On 2019-11-19 13:58, Brian <a...@cityscape.co.uk> wrote:
On Tue 19 Nov 2019 at 10:20:16 -0600, pru...@finsakxim.com.mx wrote:
I'm trying to boot Buster installer from a USB by using Grub's
loopback
device.
I already installed grub in the USB and put Buster ISO in its
data
partition.
I read this
https://wiki.debian.org/Installation+Archive+USBStick#Using_GRUB.27s_Loopback_Facility
so I downloaded both hd-media kernel and initrd from here
http://ftp.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/installer-amd64/current/images/hd-media/
and put them in same directory as ISO, renaming them as
"DebianVmlinuz" and
"debianGtkInitrd" respectively.
This is my grub.cfg config:
iso_path=/boot/iso/debian-10.1.0-amd64-xfce-CD-1.iso
export iso_path
search --set=root --file "$iso_path"
loopback loop "$iso_path"
menuentry "Graphical install" {
bootoptions="findiso=$iso_path desktop=xfce vga=788 ---
quiet"
linux /boot/iso/DebianVmlinuz $bootoptions
initrd /boot/iso/debianGtkInitrd.gz
}
So booting from the USB works; the installer starts. But after
selecting
languages it searches for the installer ISO, but always fails to
find it. I
get "Debian was unable to find an ISO installer image". Even if
I tell it to
browse the specific partition where ISO is it just fails with
same error.
The wiki page also warns:
> There is no guarantee that mixing an hd-media initrd with
> an ISO's kernel will produce a desirable outcome in all
> circumstances.
In other words, if the hack works for you - all well and good. If
not,
you get to piece it together yourself.
Why is a loopback boot so important to you?
If you re-read my post you realize that I first tried the "rightful" way
of using both kernel and initrd from hd-media, and didn't work.
Important because that would make it easier to make a multiboot USB with
several Linux distributions by just copying ISO files instead of dd-ing
multiple USBs or using 3rd party programs which modify the ISOs.
Sorry, I really didn't know Debian community actually disliked this
general idea (by little to no supporting and turning blind eye). Though
I fail to see a good reason for it...