45 replies to this topic

[solemnwarning]

Floppy image:

kexec-loader-2.0-floppy.img.gz

(Prepare for jaclaz to necromance old kexec-loader threads in 3.... 2.... 1....)

[Bicephale]

Hi SolemnWarning,

You're my idol, i downloaded 'kexec-loader-2.0-floppy.img' right away!

Is this a suitable location to share related comments and suggestions?...

[was_jaclaz]

(Prepare for jaclaz to necromance old kexec-loader threads in 3.... 2.... 1....)

0!


http://www.boot-land...?...ic=4636&hl=
http://www.boot-land...?...ic=5395&hl=
http://www.boot-land...?...ic=6709&hl=
http://www.boot-land...?...ic=6989&hl=

Is this a suitable location to share related comments and suggestions?...

Sure it is.

jaclaz

[Icecube]

The documentation is missing info about the LABEL and UUID command.

[solemnwarning]

The documentation is missing info about the LABEL and UUID command.

No it isn't

[Icecube]

OK, you are right, but it is easy to overlook.

Can you make it bold?

There are three ways of specifying devices, you can specify the device name which may change without warning, this is only recommended on systems that have a single drive, for example a single USB drive being booted by kexec-loader on an internal floppy drive. You may also use 'LABEL=foobar' and 'UUID=xxxx' to specify the volume label and UUID, respectively.

If a device name contains a colon it is assumed you are manually specifying the filesystem type, for example 'ext3:hda1' will overrule filesystem detection and attempt to mount the filesystem as ext3, this may be used if the detection is not working correctly.

You may specify a device in a path as well as a file, for example '(hda1)/boot/vmlinuz' will point to the /boot/vmlinuz file on hda1, instead of /boot/vmlinuz on the root device.

And a short mentioning about the possibilities for device at (in the documentation and in the program itself):

root <device>
Set the root device, you must specify a root device, even if all paths specify their own device.
e.g.: root (hda), root LABEL=foobar, root UUID=xxxx

[was_jaclaz]

@Icecube

2. Usage
2.1. Device/Path syntax

There are three ways of specifying devices, you can specify the device name which may change without warning, this is only recommended on systems that have a single drive, for example a single USB drive being booted by kexec-loader on an internal floppy drive. You may also use 'LABEL=foobar' and 'UUID=xxxx' to specify the volume label and UUID, respectively.

@solemnwarning

Two points, if I may :

• like many "linux originated" docs, the readme.html is nice and well organized, but completely misses the idea of "teaching by examples", though the info is actually there, the documentation assumes that one ALREADY knows what a LABEL or UUID is (besides a lot of other things), which is not always the case.
• the kexec-loader configuration file "kexec-loader.conf" is NOT complying with 8.3 standard, as always I cannot say if and when it will be useful, but people using DOS or "strict" ISO9660 won't like it . Isn't it possible to rename the file to kxloader.cfg or kxloader.ini or kxloader.lst or something like it? Same applies to Readme.html, it should really be Readme.htm, though of course renaming it is trivial.

Good work!




jaclaz

[Bicephale]

Hi SolemnWarning,

I'm trying to combine your diskette with this one:

http://www.moriy.com/dr-dos/downloads/
'DR70570B.IMG' ('DR-DOS v7.05.70b', 2008-Oct-20)

This is my result, it's unfinished and there's a glitch:

http://www.easy-shar...KExec-DRDOS.IMG
(1.41 MB)

How would you suggest it can be fixed?

[mr_]

What will be the future of kexec-loader?

[solemnwarning]

Hi SolemnWarning,

I'm trying to combine your diskette with this one:

http://www.moriy.com/dr-dos/downloads/
'DR70570B.IMG' ('DR-DOS v7.05.70b', 2008-Oct-20)

This is my result, it's unfinished and there's a glitch:

http://www.easy-shar...KExec-DRDOS.IMG
(1.41 MB)

How would you suggest it can be fixed?

What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

What will be the future of kexec-loader?

Only small changes are planned now, shell autocompletion, some more commands, etc

[Bicephale]

Just what i wrote, SolemnWarning: put 'KExec-Loader' & 'DOS' together!

It's almost working but 'KExec-Loader' enters en enless searching loop...

[solemnwarning]

Just what i wrote, SolemnWarning: put 'KExec-Loader' & 'DOS' together!

It's almost working but 'KExec-Loader' enters en enless searching loop...

Set the volume label to 'kexecloader'

[Bicephale]

Will do!

[Bicephale]

Hi SolemnWarning,

Done. The label had to be set right and it works now:
i have a hybrid "kicker" boot diskette both with DOS
and Linux solutions. Unfortunately, Jaclaz had a point
when he commented that 'kexec-loader.conf' - not
'KExec-Loader.CONF' or other stylish filenames by the
way, doesn't conform to DOS 8.3 filenaming. It turns
out i wanted DOS on your diskette for the purpose of
configuration editing in case nothing else works, and
speaking of that i suddenly remember that i wanted
to ask if there's no undocummented command that
will let me load an alternative configuration file, from
outside the floppy image when on a CD, for example.

In any case, thanks for your assistance. 'KExec-Loader'
is most likely on the right path as a future boot-loader
replacement judging from what we can see presently!

