Hi all!
On 28.04.2016 19:31, Curt wrote:
On 2016-04-28, Richard Owlett <rowl...@cloud85.net> wrote:
I've some untried VAGUE ideas on how to accomplish.
Maybe this would work if I'm understanding you correctly:
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/boot-multiple-iso-from-usb-via-grub2-using-linux/#more-5352
Two questions:
Has this been done before?
Any comments?
TIA
Yep, it can be done and pretty easy. I've done (been doing) it using
some instructions from the pendrivelinux.com.
The idea is simple:
1. Install grub2 on a USB-drive.
2. Place there .iso image (in root of the drive or in some directory as
you like).
3. Use in the grub.cfg instructions like such:
menuentry "Xubuntu 14.04.1 Desktop i386 ISO" {
set isofile="/xubuntu-14.04.1-desktop-i386.iso"
loopback loop $isofile
linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$isofile
noeject noprompt splash --
initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
}
4. Profit!
Images from Ubuntu family works fine. As to the Debian there was some
weirdness (I don't know if it still persists in newer versions), but it
is possible to dodge it. Simple way (from here
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Multiboot_USB_drive#Debian ) is:
0. Do steps 1 and 2 from list above.
1. Download proper initramfs (which matches your desirable Debian .iso
image) from here:
https://mirrors.kernel.org/debian/dists/stable/main/installer-amd64/current/images/hd-media/initrd.gz
https://mirrors.kernel.org/debian/dists/stable/main/installer-i386/current/images/hd-media/initrd.gz
http://mirrors.kernel.org/debian/dists/stable/main/installer-i386/current/images/netboot/debian-installer/i386/initrd.gz
etc.
2. Place it somewhere on the USB-drive (in /deb/hdd directory, for example).
3. Use such instructions in grub.cfg:
menuentry "Debian 7.8.0 Desktop i386 Gnome CD ISO (CD Install;
/deb/hdd/initrd.gz)" {
set isofile="/debian-7.8.0-i386-CD-1.iso"
set initrdfile='/deb/hdd/initrd.gz'
loopback loop0 $isofile
linux (loop0)/install.386/vmlinuz iso-scan/ask_second_pass=true
iso-scan/filename=$isofile priority=low
# initrd (loop0)/install.386/initrd.gz
initrd $initrdfile
}
4. Profit again!
Debian Live iso works without additional downloads (some kind of
self-sufficient). It is possible to use fromiso param and to provide
precise path to your iso and address your USB-drive by UID like this
(theoretically it should speed up the process):
menuentry "Debian 7.8.0 Desktop i386 Xfce ISO (LIVE from ISO)" {
set isofile="/debian-live-7.8.0-i386-xfce-desktop.iso"
loopback loop0 $isofile
linux (loop0)/live/vmlinuz1 boot=live
fromiso=/dev/disk/by-uuid/19C5-2FB2$isofile live-media-path=/live config
initrd (loop0)/live/initrd1.img
}
Best regards,
Dmitry Piyavkin
