Linux Mint 15 and Grub4DOS multiboot DVD

[Zanoni]

This has been tested and it is working with Grub4DOS multiboot cd/dvd. I'm posting it here because I couldn't find it anywhere else, and I think is the right place. I like having different versions of Linux Mint Live in one DVD. Why carry 2 or more CD/DVDs when you can carry one?

Keep in mind that the ISO files were kept on the root of the folder making the ISO (in other words, the ISOs would be found in the root of the DVD once made). Also, I renamed the ISO files to keep it compatible with some older OSs when reading the DVD (I have other OSs booting in the same DVD, not just Linux Mint).

Here is the "menu.lst" settings:

title LINUX MINT 12 MATE X32
lock
find --set-root /LXM12M32.ISO
map /LXM12M32.ISO (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
kernel /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper persistent iso-scan/filename=/LXM12M32.ISO
initrd /casper/initrd.lz

title LINUX MINT 15 MATE X32
find --set-root /LXM15M32.ISO
map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 /LXM15M32.ISO (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
kernel /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper persistent iso-scan/filename=/LXM15M32.ISO
initrd /casper/initrd.lz

title LINUX MINT 15 CINNAMON X32
find --set-root /LXM15C32.ISO
map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 /LXM15C32.ISO (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
kernel /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/mint.seed boot=casper persistent iso-scan/filename=/LXM15C32.ISO
initrd /casper/initrd.lz


NOTE: the settings for Linux Mint 12 did work with prior versions (v.10, 9, etc.) but it didn't work with version 13 or newer. Since the last version as of this posting is version 15, I didn't bother testing the settings for version 13 & 14. I suspect that it should be the same as version 15. These settings work with Linux Mint 15 Mate and Cinnamon x32/x64 - fully tested.

PLEASE: If anyone finds a better Grub4DOS menu settings, do let me know. These settings have been working flawlessly so far...

[kukamuumuka]

Sounds intresting ..
A good topic for Tutorials and Howtos ..
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewforum.php?f=42

[leejosepho]

How about booting from Grub4Dos into an installed copy of Linux Mint 16 Cinnamon or LMDE on an internal hard drive? I presently get there by using a Linux entry in the Windows 7 BCD menu made by EasyBCD, but I would like to not have to do that. Using the Grub4Dos installer from Puppy Linux, here is one of the entries I presently have in menu.lst that does not work:

Code: Select all

title LMDE MATE Edition (sdb7)
  uuid 3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe
  kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb7 ro

The Grub2 loader for that hard drive is installed at /sdb, and EasyBCD somehow successfully picked that up and I can get the entire LMDE menu after I had told EasyBCD to add LMDE at /sdb7 to the Win7 BCD. My goal here is to do the same from Grub4Dos, or to at least be able to boot directly into LMDE.

[kukamuumuka]

Code: Select all

title LMDE MATE Edition (sdb7)
  uuid 3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe
  kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb7 ro

The Grub2 loader for that hard drive is installed at /sdb, and EasyBCD somehow successfully picked that up and I can get the entire LMDE menu after I had told EasyBCD to add LMDE at /sdb7 to the Win7 BCD. My goal here is to do the same from Grub4Dos, or to at least be able to boot directly into LMDE.

You have the wrong kernel line and initrd.img is missing. it should be something like this:

Code: Select all

title LMDE MATE Edition (sdb7)
  uuid 3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe
  kernel /boot/vmlinuz-something-here root=/dev/sdb7 ro
  initrd /boot/initrd-something-here.img

[leejosepho]

You have the wrong kernel line and initrd.img is missing. it should be something like this:

Code: Select all

title LMDE MATE Edition (sdb7)
  uuid 3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe
  kernel /boot/vmlinuz-something-here root=/dev/sdb7 ro
  initrd /boot/initrd-something-here.img

Many thanks, and now I am much closer by using this:

Code: Select all

# Full installed Linux (as initially found by Grub4Dos in Puppy)
title LMDE MATE Edition (sdb7)
  uuid 3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe
#  kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb7 ro
#  kernel /boot/vmlinuz-something-here root=/dev/sdb7 ro
  kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.11-2-amd64  root=/dev/sdb7 ro
#  initrd /boot/initrd-something-here.img
  initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.11-2-amd64

That gets the boot started and running for a few seconds, but it soon ends here:

Begin: waiting for root file system ...
Gave up waiting for root device.

