1 CHEATCODES AND HINTS FOR GRML
2 ==============================================================================
4 Isolinux bootprompt options:
5 ----------------------------
7 These options work from the isolinux bootprompt of Grml based (live) systems.
8 (Do NOT use them as 'grml $OPTION', use them as '$OPTION'!):
10 grml Use default settings (same as just pressing return)
11 grml2ram Copy Grml's squashfs file to RAM and
12 run from there (compare with 'grml toram')
13 memtest Run Memtest86+ instead of Linux
14 fb1280x1024 Use fixed framebuffer graphics (1)
15 fb1024x768 Use fixed framebuffer graphics (2) [notice: Grml's default]
16 fb800x600 Use fixed framebuffer graphics (3)
17 nofb Disable framebuffer
18 floppy Boot from floppydisk
19 hd / hd1 / hd2 / hd3 Boot from (local) primary / secondary /... harddisk
20 debug Get shells during process of booting for debugging
21 forensic Do not touch any harddisks during hardware recognition
22 serial Activate ttyS0 and start a getty
23 grub Boot Grub bootloader (special all-in-one-image)
25 hdt Boot Hardware Detection Tool (from syslinux project)
27 Further documentation regarding the boot process can be found at:
28 * http://git.grml.org/?p=live-initramfs-grml.git;a=blob_plain;f=manpages/live-initramfs.en.7.txt;hb=HEAD
29 * https://manpages.debian.org/live-boot-doc/live-boot.7.en.html
30 * https://manpages.debian.org/initramfs-tools-core/initramfs-tools.7.en.html
31 * https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.html
33 The following boot options can be combined.
34 Notice: not all of them are available on all the Grml flavours.
35 For example the X window system is not part of grml-small.
39 grml lang=at|de|cn|da|es|fr|it Specify language ($LANG, $LC_ALL, $LANGUAGE - utf8) + keyboard
40 grml lang=nl|pl|ru|sk|tr|tw|us Specify language ($LANG, $LC_ALL, $LANGUAGE - utf8) + keyboard
41 grml utc Hardware Clock is set to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
42 grml localtime Hardware Clock is set to local time (LOCAL), this is the default
43 grml tz=Europe/Vienna Use specified timezone for TZ, defaults to TZ=UTC
44 grml keyboard=us Use different keyboard layout
46 Configuration settings:
47 -----------------------
48 grml myconfig=/dev/fd0 Set the DCS dir (debs, config, scripts) to the root of this device
49 DCS dir defaults to the live image or a device labeled GRMLCFG
50 If a file /config.tbz exists, it is extracted from there.
51 /dev/fd0 for floppy disk
52 /dev/sda1 for USB-stick/first SCSI-device
53 grml autoconfig=SOMELABEL Set the DCS dir to the root of the device labeled with SOMELABEL.
54 If undefined search for a device labeled with GRMLCFG.
55 grml netconfig=server/config.tbz Download file and extract configuration archive
56 grml netscript=server/file Download and execute file
57 grml partconf=/dev/sda2 Copy files specified in /etc/grml/partconf from /dev/sda2
58 to booting grml system
59 grml file=foobar.tbz Use specified file as name for configuration archive
60 instead of the default one (config.tbz)
61 grml extract=/etc Extract only /etc from configuration archive,
62 use it in combination with myconfig or netconfig
63 grml persistence Enable persistency feature, more details available at
64 http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=persistency
65 grml hostname=... Set hostname to given argument
66 grml hostname Set a random hostname
67 [Note: only available with releases newer than 2010.04]
68 grml nonetworking Do not create/overwrite /etc/network/interface during startup
69 grml distri=... Set distribution name to given argument. If a jpg file named like the
70 given distri name can be found in directory desktop on the ISO
71 (/cdrom/desktop/"$DISTRI") it will be taken as wallpaper for grml
72 grml debnet Search through local partitions for file /etc/network/interfaces,
73 copy /etc/network to local system and restart networking then
74 grml dns=8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4 Set DNS resolvers during boot and for live system.
