Boot Disk

[Michael Gargiullo]

How do I format a floppy to accept the over-sized fedora boot image?

I've tried mkbootdisk --size 1400 --device /dev/fd0 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl

But it's still creating an image thats too large
-- 
Michael Gargiullo <mgargiullo(a)warpdrive.net&gt;
Warp Drive Networks

[Terry Polzin]

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Hash: SHA1

On Thursday 05 February 2004 11:23, Michael Gargiullo wrote:
>  How do I format a floppy to accept the over-sized fedora boot image?
>
>  I've tried mkbootdisk --size 1400 --device /dev/fd0 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
>
>  But it's still creating an image thats too large
>  --
>  Michael Gargiullo <mgargiullo(a)warpdrive.net&gt;
>  Warp Drive Networks 
I was looking at this just yesterday, unless you have a 2.88 floppy, I guess 
you have to create a iso and burn it to a CD
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[Bevan C. Bennett]

Michael Gargiullo wrote:
>  How do I format a floppy to accept the over-sized fedora boot image?
>  
>  I've tried mkbootdisk --size 1400 --device /dev/fd0 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
>  
>  But it's still creating an image thats too large 
In the images directory of your fedora distribution should be several files:

bootdisk.img - floppy sized boot image
drvnet.img - floppy sized image with extra network drivers
drvblock.img - floppy sized image with extra block device drivers
boot.iso - CD sized boot image with drivers included

They can be found, for example, at 
ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/fedora/core/1/i386/os/images

To put the boot image on a floppy:
% dd if=bootdisk.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1024

[Phil Schaffner]

On Thu, 2004-02-05 at 13:38, Bevan C. Bennett wrote:
>  Michael Gargiullo wrote:
>  > How do I format a floppy to accept the over-sized fedora boot image?
>  > 
>  > I've tried mkbootdisk --size 1400 --device /dev/fd0 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
>  > 
>  > But it's still creating an image thats too large 
You're going the wrong direction - standard size is 1440 and the kernel
already won't fit.

Try one or more of the following sizes, but the only one I've ever
gotten to work is 1722 - seems to depend on specific floppy/BIOS
combination:

[prs@radar0 prs]$ ll /dev/fd0u1[67]*
brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2, 124 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1660
brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2,  44 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1680
brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2,  60 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1722
brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2,  76 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1743
brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2,  96 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1760
brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2, 116 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1840
brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2, 100 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1920 
For example:
# fdformat /dev/fd0u1722
# mkbootdisk --size 1722 --device /dev/fd0u1722 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
Alternatively, build a trimmed-down custom kernel that will fit a 1440
floppy.

>  In the images directory of your fedora distribution should be several
> files:
>  
>  bootdisk.img - floppy sized boot image
>  drvnet.img - floppy sized image with extra network drivers
>  drvblock.img - floppy sized image with extra block device drivers
>  boot.iso - CD sized boot image with drivers included
>  
>  They can be found, for example, at 
>  ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/fedora/core/1/i386/os/images
>  
>  To put the boot image on a floppy:
>  % dd if=bootdisk.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1024 
The above would work for installation boot, but seems he might want to
boot a more current kernel.

Backing up a step, what is the real objective?  Is a boot floppy with a
kernel required, or could the objective be satisfied by having (possibly
redundant) kernels on hard disk and making a GRUB boot (or LILO - won't
get into religious discussions) boot floppy?

Phil

[Bevan C. Bennett]

Phil Schaffner wrote:
>  The above would work for installation boot, but seems he might want
> to
>  boot a more current kernel. 
Ah. Good point.
>  
>  Backing up a step, what is the real objective?  Is a boot floppy with a
>  kernel required, or could the objective be satisfied by having (possibly
>  redundant) kernels on hard disk and making a GRUB boot (or LILO - won't
>  get into religious discussions) boot floppy? 
That's why I was confused... I only ever use boot floppies for 
performing a reinstall or upgrade.

Going back... I don't seem to be able to reproduce the original problem.

