From afff5043f3f93adcdfbec1be43fe25b5f363dcf2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Marc Haber Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:55:48 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] add grml-autoconfig.txt add grml-autoconfig.txt, taken from grml-saveconfig's git-config.txt and re-worked. --- grml-autoconfig.txt | 577 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 577 insertions(+) create mode 100644 grml-autoconfig.txt diff --git a/grml-autoconfig.txt b/grml-autoconfig.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8440b12 --- /dev/null +++ b/grml-autoconfig.txt @@ -0,0 +1,577 @@ +grml-autoconfig +=============== + +Introduction +------------ + +By using the config framework, it is possible to customize grml's +startup in a multitude of ways. It allows to: + +- execute one or more scripts on startup +- install Debian packages from deb files on startup +- unpack configuration on startup + +The combination of Debs, Configuration and Scripts is called DCS in +grml. DCS can be read from the Live Image itself, from an arbitrary +file system on the local system which is marked with the volume label +GRMLCFG, or from the file system pointed to by the myconfig boot +parameter. + +The DCS handling is controlled by a number of boot parameters. + +The scripts save-config and restore-config can be used to create and +handle files called 'grml configuration archive', abbreviated GCA. +save-config stores the running configuration inside a GCA; +restore-config is a script to restore a configuration from a GCA. + +TIP: A GCA is a plain bzip2 compressed tar archive. All the files are +generated starting from the root-directory '/' so it is easy to +handle. You can generate configuration archives manually as well. +save-config is just a frontend which should make it easier to use. + +The grml-autoconfig code has been re-worked in August 2009. This +document handles both the behavior of grml releases up to 2009.05 and +the current behavior. Great care has been taken to provide maximum +backwards compatibility during the rewrite. + + +Behavior up to grml 2009.05 +--------------------------- + +Autoconfiguration +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +By default the booting process tries to mount a device labeled +'GRMLCFG'. This provides the possibility to restore a configuration +(named config.tbz) and execute a script (named grml.sh) without the +need to specify any bootparams. If you want to disable this feature +please take a look at the 'noautoconfig' bootparam. + +Boot parameters +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +As you probably know you can adjust boot parameters on the bootprompt. You want +to set some boot parameters permanently? That's possible via adding a directory +named 'bootparams' to the grml-ISO which has to be located at the root-directory +/bootparams/ (note: the directory is known as /live/image/bootparams/ on a +_running_ grml system then). Place a textfile inside the directory containing +the boot parameters which should be appended to default ones (this corresponds to +booting without any special parameters). If you want to be able to boot from your +grml-CD you have to create a multisession CD. See the <> for +more details how to use it or consider booting from a USB device (checkout +grml2usb). + +The following boot parameters are supported. Use them at the (isolinux) +bootprompt as documented here. + +myconfig:: + + This parameter is for restoring configuration using the file config.tbz + on the specified device. Usage examples: + + myconfig=/dev/sda1 => use file config.tbz from usb-device + myconfig=/dev/fd0 => use file config.tbz from floppy-disk + myconfig=/dev/sda1 file=config_foobar.tbz => use file config_foobar.tbz from usb-device + +home:: + + This parameter is for setting a specific partition as home directory. + Usage examples: + + home=/dev/sda3 => use /dev/sda3 as the homepartition + home=scan => scan through the available partitions and search + for file grml.img + +partconf:: + + This parameter mounts the specified device in read-only mode and tries + to copy all files specified in /etc/grml/partconf to the grml + system. This provides the possibility to use the configuration of a + harddisk installation. For example using the network configuration + (which is specified in /etc/network) is possible using this + boot parameter. Usage example: + + partconf=/dev/sda2 => try to mount /dev/sda2 and copy files specified + in /etc/grml/partconf to the booted grml system + +netconfig:: + Use this parameter to restore configuration using wget to download + a configuration file from specified destination. Usage example: + + netconfig=server.tld/path/to/config.tbz => restore configuration using wget to download file config.tbz + +extract:: + + Extract specific directories from configuration archive. Notice: + This bootparam is useful only with bootparams which are able to + extract configuration archives. + + extract=/home/grml => extract only /home/grml from archive + extract=/etc => extract only /etc from archive + extract=/home/grml/config => extract only $HOME/config from archive + +scripts:: + + This parameter executes a script located in the root-directory /scripts/ on the + grml media/ISO (note: the directory is known as /live/image/scripts/ on a + _running_ grml system then). Usage examples: + + scripts => run script [/live/image]/scripts/grml.sh + scripts=foobar.sh => run script foobar.sh in [/live/image]/scripts/ + +config:: + + This parameter restores a configuration using root-directory /config/ on the + grml media/ISO (note: the directory is known as /live/image/config on a + _running_ grml system then). Usage examples: + + config => restore configuration using file config.tbz from directory [/live/image]/config/ + config=config_foobar.tbz => restore configuration using file config_foobar.tbz from directory [/live/image]/config/ + +debs:: + + This parameter allows automatic installation of deb packages while + booting. The debian packages have to be located in the root-directory /debs/ + on the grml media/ISO (note: the directory is known as /live/image/debs/ on + a _running_ grml system then). Usage examples: + + debs => install all debian packages (suffix .deb) from directory [/live/image]/debs/ + debs=01 => install all debian packages (suffix .deb) starting with 01 in the filename from directory [/live/image]/debs/ + + +noautoconfig:: + + Deactivate automounting. By default the command 'mount' tries to mount a + device with label 'GRMLCFG'. If you specify the noautoconfig bootparam + the automounting will be deactivated. + + noautoconfig => disables auto mounting of label 'GRMLCFG' + + +Behavior in current development snapshots +----------------------------------------- + +The central concept of grml-autoconfig is the DCS directory which +holds debs, configuration and scripts which are used during system +startup. + + +Determination of DCS directory +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +The DCS directory defaults to the root directory of the GRML live +image. If a file system labeled GRMLCFG is found, the DCS directory is +the root directory of that file system. Alternatively, the myconfig +boot parameter can be used to directly specify a device which is then +taken as DCS directory (myconfig=/dev/sda1, for example). + +Without any additional boot parameters, the GCA at DCSDIR/config.tbz +is automatically unpacked and DCSDIR/scrips/grml.sh is automaitcally +executed on system startup. The 'noautoconfig' boot parameter disables +this automatic behavior. + + +Boot Parameters +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +The following boot parameters are supported. Use them at the (isolinux) +bootprompt as documented here. + +myconfig:: + + This parameter directly sets DCSDIR to the root directory of the + specified device. Usage examples: + + myconfig=/dev/sda1 => read DCS from usb-device + myconfig=/dev/fd0 => read DCS from floppy-disk + +home:: + + This parameter is for setting a specific partition as home directory. + Usage examples: + + home=/dev/sda3 => use /dev/sda3 as the homepartition + home=scan => scan through the available partitions and search + for file grml.img + +partconf:: + + This parameter mounts the specified device in read-only mode and tries + to copy all files specified in /etc/grml/partconf to the grml + system. This provides the possibility to use the configuration of a + harddisk installation. For example using the network configuration + (which is specified in /etc/network) is possible using this + boot parameter. Usage example: + + partconf=/dev/sda2 => try to mount /dev/sda2 and copy files specified + in /etc/grml/partconf to the booted grml system + +netconfig:: + Use this parameter to restore configuration using wget to download + a GCA from the specified destination. Usage example: + + netconfig=server.tld/path/to/config.tbz => restore configuration using wget to download file config.tbz + +extract:: + + Extract specific directories from the GCA which needs to be + specified by other means. + + extract=/home/grml => extract only /home/grml from archive + extract=/etc => extract only /etc from archive + extract=/home/grml/config => extract only $HOME/config from archive + +scripts:: + + This parameter executes scripts. If an optional path is given, it + is relative to DCSDIR. If it points to a directory, all scripts + inside this directory are executed. If the