grml2usb(8) ========== Name ---- grml2usb - install grml ISO(s) on usb device for booting Synopsis -------- grml2usb [ options ] ******************************************************************************* Important! The grml team does not take responsibility for loss of any data! ******************************************************************************* Introduction ------------ grml2usb installs grml on a given partition of your usb device and makes it bootable. It provides multi-iso support, meaning you can specify several grml ISOs on the command line at once and select the grml flavour you would like to boot on the bootbrompt then. Note that the *first* ISO specified on the grml2usb command line will become the default one (that's the one that will boot when just pressing enter on the bootprompt or wait until the boot timeout matches). [IMPORTANT] By default a compatible master boot record (MBR) is installed on the device (being for example /dev/sdb when executing 'grml2usb grml.iso /dev/sdb1') and grub is being used as default bootloader. Avoid installation of the default MBR using the --skip-mbr option or if you encounter any problems with the default MBR consider using --syslinux-mbr instead. If bootloader grub doesn't work for you check out the --syslinux option. Options ------- The ISO[s] might be the path to one or multiple grml-ISOs as well as the path to the currently running live-system (being /live/image). The device either might be a device name like /dev/sda1 or a directory. When specifying a device name the device is mounted automatically. When specifying a directory it won't be touched but instead grml2usb is assuming that you did set up a bootloader on your own and a bootloader won't be installed automatically. The following options are supported: *--bootoptions=...*:: Use specified bootoptions as default. *--bootloader-only*:: Do *not* copy files but instead just install a bootloader. Note that the boot addons are copied to /boot/addons at this stage as well. If you want to skip copying the boot addons consider using the --skip-addons option. *--copy-only*:: Copy files only but do *not* install a bootloader. *--dry-run*:: Avoid executing commands, instead show what would be executed. Warning: please notice that the ISO has to be mounted anyway, otherwise identifying the grml flavour would not be possible. *--fat16*:: Format specified partition with FAT16. **Important:** this will destroy any existing data on the specified partition! *--force*:: Force any (possible dangerous) actions requiring manual interaction (like --fat16). *--help*:: Display usage information and exit. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// *--initrd=...*:: Install specified initrd instead of the default. You might want to specify option *--kernel* as well. (Be aware when using multiboot setup.) [Notice: not implemented yet.] ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// *--kernel=...*:: Install specified kernel instead of the default. You might want to specify option *--initrd* as well. (Be aware when using multiboot setup.) [Notice: not implemented yet.] ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// *--lilo-binary=...*:: Use specified lilo executable for installing master boot record (MBR) when using the --syslinux-mbr option. By default any system wide (from $PATH) lilo executable is taken. If there can not be find any lilo executable the statically compiled version of the grml2usb Debian package (see /usr/share/grml2usb/lilo/lilo.static.[amd64|i386]) is taken. *--mbr-manager=...*:: Install master boot record (MBR) with integrated boot manager, providing a simple selection for specifying the device for booting from. This options is available only when using the default MBR and won't work if using the --syslinux-mbr option. *--quiet*:: Do not output anything but just errors on console. *--skip-addons*:: Do not install /boot/addons/ files (like dos, grub, memdisk,...). *--skip-mbr*:: Do not touch/install the master boot record (MBR). *--syslinux*:: Install syslinux bootloader instead of the default (being grub). *--syslinux-mbr*:: Install syslinux master boot record (MBR) instead of the default one. By default a very compatible MBR is installed, if you encounter any problems with it you can try using the syslinux MBR instead. If that works for you please <> so we can adjust our default MBR accordingly. Note: When using the --syslinux-mbr option lilo is executed before the MBR is installed so the according partitions are set active. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// *--squashfs=*:: Install specified squashfs file instead of the default. [Notice: not implemented yet.] ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// *--uninstall*:: Uninstall grml ISO files. [Notice: not implemented yet.] ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// *-v*, *--version*:: Return version and exit. *--verbose*:: Enable verbose mode. Developers Corner ----------------- Directory layout on usb device ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ boot/ -> |-- addons/ | |-- allinone.img [grub - all in one image] | |-- bsd4grml/ [MirBSD] | |-- balder10.imz [FreeDOS] | |-- memdisk [chainloading helper] | |-- memtest [memtest86+] |-- release/ | |-- grml/ | | |-- linux26 [Kernel] | | |-- initrd.gz [initramfs] | |-- grml64 | | |-- linux26 [Kernel] | | |-- initrd.gz [initramfs] | |-- grml-medium | | |-- linux26 [...] | | |-- initrd.gz | |-- grml64-medium | | |-- linux26 | | |-- initrd.gz | |-- grml-small | | |-- linux26 | | |-- initrd.gz | `-- grml64-small | |-- linux26 | |-- initrd.gz |-- grub/ | |-- grml.png [splash screen for grub2] | |-- grub.cfg [configuration file for grub2] | |-- menu.lst [configuration file for grub1] | |-- splash.xpm.gz [splash screen for grub1] `-- syslinux/ |-- boot.msg [boot splash for syslinux] |-- f1 [screen when pressing f1] |-- f2 [screen when pressing f2] |-- f3 [...] |-- f4 |-- f5 |-- f6 |-- f7 |-- f8 |-- f9 |-- f10 |-- logo.16 [graphical part of boot splash] `-- syslinux.cfg [configuration file for syslinux] grml/ |-- grml2usb.txt [not yet implemented] |-- grml-cheatcodes.txt [list of bootoptions for grml] |-- grml-version.txt [file containing information about grml-version] |-- LICENSE.txt [license information] |-- md5sums [md5sums of original ISO] |-- README.txt [informational text] `-- web/ [browser related files] |-- index.html |-- style.css `-- images/ |-- button.png |-- favicon.png |-- linux.jpg `-- logo.png live/ |-- grml/ | |-- filesystem.module [module specifying which squashfs should be used for grml] | `-- grml.squashfs [squashfs file for grml] |-- grml-medium/ | |-- filesystem.module [module specifying which squashfs should be used for grml-medium] | `-- grml-medium.squashfs [squashfs file for grml-medium] |-- grml-small/ | |-- filesystem.module [module specifying which squashfs should be used for grml-medium] | `-- grml-small.squashfs [squashfs file for grml-small] `-- ... Grabbing the source ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ % git clone git://git.grml.org/grml2usb.git Developers Debugging Hints ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To play with grml2usb you can avoid using a real device via a loopback file setup, like: # dd if=/dev/zero of=~/loopback bs=1M count=100 # adjust size to your needs # losetup /dev/loop1 ~/loopback Then create according partitions either running for example: # echo -en "n\np\n1\n\n\nt\n6\na\n1\n w\n" | fdisk /dev/loop1 or: # parted /dev/loop1 -s "mkpart primary fat16 0 -1s mkfs 1 fat16" Finally create a filesystem and execute grml2usb as needed: # mkfs.vfat /dev/loop1 # grml2usb --bootloader-only /grml/isos/grml-small_2008.11.iso /dev/loop1 Performance tracing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ # blktrace -d /dev/sdb -o - | blkparse -i - # grml2usb grml_2008.11.iso /dev/sdb1 [[X6]] Troubleshooting and Pitfalls when booting ----------------------------------------- Here is a list of common error messages from BIOS/bootloader when trying to boot from USB. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// TODO: better list type for the error message / reason part? See http://www.methods.co.nz/asciidoc/userguide.html /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// [horizontal] *Error message*:: ran out of input data. System halted *Reason*:: Everything OK, except for the filesystem used on your usb device. So instead of fat16 you are using for example fat32. Fix: use the appropriate filesystem (fat16 for usb pens usually). The Bootsplash might be displayed, the kernel loads but you very soon get the error message. *Error message*:: Invalid operating system *Reason*:: the partition layout is not ok. Very probably there's no primary partition (/dev/sdX{1..4}) or none has the flag 'bootable' set. *Error message*:: No operating system found. *Reason*:: you forgot to set the boot-flag on the partition. Or there really isn't any operating system at all. :) *Error message*:: kernel-panic: unable to mount root-fs... *Reason*:: Kernel boots but fails to find the root filesystem. The root= argument in your kernel commandline is pointing to the wrong device. Adjust root=..., consider using root=UUID=.... *Error message*:: Could not find kernel image: ... *Reason*:: either a broken isolinux/syslinux version or a broken BIOS. Check out whether the vendor provides a BIOS update or if using bootloader grub instead of isolinux/syslinux fixes the problem. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) -------------------------------- What's the difference between grml2hd and grml2usb? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ grml2hd installs a running grml system to a harddisk. When rebooting the harddisk installation can be modified and changes will find their way to the harddisk immediately. grml2usb copies just the compressed chroot filesystem (being the squashfs file), some further informational files and a bootloader to your device. This way you don't need as much space as with a harddisk installation (just a USB device with >=ISO size) and when rebooting the system your changes will be lost (even though a persistent root feature is work-in-progress). Think of using a better CD version: booting is (usually) faster, you don't need to burn a new CD when a new ISO version arrives (just install the new ISO using grml2usb) and you can carry additional files on a writable medium with yourself. Why is there a menu.lst and a grub.cfg inside /boot/grub/? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ grml2usb supports grub version 1 (grub1) as well as grub version 2 (grub2). Whereas grub1 uses menu.lst the new version grub2 needs grub.cfg. Providing both files allows grml2usb to install grub on the target device no matter which grub version is available on the host where grml2usb is executed on. grub-install fails with 'The file ../boot/grub/stage1 not read correctly"?! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Check whether the partition has the right partition type. For example do NOT use FAT16 (partition type 6) when using a ext3 filesystem on the partition but instead use the correct partition type ('83' - Linux) then. Why do I have to use a FAT16 filesystem? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have to use a FAT16 filesystem only if you consider using syslinux, Syslinux (currently) does not support any other filesystems. If you want to use another filesystem (like ext2/3) just don't use syslinux (drop the --syslinux option) but use the default bootloader (grub) instead. I think I've got a really cool idea! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Great! Please check out link:http://git.grml.org/?p=grml2usb.git;a=blob;f=TODO;hb=HEAD[the TODO file]. Feel free to <>. Patches highly appreciated. I've problems with booting from USB. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Check out <>. I've found a bug! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please <>. Please provide usage examples and output of your grml2usb commandline (consider using the "--verbose" option). Usage examples -------------- # grml2usb /home/grml/grml_2008.11.iso /dev/sdb1 Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdb1. # grml2usb /home/grml/grml_2008.11.iso /home/grml/grml_small_2008.11.iso /dev/sdb1 Install specified ISOs on device /dev/sdb1 for multibooting ISOs. Note: boot "grml" as usual, for booting grml-small use "grml-small on the bootprompt, for grml64 use "grml64" and so on... The *first* specified ISO is the one being the default (when just pressing enter or waiting until the timeout is reached). # grml2usb --fat16 /home/grml/grml_2008.11.iso /dev/sdb1 Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdb1 and format partition /dev/sdb1 with FAT16 filesystem. # grml2usb --syslinux /home/grml/grml_2008.11.iso /dev/sdb1 Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdb1 and use syslinux as bootloader (instead of grub being the default). ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// # grml2usb --kernel=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-grml --initrd=/boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-grml \ /home/grml/grml_2008.11.iso /dev/sdb1 Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdb1 but use given kernel and initrd instead of the ones provided by the ISO. # grml2usb --squashfs=/grml/grml-live/grml_cd/live/grml.squashfs \ /home/grml/grml_2008.11.iso /dev/sdb1 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdb1 but use given squashfs file instead of the one provided by the ISO. # grml2usb --bootoptions="lang=de ssh=mysecret" grml_2008.11.iso /dev/sdb1 Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdb1 and use "lang=de ssh=mysecret" as default bootoptions. Online Ressources ----------------- Check out the link:http://grml.org/grml2usb/[grml2usb webpage] and the link:http://git.grml.org/?p=grml2usb.git[grml2usb git repository]. Bugs ---- Please report feedback, bugreports and wishes <>. [[X7]] Author ------ Michael Prokop ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=tips#multiboot_usb_pen http://www.startx.ro/sugar/isotostick.sh https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ http://www.tux.org/pub/people/kent-robotti/looplinux/rip/mkusb.sh https://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator/ /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////