# mkbootdisk --device /tmp/foo.img 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
# ls -l /tmp/foo.img
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Feb  5 11:10 foo.img
# ls -l .../fedora-1-core/images/*.img
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Nov  3 15:44 bootdisk.img
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Feb  5 09:42 drvblock.img
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Nov  3 15:44 drvnet.img

What version of mkbootimg do you have?
Are large numbers of strange drivers involved?

>  rpm -q mkbootdisk 
mkbootdisk-1.5.1-1

[Terry Polzin]

I think the intent here is to have a medium to boot from should grub and or 
the MBR fail.  The boot image off of the CD is meant for install/upgrade.

That's why I sugguested iso format.  I know it's wasteful of a CD but I think 
it may be the only way to go if the whole initrd is desired.

On Thursday 05 February 2004 14:15, Bevan C. Bennett wrote:
>  Phil Schaffner wrote:
>  > The above would work for installation boot, but seems he might want to
>  > boot a more current kernel.
>
>  Ah. Good point.
>
>  > Backing up a step, what is the real objective?  Is a boot floppy with a
>  > kernel required, or could the objective be satisfied by having (possibly
>  > redundant) kernels on hard disk and making a GRUB boot (or LILO - won't
>  > get into religious discussions) boot floppy?
>
>  That's why I was confused... I only ever use boot floppies for
>  performing a reinstall or upgrade.
>
>  Going back... I don't seem to be able to reproduce the original problem.
>
>  # mkbootdisk --device /tmp/foo.img 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
>  # ls -l /tmp/foo.img
>  -rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Feb  5 11:10 foo.img
>  # ls -l .../fedora-1-core/images/*.img
>  -rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Nov  3 15:44 bootdisk.img
>  -rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Feb  5 09:42 drvblock.img
>  -rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Nov  3 15:44 drvnet.img
>
>  What version of mkbootimg do you have?
>  Are large numbers of strange drivers involved?
>
>   > rpm -q mkbootdisk
>
>  mkbootdisk-1.5.1-1

[Keven Ring]

Terry Polzin wrote:

> I think the intent here is to have a medium to boot from should grub
> and or 
> the MBR fail.  The boot image off of the CD is meant for install/upgrade.
>   
>  
Don't forget "RESCUE" mode....

> That's why I sugguested iso format.  I know it's wasteful of a
> CD but I think 
> it may be the only way to go if the whole initrd is desired.
>
> On Thursday 05 February 2004 14:15, Bevan C. Bennett wrote:
>   
>
> >Phil Schaffner wrote:
> >    
> >
> >>The above would work for installation boot, but seems he might want to
> >>boot a more current kernel.
> >>      
> >>
> >Ah. Good point.
> >
> >    
> >
> >>Backing up a step, what is the real objective?  Is a boot floppy with a
> >>kernel required, or could the objective be satisfied by having (possibly
> >>redundant) kernels on hard disk and making a GRUB boot (or LILO - won't
> >>get into religious discussions) boot floppy?
> >>      
> >>
> >That's why I was confused... I only ever use boot floppies for
> >performing a reinstall or upgrade.
> >
> >Going back... I don't seem to be able to reproduce the original problem.
> >
> ># mkbootdisk --device /tmp/foo.img 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
> ># ls -l /tmp/foo.img
> >-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Feb  5 11:10 foo.img
> ># ls -l .../fedora-1-core/images/*.img
> >-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Nov  3 15:44 bootdisk.img
> >-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Feb  5 09:42 drvblock.img
> >-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Nov  3 15:44 drvnet.img
> >
> >What version of mkbootimg do you have?
> >Are large numbers of strange drivers involved?
> >
> > > rpm -q mkbootdisk
> >
> >mkbootdisk-1.5.1-1
> >    
> >
>
>
>   
>  

-- 
Keven Ring                      | They called it Paradise
Lead Software Systems Engineer  |   I don't know why...
The MITRE Corporation           | When you call someplace Paradise
[phone]                   |   Kiss it goodbye....