[mr_]

There is still a little glitch in 2.0 preventing from a grub drop in replacement.
http://img22.imagesh...90222142359.png

This is Ubuntu 8.04's default menu.lst (completely auto generated):

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)#			grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),#			grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub#			and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.## default num# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.## You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.default		0## timeout sec# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry# (normally the first entry defined).timeout		10## hiddenmenu# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)#hiddenmenu# Pretty colours#color cyan/blue white/blue## password ['--md5'] passwd# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the# command 'lock'# e.g. password topsecret#	  password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/# password topsecret## examples## title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000# root		(hd0,0)# makeactive# chainloader	+1## title		Linux# root		(hd0,1)# kernel	/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro### Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs## ## Start Default Options #### default kernel options## default kernel options for automagic boot options## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro##	  kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro##	  kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro# kopt=root=UUID=2bbadde7-2464-4276-ae55-a1c5079c3e12 ro## Setup crashdump menu entries## e.g. crashdump=1# crashdump=0## default grub root device## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)# groot=(hd0,2)## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options## e.g. alternative=true##	  alternative=false# alternative=true## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options## e.g. lockalternative=true##	  lockalternative=false# lockalternative=false## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the## alternatives## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5# defoptions=quiet splash## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options## e.g. lockold=false##	  lockold=true# lockold=false## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option# xenhopt=## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option# xenkopt=console=tty0## altoption boot targets option## multiple altoptions lines are allowed## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options##	  altoptions=(recovery) single# altoptions=(recovery mode) single## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the## alternative kernel options## e.g. howmany=all##	  howmany=7# howmany=all## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option## e.g. memtest86=true##	  memtest86=false# memtest86=true## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system## can be true or false# updatedefaultentry=false## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options## can be true or false# savedefault=false## ## End Default Options ##title		Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-genericroot		(hd0,2)kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=2bbadde7-2464-4276-ae55-a1c5079c3e12 ro quiet splashinitrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-23-genericquiettitle		Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-23-generic (recovery mode)root		(hd0,2)kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-23-generic root=UUID=2bbadde7-2464-4276-ae55-a1c5079c3e12 ro singleinitrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-23-generictitle		Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-19-genericroot		(hd0,2)kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=2bbadde7-2464-4276-ae55-a1c5079c3e12 ro quiet splashinitrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-genericquiettitle		Ubuntu 8.04.2, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode)root		(hd0,2)kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=2bbadde7-2464-4276-ae55-a1c5079c3e12 ro singleinitrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generictitle		Ubuntu 8.04.2, memtest86+root		(hd0,2)kernel		/boot/memtest86+.binquiet### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian# ones.title		Other operating systems:root# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS# on /dev/sda1title		FreeDOSroot		(hd0,0)savedefaultchainloader	+1

The grub-path directive is now working and waiting until the USB device is ready, good.

[mr_]

Do I see it right that if I want to create a working iso I need to build everything from source as everything is linked into linux.upx?

Can I drop in easy some generic kernel like the kernel image on Ubuntu Live CD?

[solemnwarning]

Do I see it right that if I want to create a working iso I need to build everything from source as everything is linked into linux.upx?

Can I drop in easy some generic kernel like the kernel image on Ubuntu Live CD?

There's an initramfs on the download page you can use instead of building kexec-loader from source

[mr_]

What do you say about my post 3 before this one?
http://www.boot-land...?...ost&p=60190

[solemnwarning]

What do you say about my post 3 before this one?
http://www.boot-land...?...ost&p=60190

Is the problem with the dividor entry? I'll look into how GRUB deals with it later, but I'm working on other projects currently.

[mr_]

It seams the auto generated entry

title Other operating systems:

root

and as well the auto generated entry

title FreeDOS

root (hd0,0)

savedefault

chainloader +1

makes trouble. Probable any entry in menu.lst for a non-linux operating system.

[solemnwarning]

It seams the auto generated entry

title Other operating systems:

root

and as well the auto generated entry

title FreeDOS

root (hd0,0)

savedefault

chainloader +1

makes trouble. Probable any entry in menu.lst for a non-linux operating system.

Sorry it took me so long to get round to it, I've fixed it in trunk, tonights SVN build should work fine

[Bicephale]

Will there be a configuration editor in future releases?

[solemnwarning]

Will there be a configuration editor in future releases?

What do you mean by "configuration editor"?

[Bicephale]

Hi SolemnWarning,

If we consider that the configuration file which a user
is most likely to edit when using the diskette may very
well be 'kexec-loader.conf' - which isn't DOS-friendly
because of it's non-8.3 filename - then it seems to me
that the function of a "configuration editor" would be to
do what DOS isn't meant to do: edit 'kexec-loader.conf'
with the benefit of complementing the shell with some
user-friendly feature by allowing any parameter being
tested to be written permanently onto the diskette so
that written notes, etc., are no longer needed anymore.

Even better: changes to the configuration file done via
the shell's eventual editor could be temporary if one
prefers not to write to the diskette. In other words, i'm
thinking of a feature to make 'KExec-Loader' even more
convenient with the addition of an interface much like
that of 'SysLinux' or 'GrUB' where the command lines
are pre-loaded and i can edit only parts of them instead
of having to remember/enter everything manually when
it wasn't already inserted in 'kexec-loader.conf' using
'NotePad' from 'Windows' or 'KWrite' under Linux KDE
before re-booting with the diskette... Put shortly, is it
possible to avoid the edit/re-boot seequences when
experimenting with commands to be tested/added to
the 'kexec-loader.conf' configuration file?... Hummm...

But that's still not clearly expressing what i meant! Euh...

When i write about edit/re-boot seequence i think: edit
via 'Windows'/'NotePad', quit 'Windows', insert diskette
and reboot to try the new changes in 'KExec-Loader' in
case it works this times, then remove the diskette and
reboot from 'Windows', launch 'NotePad', put back the
diskette again and open it with the editor to add a few
changes and save before the cycle enters another loop.

You see, Windows isn't exactly what i'd call quick to boot
and DOS can only handle 8.3 filenames unless i add a 2nd
diskette so it seems to me the logical approach would be
to add an editor to the shell or maybe just rename the
configuration file as 'KExecLdr.Cfg', whatever.

[mr_]

Did you try doslfn and freeedit? Does it support long filenames then?