75 grml ip=... Standard Linux kernel ip= boot option. Arguments:
76 clientip:nfsserverip:gwip:netmask:hostname:device:autoconf
77 Valid values for autoconf: off, on, dhcp, bootp, rarp, both.
78 Almost everything is optional. Most common form: ip=dhcp
79 grml mypath=... Add specified option into $PATH of Zsh
80 For example when using "grml mypath=/foobar" then /foobar
81 will be added to the end of $PATH inside Zsh
82 grml debs Install all Debian packages from the "debs" directory of your DCS
83 directory (see myconfig=, typically the root of your ISO image).
84 grml debs=path-name-wildcard Install Debian packages from DCS directory (see myconfig=,
85 typically the root of your ISO image). If path does not contain a
86 "/" the package(s) will be installed from directory "debs" of the
87 DCS directory instead. The "path-name-wildcard" can contain
88 wildcards (e.g. debs=rat* will install a packages starting with "rat"
89 from directory debs/).
90 grml scripts=path-name Execute script (defaulting to grml.sh) inside DCS dir. Path names
91 allowed. If path-name points to a directory, all scripts found in
92 the directory are executed.
93 grml config=path-name Unpack archive that path-name points to
94 grml noautoconfig Disable searching for device labeled GRMLCFG
95 grml nobeep Disable welcome chime, sounded before grml-quickconfig starts.
97 Notice: Take a look at http://grml.org/config/ and 'man 1 grml-autoconfig'
98 for more information regarding the configuration framework of Grml.
100 Booting related options:
101 ------------------------
102 grml toram Copy the whole CD/medium to RAM and run from there
103 grml toram=filename.squashfs Copy the specified file to RAM and run from there
104 Usage example: grml toram=grml-medium.squashfs
105 Notice: grml2ram is an alias for this option which
106 corresponds with the grml flavour settings by default
107 grml tohd=/dev/sda1 Copy Grml's squashfs file to harddisk partition for later
108 use via "grml bootfrom=/dev/sda1"
109 grml bootfrom=/dev/sda1 Use the squashfs file from directory 'live' of the specified device
110 Setup can be done booting 'grml tohd=/dev/sda1' or
111 running 'rsync -a --progress /run/live/medium/live /media/sda1/'
112 grml bootfrom=removable Restrict search for the live media to removable type only.
113 grml bootfrom=removable-usb Restrict search for the live media to usb mass storage only.
114 grml isofrom=/dev/sda1/grml.iso Use specified ISO image for booting
115 Useful when booting as a rescue system from harddisk - just boot
116 the according grml kernel and initrd using the bootoptions
117 "boot=live isofrom=/dev/sda1/grml.iso"
118 Notice: "fromiso" does the same as "isofrom", it's just there
119 to prevent any typing errors
120 grml findiso=/grml_2010.12.iso Look for the specified ISO file on all disks where it usually
121 looks for the .squashfs file (so you don't have to know the device name
123 grml fetch=$IP/filename.squashfs Download a squashfs image from a given url, copying to ram and booting it.
124 [Note: releases before 2011.05 didn't support DNS but IP only.]
125 grml live-media-path=/live/grml... Sets the path to the live filesystem on the medium
126 By default, it is set to /live/$GRML_FLAVOUR/ (where $GRML_FLAVOUR
127 is corresponding to grml64-full, grml32-full, grml64-small,...
128 [Note: this option is mandatory since release 2011.12]
129 grml module=grml Instead of using the default "$name.module" another file can
130 be specified without the extension ".module"; it should be placed
131 on "/live" directory of the live medium
132 Useful for Multiboot USB pen, see
133 http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=tips#multiboot_usb_pen
134 grml bootid=mybootid Use specified argument as identifier for the ISO.
135 mybootid is specified in /conf/bootid.txt on the ISO.
136 [Note: only available since release 2010.04]
137 grml ignore_bootid Disable bootid verification.
138 [Note: only available since release 2010.04]
141 Debugging related settings:
142 ---------------------------
143 grml debug Get shells during process of booting, using GNU screen, be verbose
144 grml debug=1 Get shells during process of booting, using GNU screen, be verbose and
145 display shell code being executed in initramfs.
