How to Dual boot Puppy&XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos

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greengeek
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#31 Post by greengeek »

You mentioned a wiki tutorial re making the stick bootable with syslinux:
http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/HowTos and that tutorial mentions (under the section to make bootable usb via Linux) the line:
dd conv=notrunc bs=440 count=1 if=mbr.bin of=/dev/sdX

However, that line specifies bs=440 which seems contrary to other tutorials I have found which specify 446. Do you think 440 is a typo?

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ETP
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#32 Post by ETP »

greengeek wrote:You mentioned a wiki tutorial re making the stick bootable with syslinux:
http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/HowTos and that tutorial mentions (under the section to make bootable usb via Linux) the line:
dd conv=notrunc bs=440 count=1 if=mbr.bin of=/dev/sdX

However, that line specifies bs=440 which seems contrary to other tutorials I have found which specify 446. Do you think 440 is a typo?
I think you missed my relevant post: The syslinux wiki leaves a lot to be desired. It is generally out of date and sometimes incorrect.
Hi greengeek,

It is far easier to do it in XP. The bootloader and vesamenu.c32 must be > v3.82

First if need be using XP format the stick as FAT32.

Syslinux (4.04 zip) can be downloaded from here:

http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/

How to Create a Bootable USB: Windows XP

STEP 0: Your motherboard (BIOS) has to support boot from usb (usb-key or usb-hdd).
You don't need to know which of these types your media is though, your BIOS recognizes
the usb controller in the device, and this determines usb-key or usb-hdd type.
STEP 1: Download the latest copy of syslinux and extract it. Download.
STEP 2: Open a command prompt and cd to your 'syslinux\win32' folder. Run syslinux.exe -m -a X:
replacing X with the drive letter of your media. This will install suitable MBR code into your flash drive and mark the partition on it as active.
Regards ETP
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ETP
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How to Dual boot Puppy XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos

#33 Post by ETP »

Hi 01micko,

Thanks for your kind words. I did actually investigate an option for booting Win 7 but not possessing it could not validate it.
The thing that put me off using the syslinux chain.c32 module was this warning on the wiki. (not good for laptops/netbooks)

Windows Vista/Windows 7 chainloading
Windows Vista and Windows 7 refuse to hibernate if it is chainloaded. Instead, you have to chainload Syslinux from Windows BCD. There is no known workaround for this.
Ref: http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/Common_Problems

Another page http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/ ... /chain.c32
Gives the following example however:
LABEL boot_part_win7fs
MENU LABEL Boot ntld from GPT partition labelled "win7fs"
COM32 chain.c32
APPEND label=win7fs ntldr=/bootmgr

I concluded therefore that chainloading gub4dos might be the better option for Win7. Not being able to validate such a boot (from USB without installing or changing anything on the C: drive) I proceeded no further.

Given that you liked this method of dual booting you may wish to have a look at this thread:
How to Dual boot Puppy & XP from ANY removable media.
(A simplified Lin`N`Win type method using syslinux & grub4dos)
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=80181

That is my current preferred method but using a 2GB SD card which remains permanently plugged in. Reproduced below is a cfg from a USB stick which combines both methods. :)

There is also a hidden treat in the SD card method in that if you plug a stick in and reboot the stick becomes the next drive to boot and by selecting XP on either menu you can switch between the menu on the stick and the menu on the card. To revert to normal behaviour i.e. booting off the SD simply dismount the stick, extract it and reboot.

Code: Select all

DEFAULT /vesamenu.c32
PROMPT 0
TIMEOUT 120
MENU RESOLUTION 1024 768
MENU BACKGROUND /beaker2.jpg
# MENU BACKGROUND /bart9splash.jpg
# MENU BACKGROUND /puppy.jpg

MENU WIDTH 30
MENU MARGIN 0
MENU ROWS 28
MENU HELPMSGROW 22
MENU TIMEOUTROW 24
MENU TABMSGROW 26
MENU CMDLINEROW 28
MENU HSHIFT 46
MENU VSHIFT 5

	menu color screen	37;40      #00000000 #00000000 none
	menu color border	30;44      #00000000 #00000000 none
	menu color title	1;36;44    #00000000 #00000000 none
#	menu color unsel	37;44      #ff6a6a6a #00000000 none
	menu color unsel    1;36;44    #fc0000 #00000000 std	
	menu color hotkey	1;37;44    #ff6a6a6a #00000000 none
	menu color sel		7;37;40    #ffffffff #ff6a6a6a none
	menu color hotsel	1;7;37;40  #ff808080 #ff6a6a6a none
	menu color scrollbar	30;44      #00000000 #00000000 none

	menu color tabmsg	31;40      #aaaaaaaa #00000000 none
	menu color cmdmark	1;36;40    #ffff0000 #00000000 none
	menu color cmdline	37;40      #aaaaaaaa #00000000 none
	menu color pwdborder	30;47      #ffff0000 #00000000 std
	menu color pwdheader	31;47      #ffff0000 #00000000 std
	menu color pwdentry	30;47      #ffff0000 #00000000 std
#	menu color timeout_msg	37;40      #aaaaaaaa #00000000 none
	menu color timeout_msg	37;40      #fc0000 #00000000 none
	menu color timeout	1;37;40    #ffaaaaff #00000000 std
	menu color help		37;40      #aaaaaa00 #00000000 none
	menu color msg07	37;40      #90ffffff #00000000 std


