote:every time I tried Grub4Dos 1.6.1, it seem to trash the file system. I wasn't able to mount the USB flash drive and Gparted didn't recognise the file system.

I have tried both Bootflash and PUI. In the past I have made many bootable USB flash drives.
I normally use the USB-HDD type.
OK, i confirmed the Grub4DosCinfig v1.6.x corrupts USB flash treated with Bootflash USB-HDD type. Doesn't occur with the Grub4DosCinfig v1.5.x.
There maybe something incompatible with the partition table between the Bootflash and the Grub4DosCinfig. We need more investigation on this issue.
Thanks smokey01 for reportiong this issue.
Last edited by shinobar on Sun 21 Nov 2010, 10:00, edited 1 time in total.
Downloads for Puppy Linux [url]http://shino.pos.to/linux/downloads.html[/url]

Stripe
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Re: Grub4DosConfig v1.6.2

#134 Post by Stripe »

[/quote]
shinobar I normally use the USB-HDD type. I did try the ComboFormat without success. I have tried both Vfat32, Ext2, Ext3 and Ext4. I wouldn't expect the Linux partitions to work with Grub4Dos but I tried anyway.
[/quote]

Hi Smokey
I have used grub4dos on ext2 and ext3 formatted usbs without any problem. (just an idea, but you are marking the bootable flag on the USB?)

Stripe

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Re: Grub4DosConfig v1.6.2

#135 Post by smokey01 »

Stripe wrote:
Hi Smokey
I have used grub4dos on ext2 and ext3 formatted usbs without any problem. (just an idea, but you are marking the bootable flag on the USB?)

Stripe
Yes, marked it as bootable with Gparted.

What is weird is I have made hundreds of bootable USB flash drives over a number of years. I am thinking of going back to puppy 4.3.1 where it allows you to write to the MBR without all of the work arounds. I thought maybe it was my current computer. See specs in my signature block.
I have even tried two or three different brands of USB flash drive just in case the one I was using was faulty. I even tried Fat16 as it suppose to be more reliable than Fat32.

I have also tried to boot the flash drive with an eeepc 701 and a Kogan netbook. Both don't see the USB as a bootable OS.

I'm starting to understand why many people become frustrated when trying to do this. I have never had problems in the past and could never understand their difficulty. I even included the process in my book, The Puppy Linux Book.

What I think is required is a script where the entire process is done automatically. Something like "OS2Flash sdf1" and the entire process formats the drive, makes it bootable then copies the files from the CD. Bootflash is good but it doesn't seem to work, not here anyway.

Dropping back to 4.3.1 to see if that will work.

Thanks

Stripe
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#136 Post by Stripe »

I usualy install grub with the installer, then add the puppy manualy and write the entry to the grub menu, with grub4dos I have just been writing the grub for the hard drives to usb (trying it for security, needing the usb to boot the selected puppys)

I have found when booting from a usb drive that it makes itself hd0,0 making my (normaly) hd0 hard drive hd1 but grub4dos in luci 238 recognises this and alters the grub menu accordingly.

will try an install to a usb then use grub4dos to write the boot record and let you know how I get on.

Cheers
Stripe

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#137 Post by smokey01 »

I eventually got the USB Flash drive to boot but I had to do it the old fashion way.

1. I deleted the existing partition
2. Created an Ext4 partition (formatted)
3. Installed GRUB manually (Expert mode)
4. Wrote directly to MBR on Flash drive
5. Modified Menu.lst to suit puppy version
6. Manually copied puppy files to Flash drive

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shinobar
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grub4dosconfig procedure

#138 Post by shinobar »

smokey01 wrote:1. I deleted the existing partition
2. Created an Ext4 partition (formatted)
3. Installed GRUB manually (Expert mode)
4. Wrote directly to MBR on Flash drive
5. Modified Menu.lst to suit puppy version
6. Manually copied puppy files to Flash drive
Using grub4dosconfig:
1. Delete the existing partition
2 Create new partition table (Device >> Create Partition Table)
3. Create any filesystem partition (and format)
4. (Optionally) Make a directory for puppy files.
5. Manually copy puppy files to Flash drive
6. Run the grub4dosconfig GUI
Last edited by shinobar on Mon 22 Nov 2010, 14:20, edited 1 time in total.
Downloads for Puppy Linux [url]http://shino.pos.to/linux/downloads.html[/url]

Stripe
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#139 Post by Stripe »

Hi all

Have just done a frugal install of 511 to a usb stick as follows:

1. reformatted usb to EXT2 (gparted checking boot flag)
2. copied puppy files to usb
3. Ran grub4dos-0.4.4.v1.6.2

No problems, gave me the correct options for all my hard drive installations (puppy and non-puppy linux as well.)

Stripe

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Re: the Bootflash and the Grub4DosCinfig.

#140 Post by shinobar »

shinobar wrote:i confirmed the Grub4DosCinfig v1.6.x corrupts USB flash treated with Bootflash USB-HDD type. Doesn't occur with the Grub4DosCinfig v1.5.x.
There maybe something incompatible with the partition table between the Bootflash and the Grub4DosCinfig. We need more investigation on this issue.
Thanks smokey01 for reportiong this issue.
The partition table written by Gparted:
# fdisk -l /dev/sdd
Disk /dev/sdd: 4043 MB, 4043309056 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 491 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 1 491 3943926 b W95 FAT32
The partition table written by BootFlash:
# fdisk -l /dev/sdd
Disk /dev/sdd: 4043 MB, 4043309056 bytes
255 heads, 32 sectors/track, 967 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8160 * 512 = 4177920 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 * 1 967 3945344 b W95 FAT32
The problem is, we can see, the track size of BootFlash is shorter than Gparted.... :cry:
Downloads for Puppy Linux [url]http://shino.pos.to/linux/downloads.html[/url]

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