146 grml debug=noscreen Get shells during process of booting, verbose, but without using GNU screen
147 grml nocolor Disable colorized output while booting
148 Also set SYSTEMD_COLORS=0 to disable colors in systemd output
149 grml log Log error messages while booting to /tmp/grml.log.`date +%Y%m%d`"
151 grml testcd Check CD data integrity and md5sums
153 Security / login related settings:
154 ----------------------------------
156 grml ssh=password Set password for root & grml user and start ssh-server
157 grml passwd=... Set password for root & grml user
158 grml encpasswd=.... Set specified hash as password for root & grml user, use e.g.
159 'mkpasswd -H md5' to generate such a hash (available in Grml >=2013.09)
161 Service related settings:
162 -------------------------
163 grml startup=script Start $script instead of grml-quickconfig on startup
164 grml nosyslog Do not start syslog daemon
165 grml nogpm Disable GPM daemon
166 grml noconsolefont Disable setting of console font (using consolechars)
167 grml noblank Disable console blanking
168 grml noquick Disable grml-quickconfig startup script
169 grml wondershaper=eth0,1000,500 Set up basic traffic shaping
170 grml services={postfix,mysql,...} Start service(s) which have an init-script (/etc/init.d/)
171 grml welcome Welcome message via soundoutput
172 grml noeject Do NOT eject CD after halt/reboot
173 grml noprompt Do NOT prompt to remove the CD when halting/rebooting the system
174 grml startx{=windowmanager} Start X window system automatically
175 Default window manager (if not provided): wm-ng (wrapper around fluxbox)
176 grml nostartx If using startx as default bootoption the nostartx *disables* automatic
177 startup of X again. (This bootoption is relevant for grml based derivatives
178 which decide to enable startx by default only, plain grml does not use
179 automatic startup of X by default.)
180 grml vnc=password Start VNC server with startup of X.org and sets the password to the specified
181 one. To automatically start the VNC server use the startx bootoption.
182 [Note: Grml 2011.12+ doesn't include a VNC server.]
183 grml vnc_connect=host[:port] Connect to a listening VNC client ("vncviewer -listen" reverse connection).
184 Can be used to connect from devices behind firewalls as connection is
185 initiated from the VNC server instead of the VNC client. Has to be
186 combined with the vnc bootoption.
187 [Note: Grml 2011.12+ doesn't include a VNC client.]
188 grml getfile.retries=$NUM Retry the download of the files specified in the netconfig=... +
189 netscript=... options up to $NUM times
192 Accessibility related settings:
193 -------------------------------
194 grml brltty=type,port,table Parameters for Braille device (e.g.: brltty=al,/dev/ttyS0,text.de.tbl)
195 See http://mielke.cc/brltty/guidelines.html for documentation.
197 Hardware related settings:
198 --------------------------
199 grml swap Activate present/detected swap partitions
200 grml noswraid Disable scanning for software raid arrays (creates /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf)
201 grml swraid Enable automatic assembling of software raid arrays
202 grml nodmraid Do not enable present dmraid devices.
203 grml dmraid=on Automatically enable any present dmraid devices.
204 grml dmraid=off Actively try to stop any present dmraid devices.
205 grml nolvm Disable scanning for Logical Volumes (LVM)
206 grml lvm Automatically activate Logival Volumes (LVM) during boot
207 grml read-only Make sure all harddisk devices (/dev/hd* /dev/sd*) are forced to read-only mode
208 grml ethdevice=... Use specified network device for network boot instead of default (eth0)
209 grml ethdevice-timeout=... Use specified network configuration timeout instead of default (15sec)
210 grml xmodule=ati|fbdev|i810|mga Use specified X.org-Module (1)
211 grml xmodule=nv|radeon|savage|s3 Use specified X.org-Module (2)
212 grml xmodule=radeon|svga|i810 Use specified X.org-Module (3)
213 grml no{acpi,cpu,dhcp,fstab,swap} Skip parts of HW-detection
214 grml blacklist=modulename[,module2] Completely disable loading of specified module(s) via
215 blacklisting through udev's /etc/modprobe.d/grml
216 grml nosound Mute sound devices (notice: this does not deactivate loading of sound drivers!)
