Important! The grml team does not take responsibility for loss of any data!
*******************************************************************************
+[[introduction]]
Introduction
------------
[IMPORTANT]
By default a compatible master boot record (MBR) is installed on the device
-(being for example /dev/sdx when executing 'grml2usb grml.iso /dev/sdx1')
-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.
+(being for example /dev/sdX when executing 'grml2usb grml.iso /dev/sdX1') 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.
+[NOTE]
+Whereas grml2usb is the script to install recent grml ISOs (>=2009.10) the
+script grml2usb-compat supports older grml releases (<2009.10) as well.
+
+[[options]]
Options
-------
The ISO[s] should be the path to one or multiple grml-ISOs and/or the path to
the currently running live-system (being /live/image).
-The device either might be a device name like /dev/sdx1 or a directory. When
+The device either might be a device name like /dev/sdX1 or a directory. When
specifying a device name the device is mounted automatically. When specifying a
directory grml2usb is assuming that you did set up a bootloader on your own (or
don't need one) and a bootloader won't be installed automatically.
Force any (possible dangerous) actions requiring manual interaction (like --fat16).
+ *\--grub-mbr*::
+
+Install grub into MBR (Master Boot Record) instead of PBR (Partition Boot
+Record). Check out <<mbr-vs-pbr,the 'mbr-vs-pbr' section in the FAQ of this
+document>> for further details.
+
*\--help*::
Display usage information and exit.
*\--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
+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.
disc support but without an integrated boot menu is installed (so it's not
visible at all but instead directly jumps to the bootloader - being grub or
syslinux). Note: This options is available only when using the default MBR and
-won't have any effect if you're using the --syslinux-mbr option.
+won't have any effect if you're using the '--syslinux-mbr' option.
*\--quiet*::
Do not install /boot/addons/ files (like dos, grub, memdisk,...).
+ *\--remove-bootoption=...*::
+
+Remove specified bootoption (could be a regex) from existing boot options. Use
+multiple entries for removing different bootoptions at once. (Note: this option
+is not support in grml2usb-compat.)
+
+ *\--skip-grub-config*::
+
+Skip generation of grub configuration files. By default the configuration
+files for syslinux *and* grub will be written so you've a working configuration
+file no matter whether you're using grub or syslinux as bootloader.
+
*\--skip-mbr*::
Do not touch/install the master boot record (MBR).
+ *\--skip-syslinux-config*::
+
+Skip generation of syslinux configuration files. By default the configuration
+files for syslinux *and* grub will be written so you've a working configuration
+file no matter whether you're using grub or syslinux as bootloader.
+
*\--syslinux*::
-Install syslinux bootloader instead of the default (being grub).
+This option is deprecated and is being left only for backwards compatibility
+reasons. Syslinux is the default bootloader of grml2usb and therefore the
+'--syslinux' option doesn't have any effects. If you do not want to use syslinux
+as bootloader consider using the '--grub' option.
*\--syslinux-mbr*::
Install syslinux' master boot record (MBR, which is booting from the partition
with the "active" flag set) instead of the default one. If you encounter any
problems with the default MBR you can try using the syslinux MBR instead. If
-that works for you please <<X7,let us know>> 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.
+that works for you please <<author,let us know>> 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=*::
Developers Corner
-----------------
+[[directory-layout]]
Directory layout on usb device
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| |-- linux26
| |-- initrd.gz
|-- grub/
- | |-- grml.png [splash screen for grub2]
+ | |-- grml.png [graphical bootsplash background image 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.png [graphical bootsplash background image for syslinux]
+ |-- syslinux.cfg [main configuration file for syslinux]
+ `-- [....] [several further config files for syslinux]
grml/
|-- grml2usb.txt [not yet implemented]
| `-- grml-small.squashfs [squashfs file for grml-small]
`-- ...