LABEL 5365USB
MENU LABEL Slacko 5365 USB   17/10/12
KERNEL /p5365/vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=/p5365/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash pupsfs=sdb1:/p5365/puppy_slacko_5.3.6.5.sfs psubdir=p5365

MENU SEPARATOR

LABEL 5332USB
MENU LABEL Slacko 5332 USB   05/07/12
KERNEL /p5332/vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=/p5332/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash pupsfs=sdb1:/p5332/puppy_slacko_5.3.3.2.sfs psubdir=p5332

MENU SEPARATOR

LABEL 533USB
MENU LABEL Slacko 533  USB   05/05/12
KERNEL /p533/vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash pupsfs=sdb1:/p533/puppy_slacko_5.3.3.sfs psubdir=p533

MENU SEPARATOR

LABEL 5332SSD
MENU LABEL Slacko 5332 SSD   07/08/12
KERNEL /p5332/vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=/p5332/initrd.gz pmedia=atahd pupsfs=sda1:/p5332/puppy_slacko_5.3.3.2.sfs pdev1=sda1

MENU SEPARATOR

LABEL 533SSD
MENU LABEL Slacko 533  SSD   14/09/12
KERNEL /p533/vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=atahd pupsfs=sda1:/p533/puppy_slacko_5.3.3.sfs pdev1=sda1

MENU SEPARATOR

LABEL grub
MENU LABEL XP Pro            28/07/12
KERNEL /boot/grub/grub.exe --config-file="map (hd1) (hd0);map (hd0) (hd1);map --hook;chainloader (hd0)+1"

MENU SEPARATOR

LABEL reboot
MENU LABEL Reboot
KERNEL /boot/grub/grub.exe --config-file="reboot"

MENU SEPARATOR

LABEL off
MENU LABEL Power Off
KERNEL /boot/grub/grub.exe --config-file="halt"
Regards ETP
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greengeek
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Re: How to Dual boot Puppy XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos

#34 Post by greengeek »

ETP wrote:[You will then need to change the following line in syslinux.cfg to match your set up:
From:
APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash pupsfs=sdb1:/p533/puppy_slacko_5.3.3.sfs psubdir=/p533
To:

Code: Select all

APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash pupsfs=sdc1:/p533/puppy_slacko_5.3.3t.sfs psubdir=/p533
NOTES:
Your stick is seen as sdc1
Do you think it may be possible to change the "pupsfs=sdx" portion of this syntax to compensate for the drive designation varying from system to system or varying because of other usb devices plugged in at boot time? Is there some other way to define the sfs location that is not fixed in this way?

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ETP
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How to Dual boot Puppy XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos

#35 Post by ETP »

Hi greengeek,

Off the top of my head, if that is causing you a problem, there are 3 things that you
can try.
1. Reduce it to just

Code: Select all

APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash

2.Reduce it to just

Code: Select all

APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash psubdir=/p533

3. Make multiple entries with different append lines (choices on the menu)

Code: Select all

 APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash pupsfs=sdb1:/p533/puppy_slacko_5.3.3t.sfs psubdir=/p533
 APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash pupsfs=sdc1:/p533/puppy_slacko_5.3.3t.sfs psubdir=/p533
 APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash pupsfs=sdd1:/p533/puppy_slacko_5.3.3t.sfs psubdir=/p533
 APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash pupsfs=sde1:/p533/puppy_slacko_5.3.3t.sfs psubdir=/p533
Regards ETP
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greengeek
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Re: How to Dual boot Puppy XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos

#36 Post by greengeek »

ETP wrote: 2.Reduce it to just

Code: Select all

APPEND initrd=/p533/initrd.gz pmedia=usbflash psubdir=/p533
Thanks ETP, thats all working really well now. I'm using this on an Acer netbook which has an XP install that is purely for work use and must not be fiddled with, so this is a good method to let me switch between XP and puppy. I will see if I can afford to get a really low profile usb stick like a Sandisk Fit or a Lexar Echo ZX - they sit really close to the body and I will be able to leave one in permanently to do the dual booting. (Previously I was plugging in a usb stick only when I was wanting to boot puppy but it is annoying to have to keep taking it on and off my keyring...).

Initially I found that the netbook would not display the background image as the resolution needs to be 1024x600 so I used mtPaint to scale the bartsplash to the right size, then changed the resolution in the syslinux.cfg. All good now.

Thanks for your patience.

(The screen image actually looks way better resolution in real life than this pic suggests...)
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greengeek
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#37 Post by greengeek »

Hi ETP, I noted your comments above about limitations and cautions regarding using such a method with Win 7, and I wondered if you had since experimented with a version for Win7 or seen a similar thread covering that topic elsewhere?

I'm still using the stick I created with your XP/Puppy method daily on my work netbook but have now also had to purchase a Win7 device so wanted to try the same approach. I saw 01mickos post above so might give that a go - but I just wanted to check first if you have further advice in case of any recent update to the method.

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ETP
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Win 7

#38 Post by ETP »

Hi greengeek,
Please see my PM.
Regards ETP
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