55 replies to this topic

[ktp]

I built a hard disk image with usual tools:

fsz i:\outputiso\erdc2005.img 180956160

erdc2005.pln
DRIVETYPE ide
CYLINDERS 22
HEADS 255
SECTORS 63
ACCESS "i:\outputiso\erdc2005.img" 0 353430

ptedit32
06-80-0-1-1-21-254-63-63-353367

The erdc2005.img can be booted directly with QEM. Now I invoke it from an USB key on real hardware with:

title ERDC (hard disk image)
find --set-root /erdc2005.img
map (hd0,0)/erdc2005.img (hd0)
map --hook
chainloader (hd0)+1
rootnoverify (hd0)

This gives grub4dos error: Error 30: Disk read error.

Any idea ?

[tinybit]

title ERDC (hard disk image)
find --set-root /erdc2005.img
map (hd0,0)/erdc2005.img (hd0) <------- In this line, "(hd0,0)" should be stripped out
map --hook
chainloader (hd0)+1
rootnoverify (hd0)

And it is likely you want to use the following map instead:

map --mem /erdc2005.img (hd0)

[ktp]

title ERDC (hard disk image)
find --set-root /erdc2005.img
map (hd0,0)/erdc2005.img (hd0) <------- In this line, "(hd0,0)" should be stripped out
map --hook
chainloader (hd0)+1
rootnoverify (hd0)

Well I did as you said, but still got same error:
(hd0,0)
Filesystem is fat, partition type 0xe

probed C/H/S = 22/255/63, probed total sectors = 35340
chainloader (hd0)+1

Error 30: Disk read error

Press any key to continue...

And it is likely you want to use the following map instead:

map --mem /erdc2005.img (hd0)

Originally I skipped the --mem option since I think it would have problem on computer with small RAM as it have to read all the image to memory.
The --mem did the trick and fix the problem. My key boots OK.
But I run into BSOD 0x7b problem even with Dietmar's special ntdectec.com. But this is another problem,
no longer grub4dos area. Thank you for your help.

By the way, do you have any new for the ISO booting support you talked about in one forum?
Normally this function should be available this year. Something like:

title not yet implemented by grub4dos: boot from ISO

cdrom --init 

map --hook 

map (hd0,0)/BartPE.iso (cd0) 

map --rehook 

chainloader (cd0)+1

[tinybit]

Your BIOS might have an unknown bug. Try this one as a workaround, if it can succeed:

title ERDC (hard disk image)

find --set-root /erdc2005.img

map /erdc2005.img (hd0)

chainloader   --load-length=512   /erdc2005.img

rootnoverify (hd0)

Note: "map --hook" is not required.

By the way, do you have any new for the ISO booting support you talked about in one forum?
Normally this function should be available this year.

Unfortunately, this has to indefinitely delay because of my poor health. I really hope someone can do it.

[ktp]

@tinybit

I tried again with option --load-length=512 but got the error message: Error loading operating system.
Apparently message from MBR code.

Unfortunately, this has to indefinitely delay because of my poor health. I really hope someone can do it.

I am sorry about your health. Please take care of yourself.

Otherwise is there some (maybe draft) kind of specifications of this function? What it looks like in menu.lst,
list of the function added, a rough sizing (number of lines of code) of the code addes/modified (in C? in ASM?).
With this hopefully there are other skilled volunteer to develop this very interesting function.

[tinybit]

I tried again with option --load-length=512 but got the error message: Error loading operating system.
Apparently message from MBR code.

OK I'll find out why. Maybe we could get a workaround for the unknown BIOS bug.

Otherwise is there some (maybe draft) kind of specifications of this function? What it looks like in menu.lst, list of the function added, a rough sizing (number of lines of code) of the code addes/modified (in C? in ASM?).
With this hopefully there are other skilled volunteer to develop this very interesting function.

It is not difficult, but requires some time and efforts. The function is currently available in ISOEMU.

Generally the developer should have a knowledge of Bootable CD-ROM Specification and assembly language.

[ktp]

It is not difficult, but requires some time and efforts. The function is currently available in ISOEMU.