+[[source]]
Grabbing the source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
% git clone git://git.grml.org/grml2usb.git
+[[debugging]]
Developers Debugging Hints
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally create a filesystem and execute grml2usb as needed:
# mkfs.vfat /dev/loop1
- # grml2usb --bootloader-only /grml/isos/grml-small_2009.05.iso /dev/loop1
+ # grml2usb --bootloader-only /grml/isos/grml-small_2009.10.iso /dev/loop1
+[[performance-tracing]]
Performance tracing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- # blktrace -d /dev/sdx -o - | blkparse -i -
- # grml2usb grml_2009.05.iso /dev/sdx1
+ # blktrace -d /dev/sdX -o - | blkparse -i -
+ # grml2usb grml_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
-[[X6]]
+[[troubleshooting]]
Troubleshooting and Pitfalls when booting
-----------------------------------------
*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*:: Boot error.
+
+*Reason*:: Some BIOSses offer different modes for USB booting. The proper mode
+to boot a USB stick is USB-HDD. If that doesn’t work or is not supported by your
+system, you need to format your USB-Stick as USB-ZIP. To do this, syslinux
+contains an utility called mkdiskimage, which you can use to re-format your USB
+stick in USB-ZIP format running 'mkdiskimage -4 /dev/sdX 1 64 32'. Please be
+aware that this procedure will erase all data on your stick. After executing
+mkdiskimage just continue installing as usual (grml2usb ... /dev/sdX4). Note
+that this is not going to work for any device larger than 8 GB, since
+mkdiskimage only supports 1024c 256h 63s. For a more detailed explanation, refer
+to /usr/share/doc/syslinux-common/usbkey.txt.
+
*Error message*:: No operating system found.
*Reason*:: you forgot to set the boot-flag on the partition. Or there really isn't
whether the vendor provides a BIOS update or if using bootloader grub instead of
isolinux/syslinux fixes the problem.
+[[faq]]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
--------------------------------
-[[X5]]
+[[download]]
Where can I get grml2usb?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
grml2usb is available as Debian package via link:http://deb.grml.org/[the
-grml-testing Debian repository]. Please make sure you really have the Debian
-package installed as having just the grml2usb script available is definitely
-*NOT* enough!
+grml-testing Debian repository].
+
+If you do not want to (or can't) use the grml2usb Debian package you can either
+use the grml2usb git tree running:
-If you do NOT have a Debian based system but still want to be able to use
-grml2usb you can use the provided
+ git clone git://git.grml.org/grml2usb.git
+ cd grml2usb
+ make -C mbr
+ sudo ./grml2usb ...
+
+or download the provided
link:http://grml.org/grml2usb/grml2usb.tgz[http://grml.org/grml2usb/grml2usb.tgz]
(link:http://grml.org/grml2usb/grml2usb.tgz.md5.asc[gpg signed md5 hash]).
Download and extract the tarball and execute the provided script 'install.sh'.
+[NOTE]
+It is *NOT* enough to have just the grml2usb script itself without the according
+files provided either via the Debian package, the git tree or the file
+grml2usb.tgz.
+
+[[grml2hd-vs-grml2usb]]
What's the difference between grml2hd and grml2usb?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
+[[dd]]
+Why can't I just dd the ISO to a USB device?
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Well, you can. :) Starting with grml 2009.10 the ISOs are dd-able straight out-of-the-box.
+
+[IMPORTANT]
+Note that ANY existing data on your USB device will be destroyed when
+using the dd approach.
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+Grab a recent grml ISO and use
+link:http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Doc/isolinux#HYBRID_CD-ROM.2FHARD_DISK_MODE[isohybrid
+from the syslinux project]:
+
+ % isohybrid grml_2009.10.iso
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+This allows you to dd the Grml ISO to your USB device (use for example
+link:http://www.chrysocome.net/rawwrite[rawwrite] if you've just a Windows
+system available) running:
+
+ % dd if=grml_2009.10.iso of=/dev/sdX
+
+where /dev/sdX is your USB device. Of course this doesn't provide such a
+flexible system like with grml2usb (no multi-ISO setup, no additional default
+bootoptions,...) but it's a nice way to get a working USB boot setup if you
+don't have grml2usb available.
+
+[[grml2usb-vs-dd]]
+What's the difference between grml2usb and just using dd?
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+grml2usb does not remove any data from your USB device and does not alter the
+partition table at all. grml2usb provides multi-ISO support, support for adding
+default bootoptions and selecting the bootloader (syslinux vs. grub) without
+having to manually touch the ISO at all.
+
+[[grml2iso]]
+What's grml2iso?