Because I have two PATA drives and two SATAs and a goofy BIOS in my system, my sda and sdb are sometimes seen as sdc and sdd (and vise-versa). However, I get exactly the same result when trying the above with /dev/sdd7.

I also have "config-3.11-2-amd64" and "System.map-3.11-2-amd64" in LMDE's root, and I am wondering whether those need to be called somehow. Then overall, here is what I see from a peek inside grub.cfg:

Code: Select all

menuentry 'LMDE MATE 64-bit, 3.11-2-amd64 (/dev/sdd7)' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	load_video
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd3,msdos7)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.11-2-amd64 ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.11-2-amd64 root=UUID=3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe ro  quiet splash
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.11-2-amd64
}

I suspect that "set root='(hd3,msdos7)'" is a deciding factor here, and I had also found this at about the same time you must have been posting:
http://reboot.pro/topic/16682-load-grub2-from-grub4dos/

More tomorrow...

[kukamuumuka]

Here has a typo. Your installation is /dev/sdd not /dev/sdb ..
The right entry is

Code: Select all

# Full installed Linux (as initially found by Grub4Dos in Puppy)
title LMDE MATE Edition (sdd7)
  uuid 3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe
 kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.11-2-amd64  root=/dev/sdd7 ro
  initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.11-2-amd64

[leejosepho]

Here has a typo. Your installation is /dev/sdd not /dev/sdb ..

I already tried that and it makes no difference. Having the partition's UUID in Grub4Dos sends the machine to the correct location where LMDE's boot routine begins but then drops out when BIOS (I suspect) cannot report the correct "file system root" for LMDE. So, I need to "set-root" in whatever way, and it is best for me to do that with UUID since the drive order in my BIOS settings actually shows that drive as third in line rather than four.

[fu-sen]

I go boot in GRUB4DOS which Puppy Linux generates.

I really contribute contents using to menu.lst:

Code: Select all

title Linux Mint 16 Cinnamon (sdb8)
  savedefault
  uuid 6aa613a0-9bd1-4d82-b56f-f148e9cde30b
  kernel /vmlinuz root=UUID=6aa613a0-9bd1-4d82-b56f-f148e9cde30b ro quiet splash
  initrd /initrd.img

title Linux Mint Debian Edition Cinnamon (sda11)
  savedefault
  uuid 637aeb2b-9950-408f-8071-f5c49719fa5d
  kernel /vmlinuz root=UUID=637aeb2b-9950-408f-8071-f5c49719fa5d ro quiet splash
  initrd /initrd.img

add "quiet splash" in Grub4dos, and splashing indication is possible.
vmlinuz and initrd.img in root link to the latest kernel,
Therefore it is not necessary to update menu.lst by the update of the kernel.

In addition, an experimental function to boot .iso file from Grub4dos.
This may not work normally:
http://diddy.boot-land.net/grub4dos/files/map.htm#hd32

[kukamuumuka]

I tested Grub4Dos and it seems to bypass /boot from kernel and initrd lines. Unlogical ..
Anyway Mint booted up with the next stanza on the Grub4Dos` menu.lst

Code: Select all

title Linux Mint 13 Maya (sda6)
  uuid 208d4617-cd52-41ea-bb3d-f52f8d7ee785
  kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda6 ro
  initrd /initrd.img

[kukamuumuka]

I tested more and Grub4Dos can find and chainload grub2 using the next stanza:

Code: Select all

title Find Grub2\nBoot up grub2 if installed
find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /boot/grub/core.img
kernel /boot/grub/core.img

[leejosepho]

Many thanks to each of you!

For the moment, this in menu.lst gets me to the GRUB menu for LMDE:

Code: Select all

title Grub2
find --set-root /boot/grub/core.img
kernel /boot/grub/core.img
boot

However, I would still like to be able to bypass that GRUB menu and boot into LMDE directly from Grub4Dos. Adding "root=uuid ###" as you can see below has resolved my initial problem related to "file system root", but now the LMDE loader runs for a bit and then stops a little past the message "Target file system doesn't have requested /sbin/init." So, I am still wondering about "config-3.11-2-amd64" and/or "System.map-3.11-2-amd64" (as found in LMDE root) needing to be set or called in order for /sbin/init" to be found:

Code: Select all

title LMDE MATE Edition (sdd7)
  uuid 3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe
  kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.11-2-amd64  root=uuid 3355a438-b4b0-4247-b1b8-0151ea125dfe ro
  initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.11-2-amd64
# also in /: config-3.11-2-amd64
# also in /: System.map-3.11-2-amd64