Generally the developer should have a knowledge of Bootable CD-ROM Specification and assembly language.

Oh El Torito, so it is recommended that the developer should also know Spanish, isn't it?

Joke apart, is ISOEMU part of syslinux package, or is it a a different one? I did not found in in syslinux, and
Google search for ISOEMU does not return good result yet. Do you have a link ? Thank you.
Edit: found some links:
http://sysoft.zdwx.c.../index_eng.html
http://www.boot-land...?...10&start=10
http://www.forumpcs....t...7&view=next

[ktp]

Well, I got the isoemu v1.09 package (previous post), then test it with grub4dos:

title IsoEmu Loader 

find --set-root /ieldr 

chainloader /ieldr

c:\ieldr="IsoEmu Loader"

isoemu.ini contains single line:

isoemu isogrub.iso

But either method failed with message:

Try (hd0,0): extended or non-MS: skip
Error_ (blinking cursor after "Error")

So big disappointment since in the referenced link it said:

Of course this method can be used to boot anything like Knoppix, WinPE, Ultimate Boot CD etc.

[ktp]

Found another link on multi-boot, ntldr, ieldr, grub, isoemu et al.:
http://www.supinfo-p..._boot_multi_os/

This is a work/project done by a Chinese student in French computer science college.
The report is in English so there is no problem for reading.

The author appears to use isoemu to boot iso images stored on HDD, and also use the "run"
command from grub (apparently not available with grub4dos) to boot iso file.

title boot from bootable iso file

run /dev/hda1/winxp.iso

So maybe just to add "run" command code from grub to grub4dos ?

@jaclaz
Maybe the latter posts are to be moved to a new sub-topic isoemu of grub4dos forum ?
Since now the original subject "Error 30" has been off.

[ktp]

So big disappointment since in the referenced link it said:

OK, the problem is with my key formatted with FAT16. isoemu requires FAT32 or NTFS (readme).
So I tried again with a FAT32 key. It goes a littler further then hangs! :-(

Messages:
* (some greetings/logo messages/images)
* drive 'old' CHS parameters are 1024 16 63
* using extended BIOS disk commands, CHS parameters are 1024 16 63
Primary partition num:1
ie_diskmgr found one FAT32 partition

[was_jaclaz]

@ktp
Take it easy, man.

ISOEMU is, as you found out in the meantime, completely unrelated to ISOLINUX, part of syslinux together with memdisk.

I don't know where you got the info that you can boot "anything" with isoemu, as said (even in it's docs):
http://www.911cd.net...?showtopic=8955

Known Limitation
=================

* Support FAT32 partition only;

* Works on x86's RealMode only(so this cannot boot Windows PE,
OR, WinNT based OS), `cause it hooks INT13h;

* Support 8.3 file format only;

it cannot boot any NT based system, not because of a limit of isoemu, but because of the way NT systems boot, needing hooking to a driver.

About the Chinese student, and it's article, with no offence intended to Chinese or to students in general, I find that article pretty much unorganized and chaotic, being a computer tech one.

You might notice that the author mixes without referencing them, different "versions" of grub, together with ieldr, then it "mixes" what he "thinks that would work" with what actually was tested.

If you read attentively this page:
http://www.supinfo-p...oot_multi_os/5/
after having proposed a "5.1 My solution 1", which includes this (NOT WORKING) entry:

title boot from bootable iso file
run /dev/hda1/winxp.iso

a few lines below he introduces his "5.2 MY solution 2" with this statement:

Because the "run" command is not surported by the version of my grub in my usb_hdd ,so we I work out the second solution for my usb-hdd.

and his "solution 2" entries DO NOT include the entry for booting from .iso, but rather booting to DOS and use SHSUCDX to access (NOT boot) a XP .iso.

jaclaz

[ktp]

@jaclaz
You are right about NT/XP. For other non-NT system, I tested isoemu from my internal HDD (so real hardware, real BIOS) and
it works! ISO tested:
- UBCD (ubcd411.iso), Puppy Linux 3.0 (puppy.iso), VistePE.iso, Acronis Disk director 10.iso
For NT-like iso, it hangs, no message issued.
I will test some more ISO (Knoppix, DOS iso).
Edit: it fails with Knoppix iso or Damn Small Linux iso (logo seen, initrd loaded but then black screen). memtest.iso got
error message: cannot find CD loader or not bootable CD (although this CD is bootable for me).