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+grml2iso is a script which uses grml2usb to generate a multiboot ISO out of
+several grml ISOs. See 'man grml2iso' for further details.
+
+[[grml2usb-compat]]
+grml2usb fails with "Fatal: file default.cfg could not be found."
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+If you are trying to install an older grml ISO (older than grml 2009.10) with a
+recent version of grml2usb then you might notice:
+
+ Fatal: file default.cfg could not be found.
+ Note: this grml2usb version requires an ISO generated by grml-live >=0.9.24 ...
+ ... either use grml releases >=2009.10 or switch to an older grml2usb version.
+ Please visit http://grml.org/grml2usb/#grml2usb-compat for further information
+ Fatal: a critical error happend during execution (not a grml ISO?), giving up
+
+Breaking the backward compatibility was necessary to avoid maintainability hell.
+If you want to install older grml ISOs please use the grml2usb-compat script
+which provides support for older releases.
+
+[[menu-lst]]
Why is there a menu.lst and a grub.cfg inside /boot/grub/?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
no matter which grub version is available on the host where grml2usb is
executed on.
+[[stage1]]
grub-install fails with 'The file ../boot/grub/stage1 not read correctly"?!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAT16 (partition type 6) when using a ext3 filesystem on the partition but
instead use the correct partition type ('83' - Linux) then.
+[[grub-install-xfs_freeze]]
grub-install complains about /sbin/grub-install and/or xfs_freeze?!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You shouldn't call /sbin/grub-install. Please call /usr/sbin/grub-install instead!
xfs_freeze: specified file ["/tmp/tmpqaBK6z/boot/grub"] is not on an XFS filesystem
-... is "normal". grub-install sends those messages to stderr. To avoid hiding any
+This is "normal". grub-install sends those messages to stderr. To avoid hiding any
possible real error messages grml2usb doesn't ignore those messages.
+[[device-map]]
grub-install complains about /boot/grub/device.map?!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
grub-probe: error: Cannot open `/boot/grub/device.map'
-... is "normal" (at least with grub1). This isn't a problem, because the
+This is "normal" (at least with grub1). This isn't a problem, because the
device.map file will be generated on the target device anyway.
+[[unary-operator]]
grub-install complains about a unary operator?!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'/usr/sbin/grub-install: line 374: [: =: unary operator expected'
-... is "normal". Just ignore it.
+This is "normal". Just ignore it. (It usually doesn't appear
+on the second invocation on the same device.)
+
+[[unknown-filesystem]]
+grub-install fails with grub-probe: error: unknown filesystem?!
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The following message:
+
+ grub-probe: error: unknown filesystem
+ Auto-detection of a filesystem module failed.
+ Please specify the module with the option `--modules' explicitly.
+
+usually means that the device partition table says something else than the
+filesystem on the device. For example using FAT16 as filesystem type and
+using FAT32 as filesystem on the partition will not work. Either set filesystem
+type to FAT32 or format the partition using FAT16. It is essential that
+device partition table and filesystem use the same filesystem type.
+[[mbr-vs-pbr]]
+grub-setup fails after Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR?!
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The following message:
+
+ grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR. This is a BAD idea.
+ grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible. GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists. However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and its use is discouraged.
+ grub-setup: error: Cannot read `/grub/core.img' correctly
+
+appears when using grub2 versions older than 1.98 as those version introduced a
+regression which avoids that grub is being installed into a partition (PBR,
+Partition Boot Record) instead of MBR (Master Boot Record).
+
+To work around this issue you can either 1) upgrade to grub versions >=1.98, 2)
+install grub into the MBR (Master Boot Record) using the '--grub-mbr' option of
+grml2usb or 3) switch to syslinux as bootmanager (just drop the '--grub'
+option).
+
+[[splash-xpm]]
I'm getting something like "Error: /usr/share/grml2usb/grub/splash.xpm.gz can not be read"!?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looks like you've only the grml2usb script itself available. Please make sure
you've the grml2usb Debian package installed. The most resent stable version is
available via link:http://deb.grml.org/[the grml-testing Debian repository]. If
-you do not have a Debian system please see section <<X5,Where can I get
+you do not have a Debian system please see section <<download,Where can I get
grml2usb?>> in this FAQ.
-Why do I have to use a FAT16 filesystem?