217 grml vol=number Set mixer volumes to level $number
218 grml micvol=number Set mixer volume of microphone to level $number (default: 0)
219 grml acpi=off Disable ACPI Bios completely
220 grml pci=irqmask=0x0e98 Try this, if PS/2 mouse doesn't work *)
221 grml pci=bios Workaround for bad PCI controllers
222 grml libata.force=[ID:]VAL Force configurations for libata.
223 Usage example: grml libata.force=1:pio4
224 to force pio4 mode on device "ata1:00:"
225 grml libata.dma=0 Disable DMA on PATA and SATA devices
226 grml libata.ignore_hpa=1 Disable host protected area (which should enable the whole disk)
227 grml vga=normal No-framebuffer mode (does not influence X)
228 grml vga=ask Display menu for framebuffer mode
229 grml radeon.modeset=0 nomodeset Disable Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) for Radeon driver.
230 grml i915.modeset=0 nomodeset Disable Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) for Intel driver.
231 grml nouveau.modeset=0 nomodeset Disable Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) for Nouveau driver.
232 grml cirrus.modeset=0 nomodeset Disable Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) for Cirrus driver.
233 grml mgag200.modeset=0 nomodeset Disable Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) for MGAG200 driver.
235 Installation related settings:
236 ------------------------------
238 Caution: do *NOT* use the debian2hd bootoption if you do not know what you are doing!
240 Install plain Debian via debian2hd bootoption (which runs grml-debootstrap in non-interactive mode):
242 debian2hd <options> ... whereas valid options for debian2hd are:
244 target= target partition/directory of the new Debian system, e.g.: target=/dev/sda1
245 grub= where to install grub to, e.g.: grub=/dev/sda
246 release= specify release of new Debian system (default is stable), e.g.: release=sid
247 mirror= specify mirror for apt-get/aptitude, e,g.: mirror=http://ftp.debian.org/debian
248 password= set passwort of user root without prompting for it, e.g.: password=AiTh5ahn
250 Usage example for automatic installation:
252 debian2hd target=/dev/sda1 grub=/dev/sda mirror=http://ftp.debian.org/debian password=foobar
254 See http://grml.org/grml-debootstrap/ for more information.
259 *) If your Grml-CD makes strange noises during boot, or you see frequent
260 errors like "squashfs: read error", or programs are crashing randomly,
261 then your CD image is probably defective or incomplete, your CD-burner
262 created a defective CD due to wrong writing speed or bad media or your
263 CD-ROM drive is broken. This is the most common error reported. Please
264 boot with "grml testcd" to check if the CD is OK, and/or even better,
265 verify the MD5 checksums that are present on the mirrors before writing
266 the CD. Check your CD low-level via running 'readcd -c2scan
267 dev=/dev/cdrom'. In some cases, defective IDE controllers cause this
268 error if you have DMA enabled. Also, please read the grml-FAQ.
270 *) In case of a failing hardware autodetection, try booting with any of
271 the "no-" options as shown in the table above, like in
272 grml noagp noapic acpi=off nodma
273 to skip some critical parts of the autodetection system.
275 *) The "myconfig=/dev/partition" option allows you to reconfigure the
276 system after autoconfiguration by running a bourne shell script called
277 "grml.sh" and/or extracting configuration files from a file named
278 config.tbz from the root directory on the given device (or floppy).
279 Take a look at http://grml.org/config/ for more information regarding
280 the configuration framework of grml.
282 *) If you wish to remaster the CD, please don't forget to specify
284 -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table \
285 -b boot/isolinux/isolinux.bin -c boot/isolinux/boot.cat
287 as option to mkisofs. Otherwise your CD won't be bootable. The
288 directory live, containing the squashfs compressed filesystem file,
289 must be located in the top level directory of the CD.
291 *) Caution: screensavers: Don't start physlock or any other screensaver
292 that requires a password manually. There are no default passwords on
293 the live system - all accounts are LOCKED by default for security reasons.
294 Instead just invoke the script grml-lock which prompts for setting a
projects / grml-live.git / blob