[Michael Gargiullo]

On Thu, 2004-02-05 at 14:15, Bevan C. Bennett wrote:
>  Phil Schaffner wrote:
>  > The above would work for installation boot, but seems he might want to
>  > boot a more current kernel.
>  
>  Ah. Good point. 
Sorry should have been more clear.  I need to boot a current kernel, and
reinstall grub.

>  > 
>  > Backing up a step, what is the real objective?  Is a boot floppy with a
>  > kernel required, or could the objective be satisfied by having (possibly
>  > redundant) kernels on hard disk and making a GRUB boot (or LILO - won't
>  > get into religious discussions) boot floppy?
>  
>  That's why I was confused... I only ever use boot floppies for 
>  performing a reinstall or upgrade.
>  
>  Going back... I don't seem to be able to reproduce the original problem.
>  
>  # mkbootdisk --device /tmp/foo.img 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl 
I've tried this... I get a No space left on disk error...

>  # ls -l /tmp/foo.img
>  -rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Feb  5 11:10 foo.img
>  # ls -l .../fedora-1-core/images/*.img
>  -rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Nov  3 15:44 bootdisk.img
>  -rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Feb  5 09:42 drvblock.img
>  -rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1474560 Nov  3 15:44 drvnet.img
>  
>  What version of mkbootimg do you have?
>  Are large numbers of strange drivers involved?
>  
>   > rpm -q mkbootdisk
>  mkbootdisk-1.5.1-1 

How can I make a bootable cd (point to a website) that will act like a
disk made via mkbootdisk.

My only cd-burner right now is on a windows machine.
-- 
Michael Gargiullo <mgargiullo(a)warpdrive.net&gt;
Warp Drive Networks

[Bevan C. Bennett]

Michael Gargiullo wrote:

> >Going back... I don't seem to be able to reproduce the
> original problem.
> >
> ># mkbootdisk --device /tmp/foo.img 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
>  
>  
>  I've tried this... I get a No space left on disk error... 
Is there anywhere on your harddrive that you do have space to try this?
Note that I'm outputting to a file, -not- directly to floppy.

> >What version of mkbootimg do you have?
> >Are large numbers of strange drivers involved? 
My point is that the kernel itself is -not- inherently too big to make a 
boot floppy from in at least my straight FC1 install, which implies that 
there's something else with either your configuration or version of 
mkbootimg that is causing the trouble.

>  How can I make a bootable cd (point to a website) that will act like
> a
>  disk made via mkbootdisk.
>  
>  My only cd-burner right now is on a windows machine. 
Google suggests the following might help:

http://cfm.gs.washington.edu/~adioso/HOWTO/RedHat/RHCustomCD.xml
http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue68/tag/11.html

[Rick Stevens]

Phil Schaffner wrote:
>  On Thu, 2004-02-05 at 13:38, Bevan C. Bennett wrote:
>  
> >Michael Gargiullo wrote:
> >
> >>How do I format a floppy to accept the over-sized fedora boot image?
> >>
> >>I've tried mkbootdisk --size 1400 --device /dev/fd0 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
> >>
> >>But it's still creating an image thats too large
>  
>  
>  You're going the wrong direction - standard size is 1440 and the kernel
>  already won't fit.
>  
>  Try one or more of the following sizes, but the only one I've ever
>  gotten to work is 1722 - seems to depend on specific floppy/BIOS
>  combination:
>  
>  [prs@radar0 prs]$ ll /dev/fd0u1[67]*
>  brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2, 124 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1660
>  brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2,  44 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1680
>  brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2,  60 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1722
>  brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2,  76 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1743
>  brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2,  96 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1760
>  brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2, 116 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1840
>  brw-rw----    1 prs      floppy     2, 100 Sep 15 09:40 /dev/fd0u1920 
>  For example:
>  # fdformat /dev/fd0u1722
>  # mkbootdisk --size 1722 --device /dev/fd0u1722 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
>  Alternatively, build a trimmed-down custom kernel that will fit a 1440
>  floppy.
>  
>  
> >In the images directory of your fedora distribution should be several files:
> >
> >bootdisk.img - floppy sized boot image
> >drvnet.img - floppy sized image with extra network drivers
> >drvblock.img - floppy sized image with extra block device drivers
> >boot.iso - CD sized boot image with drivers included
> >
> >They can be found, for example, at 
> >ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/fedora/core/1/i386/os/images
> >
> >To put the boot image on a floppy:
> >% dd if=bootdisk.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1024
>  
>  
>  The above would work for installation boot, but seems he might want to
>  boot a more current kernel.
>  
>  Backing up a step, what is the real objective?  Is a boot floppy with a
>  kernel required, or could the objective be satisfied by having (possibly
>  redundant) kernels on hard disk and making a GRUB boot (or LILO - won't
>  get into religious discussions) boot floppy? 
Standard kernels will not fit on a floppy.  You need to build a
kernel that has NOTHING in it (fully modular) except maybe the IDE
driver, and build an initrd that has ONLY the modules you really need to
get the root filesystem on line (the SCSI stuff if you use SCSI and
perhaps ext3fs if you use the ext3 filesystem).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens(a)vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-  You know you've landed gear-up when it takes full power to taxi.  -
-                                                -- Chuck Yeager     -
----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Michael Gargiullo]