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+[[fat16]]
+Why do I have to use a FAT16/FAT32 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.
+Syslinux (currently) does not support any other filesystems besides FAT16/FAT32
+(though that's a sane default if you want to share your files with other
+(operating) systems). If you want to use a different filesystem (like ext2/3)
+use the bootloader grub instead using grml2usb's '--grub' option.
+[NOTE]
+FAT32 is supported since syslinux version 3.0.
+
+[[cool-idea]]
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 <<X7,report your wishes to the author>>. Patches highly
+Feel free to <<author,report your wishes to the author>>. Patches highly
appreciated.
+[[booting-from-usb]]
I've problems with booting from USB.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Check out <<X6,Troubleshooting and Pitfalls when booting>>.
+Check out <<troubleshooting,Troubleshooting and Pitfalls when booting>>.
+[[found-a-bug]]
I've found a bug!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Please <<X7,report it to the author>>. Please provide usage examples and output
+Please <<author,report it to the author>>. Please provide usage examples and output
of your grml2usb commandline (consider using the "\--verbose" option).
+[[usage-examples]]
Usage examples
--------------
- # grml2usb /home/grml/grml_2009.05.iso /dev/sdx1
+ # grml2usb /home/grml/grml_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
-Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdx1.
+Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdX1.
- # grml2usb /home/grml/grml_2009.05.iso /home/grml/grml_small_2009.05.iso /dev/sdx1
+ # grml2usb /home/grml/grml_2009.10.iso /home/grml/grml_small_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
-Install specified ISOs on device /dev/sdx1 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).
+Install specified ISOs on device /dev/sdX1 for multibooting ISOs.
- # grml2usb /live/image /dev/sdx1
+ # grml2usb /live/image /dev/sdX1
-Install currently running grml live system on device /dev/sdx1.
+Install currently running grml live system on device /dev/sdX1.
- # grml2usb /live/image /home/grml/grml_2009.05.iso /dev/sdx1
+ # grml2usb /live/image /home/grml/grml_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
Install currently running grml live system and the specified
-ISO on device /dev/sdx1 for multibooting.
+ISO on device /dev/sdX1 for multibooting.
- # grml2usb --fat16 /home/grml/grml_2009.05.iso /dev/sdx1
+ # grml2usb --fat16 /home/grml/grml_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
-Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdx1 and format partition /dev/sdx1 with
+Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdX1 and format partition /dev/sdX1 with
FAT16 filesystem.
- # grml2usb --syslinux /home/grml/grml_2009.05.iso /dev/sdx1
+ # grml2usb --grub --grub-mbr /home/grml/grml_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
+
+Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdX1 and use grub as bootloader (instead of
+syslinux being the default) and install a master boot record (MBR) to the MBR of
+/dev/sdX.
+
+ # grml2usb-compat /home/grml/grml_2009.05.iso /dev/sdX1
-Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdx1 and use syslinux as bootloader
-(instead of grub being the default).
+Install older grml ISO on device /dev/sdX1.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
# grml2usb --kernel=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-grml --initrd=/boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-grml \
- /home/grml/grml_2009.05.iso /dev/sdx1
+ /home/grml/grml_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
-Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdx1 but use given kernel and initrd
+Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdX1 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_2009.05.iso /dev/sdx1
+ /home/grml/grml_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
-Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdx1 but use given squashfs
+Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdX1 but use given squashfs
file instead of the one provided by the ISO.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- # grml2usb --bootoptions="lang=de ssh=mysecret" grml_2009.05.iso /dev/sdx1
+ # grml2usb --bootoptions="lang=de ssh=mysecret" grml_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
-Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdx1 and use "lang=de ssh=mysecret" as
+Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdX1 and use "lang=de ssh=mysecret" as
default bootoptions.
+
+ # grml2usb --remove-bootoption="vga=791" --remove-bootoption="quiet" grml_2009.10.iso /dev/sdX1
+
+Install specified ISO on device /dev/sdX1 remove vga=791 and quiet from existing bootoptions.
+
+[[ressources]]
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]]
Bugs
----
-Please report feedback, bugreports and wishes <<X7,to the author>>.
+Please report feedback, bugreports and wishes <<author,to the author>>.
-[[X7]]
+[[author]]
Author
------
Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org>
projects / grml2usb.git / blobdiff