path points to a file, + this single file is executed. If no path is given, it defaults to + scripts/grml.sh. Usage examples: + + scripts => run script DCSDIR/scripts/grml.sh + scripts=foobar.sh => run script foobar.sh in DCSDIR + scripts=foobar => run all scripts inside DCSDIR/foobar directory + +config:: + + This parameter restores a configuration using a GCA. If an + optional path is given, it is relative to DCSDIR. If no path is + given, it defaults to DCSDIR/config.tbz. Usage examples: + + config => restore configuration using file DCSDIR/config.tbz + config=config_foobar.tbz => restore configuration using file DCSDIR/config_foobar.tbz + +debs:: + + This parameter allows automatic installation of deb packages while + booting. The path is relative to DCSDIR, not optional and is a + shell wildcard. All Files matching the wildcard are installed in a + single dpkg --install call. For backwards compatibility, if no + slash is contained in the path, it is taken relative to DCSDIR/debs. + + Usage examples: + + debs=*.deb => install all debian packages (suffix .deb) from directory DCSDIR/debs/ + debs=foo/01*.deb => install all debian packages (suffix .deb) starting with 01 in the filename from directory DCSDIR/foo + + +noautoconfig:: + + Deactivate automounting. By default the scripts try to mount a + device with label 'GRMLCFG'. If you specify the noautoconfig bootparam + this automounting will be deactivated. + + noautoconfig => disables auto mounting of label 'GRMLCFG' + + +Permanently adjust boot parameters +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +As you probably know you can adjust boot parameters on the bootprompt. You want +to set some boot parameters permanently? That's possible via adding a directory +named 'bootparams' to the grml-ISO which has to be located at the root-directory +/bootparams/ (note: the directory is known as /live/image/bootparams/ on a +_running_ grml system then). Place a textfile inside the directory containing +the boot parameters which should be appended to default ones (this corresponds to +booting without any special parameters). + + mkdir bootparams + echo lang=de > bootparams/my_bootparams + +Then burn a multisession CD where directory bootparams is located in the root +directory of the CD. + +[NOTE] +Not all boot parameters can be used via /bootparams/. This is a limitation of the +way the kernel and userspace retrieve boot parameters. Boot parameter regarding the +kernel definitely do *NOT* work. Boot parameter related to grml-autoconfig (the +main part of the boot process in grml running in userspace, being all the stuff +after startup of udev) are expected to work. Boot parameter related to +initrd/initramfs (the part between 'Searching for GRML file' and startup of +udev) are *NOT* covered by /bootparams/ as well yet. + +TIP: the application k3b (not available on the live-CD but available +through the Debian repositories) provides an easy to use interface for +doing the multisession task. + + + +Scripts +------- + +NAME +~~~~ +save-config - save configuration ; restore-config - restore +configuration; mkpersistenthome - create persistent home directory; +more options available via boot parameters (see above) + +SYNOPSIS +~~~~~~~~ +save-config - please take a look at 'save-config -h' ; restore-config +- please take a look at 'restore-config -h', mkpersistenthome (no +options available) + + +save-config - save configuration +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +This script generates a plain bzip2 compressed tar archive containing +the specified files, suitable as a GCA. The following options are +supported for specifying which parts should be saved in the +configuration file: + + -home store hidden files from $HOME ($HOME/.*) + -grmlhome store hidden files from \$HOME (\$HOME/.*) of user grml [use as user root] + -etc store modified files from /etc + -configdir store $HOME/config + -all store all configuration files (:= -home, -configdir and -etc) + +TIP: It is also possible to use environment variables for specifying which parts +should be saved. Just set the corresponding variable: $SAVE_HOME, $SAVE_ETC, +$SAVE_CONFIGDIR and $SAVE_ALL + +The default filename of the generated configuration file is +config.tbz. The following options are supported for specifying +another destination of the configuration file: + + -ssh user@host:/path/to/file copy configuration via ssh/scp to remote host + -mail send configuration via mail + -file foo_bar_config.tbz save configuration in specified file + +Usage examples: + + save-config -all => store all configuration files in config.tbz in current dir + save-config -home -mail devnull@grml.org => store $HOME/.