On Thu, 2004-02-05 at 13:38, Bevan C. Bennett wrote:
>  Michael Gargiullo wrote:
>  > How do I format a floppy to accept the over-sized fedora boot image?
>  > 
>  > I've tried mkbootdisk --size 1400 --device /dev/fd0 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
>  > 
>  > But it's still creating an image thats too large
>  
>  In the images directory of your fedora distribution should be several files:
>  
>  bootdisk.img - floppy sized boot image
>  drvnet.img - floppy sized image with extra network drivers
>  drvblock.img - floppy sized image with extra block device drivers
>  boot.iso - CD sized boot image with drivers included
>  
>  They can be found, for example, at 
>  ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/fedora/core/1/i386/os/images
>  
>  To put the boot image on a floppy:
>  % dd if=bootdisk.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1024 
OK used dd to create 2 disks  one with bootdisk.img and one with
drvblock.img (for the scsi drivers).

The machine boots off the disks, but will only look for installation
media...it won't boot the installed OS on /dev/sda

I just need to boot the OS to be able to run grub-install  /dev/sda


-- 
Michael Gargiullo <mgargiullo(a)warpdrive.net&gt;
Warp Drive Networks

[Terry Polzin]

On Thursday 05 February 2004 14:43, Michael Gargiullo wrote:
<snip>
>  I just need to boot the OS to be able to run grub-install  /dev/sda
Boot from install CD into rescue
mount the installation

chroot /mnt/sysimage
grub-install [ /dev/hdx] [/dev/sdx]

That should get grub working.  But as I have stated in other replies.
A working boot medium is needed for situations like you mentioned, less messy 
and needed if you don't want a boot loader.

[Phil Schaffner]

On Thu, 2004-02-05 at 15:29, Terry Polzin wrote:
>  On Thursday 05 February 2004 14:43, Michael Gargiullo wrote:
>  <snip>
>  > I just need to boot the OS to be able to run grub-install  /dev/sda
>  
>  Boot from install CD into rescue
>  mount the installation
>  
>  chroot /mnt/sysimage
>  grub-install [ /dev/hdx] [/dev/sdx]
>  
>  That should get grub working.  But as I have stated in other replies.
>  A working boot medium is needed for situations like you mentioned, less messy 
>  and needed if you don't want a boot loader. 
If you want a floppy solution for GRUB/MBR problems, or just to change
default boot OS by popping in a floppy, the following script may be
useful:

####################################################################
#!/bin/bash
# mkgrubmenu
#
# Written by Phil Schaffner <p.r.schaffner(a)ieee.org&gt;
#  based on mkbootdisk by Erik Troan <ewt(a)redhat.com&gt;

pause=yes
format=yes
device=/dev/fd0
unset verbose

GRUBDIR=/boot/grub
MOUNTDIR=/tmp/mkgrubmenu
PATH=/sbin:$PATH
export PATH

VERSION=0.2

usage () {
    cat >&2 <<EOF
usage: `basename $0` [--version] [--noprompt] [--noformat]
       [--device <devicefile>] [--grubdir <dir>] [--verbose -v]
       (ex: `basename $0` --device /dev/fd1)
EOF
    exit $1
}

while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
    case $1 in
	--device)
	    shift
	    device=$1
	    ;;
	--grubdir)
	    shift
	    GRUBDIR=$1
	    ;;
	--help)
	    usage 0
	    ;;
	--noprompt)
	    unset pause
	    ;;
	--noformat)
	    unset format
	    ;;
	-v)
	    verbose=true
	    ;;
	--verbose)
	    verbose=true
	    ;;
	--version)
	    echo "mkgrubdisk: version $VERSION"
	    exit 0
	    ;;
	*)
            usage
	    ;;
    esac

    shift
done

[ -d $GRUBDIR ] || {
    echo "$GRUBDIR is not a directory!" >&2
    exit 1
}



if [ -e "$device" ]; then {
    [ -n "$pause" ] && {
	echo -n "Insert a"
	[ -n "$format" ] || echo -n " vfat formatted"
	echo " disk in $device."
	echo "Any information on the disk will be lost."
	echo -n "Press <Enter> to continue or ^C to abort: "
	read aline
    }

    [ -n "$format" ] && {
	[ -n "$verbose" ] && echo "Formatting $device... "
	fdformat $device || exit 0
	mkfs.msdos $device > /dev/null 2>/dev/null || exit 0
	[ -n "$verbose" ] && echo "done."
    }

    rm -rf $MOUNTDIR
    mkdir $MOUNTDIR || {
	echo "Failed to create $MOUNTDIR" >&2
	exit 1
    }
    [ -d $MOUNTDIR ] || {
	echo "$MOUNTDIR is not a directory!" >&2
	exit 1
    }

    mount -wt vfat $device $MOUNTDIR || {
	rmdir $MOUNTDIR
	exit 1
    }

    mkdir $MOUNTDIR/grub

    [ -n "$verbose" ] && echo -n "Copying $GRUBDIR files... "
    cd $GRUBDIR
    cp -a stage1 stage2 grub.conf device.map $MOUNTDIR/grub
    [ -n "$verbose" ] && echo "done."

    [ -n "$verbose" ] && echo -n "Setting up GRUB... "
    grub --device-map=$GRUBDIR/device.map --batch <<EOF
root (fd0)
setup (fd0)
quit
EOF

    [ -n "$verbose" ] && echo "done."

    umount $MOUNTDIR
    rmdir $MOUNTDIR
    [ -n "$verbose" ] && echo "done setting up GRUB."
    echo "edit (fd0)/grub/grub.conf to customize."
}
else
    echo "$device does not exist"
fi
####################################################################

Phil

[A Davis]

*You should use rawrite to make a boot disk*

If you are making a boot disk under windows and you have the ISO images
mounted to your CDROM DISC
then you can go into dosutils folder on the first disc
and use the rawritewin application to make a BOOT DISK on a 1.44MB floppy
disk. The bootdisk.img  file is also located on the first CDROM installation
disk.
If you make a bootdisk Under Linux you will need to use
http://fedora.redhat.com/download/#write

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Gargiullo" <mgargiullo(a)warpdrive.net&gt;
To: "Fedora List" <fedora-list(a)redhat.com&gt;
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 11:23 AM
Subject: Boot Disk


>  How do I format a floppy to accept the over-sized fedora boot image?
>
>  I've tried mkbootdisk --size 1400 --device /dev/fd0 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
>
>  But it's still creating an image thats too large
>  -- 
>  Michael Gargiullo <mgargiullo(a)warpdrive.net&gt;
>  Warp Drive Networks
>
>
>  -- 
>  fedora-list mailing list
>  fedora-list(a)redhat.com
>  To unsubscribe: http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list
>