The problem is now why isoemu does not work on my USB key (FAT32).
The article that apparently mention (wrongly) that it works also with WinPE is here (andreivc's post):
http://www.forumpcs....t...7&view=next

[was_jaclaz]

The article that apparently mention (wrongly) that it works also with WinPE is here (andreivc's post):
http://www.forumpcs....t...7&view=next

Well, actually andreivc bears no responsability , as I see it, he just quoted this thread here:
http://forums.gentoo...c-t-567485.html

On the Gentoo forum where a new user at his first post proposes to change the way Gentoo should be installed

Followed by the "usual" spam by forkart and by a "noob" user Rozal that reports that ISOEMU does not work for a XP .iso, vainly helped by a "l33t" one, shaumux that concludes with this:

First as you are trying to boot a windows disk you were supposed to post the problem in off the wall section.

Secondly Windows doesn't support creating live cds except through specialized software like BART PE

jaclaz

[tinybit]

ktp:

try the test build 2007-10-16 at http://grub4dos.jot.com/

and see if solved.

[ktp]

ktp:

try the test build 2007-10-16 at http://grub4dos.jot.com/

and see if solved.

I tried it and still got the same error as before with the same entry in menu.lst.
Error loading operating system.

title ERDC (hard disk image)

find --set-root /erdc2005.img

map /erdc2005.img (hd0)

chainloader   --load-length=512   /erdc2005.img

rootnoverify (hd0)

If I suppress the --load-length parameter, the USB LED shows some activity, then the PC hangs, no more message.

[tinybit]

I need some more info to locate the problem. please do the following test:

for your real unemulated drive (hd0), which is your USB drive, type these commands:

geometry (hd0)

blocklist (hd0,0)/erdc2005.img

and post the output messages.

PS: Just uploaded a new build 2007-10-17.

[ktp]

@tinybit
Tested with build 2007-10-17.
Following are the requested information.

geometry (hd0)

drive 0x80(LBA): C/H/S=251/255/63, Sector Count/Size=4032315/512

   Partition num: 0, Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0xe



blocklist (hd0,0)/erdc2005.img

(hd0,0)2693136+353430

[tinybit]

ktp:

please try and see if build 2007-10-19 works. thanks.

[ktp]

ktp:

please try and see if build 2007-10-19 works. thanks.

Unfortunately I still have the error message "Error loading operating system".

[ktp]

Unfortunately I still have the error message "Error loading operating system".

Update: I tested on another laptop (2-year old, BIOS by Insyde), it boots OK under same condition.
Recall: it failed on an older laptop (6-year old, BIOS Phoenix).

[tinybit]

try another build 2007-10-20, please.

[ktp]

try another build 2007-10-20, please.

I just tried this version (copy grldr to root of the key).

Hang after message:
Try (hd0,0): FAT16: _ (blinking cursor)

I copy back previous version of grdlr to root of the key: no problem to get menu.lst and boot other items etc...

[tinybit]

Thank you very much! Congratulations!

Thanks for your reports and efforts, thanks for your patience, too!

Try (hd0,0): FAT16:

This is a success.

Hang after _ (blinking cursor)

This is another problem, and should be solved with 2007-10-21.

Thanks to the boot-land site here. Thank you all.

--------------

Detail of the original BIOS bug:

on int 13h call, it might return a non-zero value for AH register. We simply clear the AH register at return, and the problem solved.

[ktp]

@tinybit

OK 2007-10-21 no longer has problem as with 2007-10-20, but my original problem is still here.
Message "Error loading operating system".

[tinybit]

It is very odd. I'm afraid we have to give up, because by now we have no success on reading the USB sectors when it is in emulation, according to your reports.