* in config.tbz and send it via mail + save-config -etc -ssh devnull@grml.org:/path/ => store /etc in config.tbz and scp it to specified host + save-config -all -file foo.tbz => store all configuration files in foo.tbz + SAVE_ALL=yes save-config -file /path/foo.tbz => store all configuration files in /path/foo.tbz + +restore-config - restore configuration +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +You can either restore a GCA using the boot parameters or by a script file +named 'restore-config'. Specify the filename of the configuration +archive which should be used as a parameter. The following options are +available to specify which parts of the archive should be extracted. + + -home extract hidden files from $HOME ($HOME/.*) + -grmlhome store hidden files from \$HOME (\$HOME/.*) of user grml [use as user root] + -etc extract modified files from /etc + -configdir extract $HOME/config + +The default is to extract (restore) all files found in the archive. + +TIP: It is also possible to use environment variables for specifying +which part should be restored. Just set the corresponding variable: +$RESTORE_HOME, $RESTORE_ETC, $RESTORE_CONFIGDIR and $RESTORE_ALL + +Usage examples: + + restore-config -home foo_bar_config.tbz => restore configuration from file foo_bar_config.tbz + restore-config config.tbz => restore configuration from file config.tbz + +mkpersistenthome - use persistent home-directory +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +You have a local partition you would like to use as your +home-directory? Just use the interactive script called +'mkpersistenthome'. It will either create a file named grml.img on the +specified partition or create a partition using the ext2 filesystem +(you can specify the option in a dialog inside the program). grml.img +is a loopback device which size you can specify manually. It is +possible to scan through the partitions to identify the appropriate +partition. To use a home-directory located on your hard-drive use the +appropriate boot parameter on bootprompt: + + home=/dev/sda3 => use /dev/sda3 as the homepartition + home=scan => scan through the available partitions and search for file grml.img + +[[X7]] +Usage scenarios +--------------- + +Personal configuration files +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +You are a fan of the editor vim? Great. You probably have your own +~/.vimrc and want to use it on the grml system. You also don't like +the default zsh configuration and want to use your own ~/.zshrc? +How to procede? Copy your .vimrc and .zshrc to $HOME of user 'grml'. +Place additional files in $HOME/config. Now create a configuration for +your files running: + + save-config -home -configdir + +Now you should have a file named config.tbz containing your +configuration files. You can copy the archive to a webserver +and restore it via downloading during reboot using the following +commandline on bootprompt: + + grml netconfig=server.tld/path/to/config.tbz + +You don't have network access but own a floppy drive? Copy the file +to a floppy disk and boot with: + + grml myconfig=/dev/fd0 + +Floppy is to small or to slow? Ok, let's use a usb device: + + grml myconfig=/dev/sda1 + + +Network configuration +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +You need a specific network setup and want to use your own +/etc/network/interfaces by default? Generate the configuration +archive running the following command as user root: + + save-config -etc + +Now you should have a file named config.tbz containing your +configuration files. If you want to use it with a floppy disk copy the +file to a floppy and boot via using the following command on +bootprompt: + + grml myconfig=/dev/fd0 + +Floppy is to small or to slow? Ok, let's use a usb device: + + grml myconfig=/dev/sda1 + +You do have an existing harddisk installation and want to use its +configuration? Let's say the debian system is located in /dev/sda2. You +want to use the directory /etc/network. This directory is activated by +default in /etc/grml/partconf so we don't have to do any further work. +We just need to activate it via using the following commandline on +bootprompt: + + grml partconf=/dev/sda2 + +Automatic installation of debian packages +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +You have a specified debian package named 'foobar.deb' and want to use +it with (therefore: install it on) grml by default? Notice: this feature +is useful especially for grml-small (a ~80 MB ISO). If you want to use it +with the large version of grml you might have to overburn the ISO. + +Let's assume you have burned the grml iso to a CD-RW using a commandline like: + + cdrecord dev=/dev/hdc -v -multi -tao grml_0.5.iso + +Now create a directory named debs and place foobar.deb in it: + + mkdir debs/ && cp foobar.deb debs/ + +Notice: This directory will be located in /live/image after burning the second session. + +Now create the second session containing this directory: + + mkisofs -M grml_0.5.iso -C `cdrecord -msinfo dev=/dev/hdc` -R -o 2nd_session.iso debs + +Finally append the second session to the cd using: + + cdrecord dev=/dev/hdc -v -multi -tao 2nd_session.iso + +TIP: the application k3b (not available on the live-CD but available +through the Debian repositories) provides an easy to use interface for +doing the multisession task. + +Now boot from your new personalized grml cd using the debs parameter: + + grml debs + +Run your own commands on startup +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +You know that booting with 'grml service=foobar' executes +/etc/init.d/foobar when booting grml. But you want to setup a more +complex network configuration, adjust some other stuff and so on on your +own? Just write a script named grml.sh which does the job and use own +of the mentioned bootparams. Let's say you have placed grml.sh on your +usb device (usb stick) then use the following commandline on bootprompt: + + grml myconfig=/dev/sda1 + +Or even better: create a floppy disk with label GRMLCFG running: + + fdformat /dev/fd0 # format the floppy disk if not done already + mkfs.ext2 -L GRMLCFG /dev/fd0 # now create ext2 filesystem with label GRMLCFG on it: + +TIP: several filesystems provide the possibility to provide a label. +For example FAT provides this through: 'mkfs.vfat -n GRMLCFG +/dev/sda1' (attention: this will destroy data on /dev/sda1 of +course!). Take a look at the documentation/manpage of the filesystem +you want to use. + +Now place your configuration archive (see save-config and the other +usage scenarios) and the script grml.sh on the floppy disk. Now you can +boot your system without specifying any bootparameters on bootprompt +because devices labeled with GRMLCFG are mounted readonly and used by +default. If you did not label your device you can use the device anyway +using 'grml myconfig=/dev/ice' on the bootprompt. + +Debug remote systems +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +You are responsible for a customer's system in her data center. The +system has failed and you need to debug from remote, and the remote +hands available in the data center do not have enough knowledge to get +grml booted and configure the network without external help? + +If the hard disk of the system is still available, you hopefully have +saved a configuration file with IP address, netmask and default +gateway somewhere on that hard disk. grml can use the information +found on a partition. Take a look at the 'partconf' boot parameter. +Usage example: 'grml partconf=/dev/sda2' copies files defined in +/etc/grml/partconf from /dev/sda2 to the grml system. As /etc/network +is predefined in /etc/grml/partconf the configuration from /dev/sda2 +will be taken. + +Or you use a standard grml medium and have grml read IP address, +netmask and default gateway from another medium like a floppy or an USB +stick. Take a look at the script saveconfig and the boot parameter +myconfig. + +Or you put a grml.iso file on your hard disk (maybe in /boot/grml) or +on an USB stick, use grub to boot from there and place debs, +configuration scripts or grml configuraton archives alongside the .iso. + +Use persistent home directory +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +You want to use a persistent home directory which includes all the files +located in $HOME. Use the script mkpersistenthome to create such a +persistent home directory. You have the options to either use a +specific partition as your home directory or add a loopback file +named grml.img on the specified partition (the default). + +TIP: /dev/external in the partition selection of mkpersistenthome is +an usb device without partitions. /dev/external1 corresponds to the +first partition on an usb device (usually an usb stick). + +After running the script mkpersistenthome you can use the boot +parameter home to activate the home directory. If you are using the +option with the loopback file (grml.img) you can boot via: + + grml home=scan + +which will scan through the partitions and if a file grml.img is found +it will be mounted as your $HOME-directory. If you want to use a +partition as your home directory specify the device as an option. If +you want to use /dev/sda2 as your $HOME boot via: + + grml home=/dev/sda2 + +Notice: the files located in /etc/skel will be copied to the partition +(but will not overwrite any files). + +Bugs +~~~~ +Please report feedback, bugreports and wishes link:http://grml.org/contact/[to us]! + +Author +~~~~~~ +(c) 2005++, Michael Prokop -- 2.1.4