Does this new "menu.list" entry look correct?

[leejosepho]

I am trying to add Puppy to my existing "menu.lst", and I do not know whether my "root (hd2,14)" line is correct ...

#################
title > Linux Puppy 511
fallback 4
find --set-root --ignore-floppies
root (hd2,14)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc15 pmedia=atahd
savedefault --wait=2
#################

??

I will be trying it out in a few minutes to see what happens.

[SirDuncan]

That would be the 3rd hard drive and the 15th partition on that drive. I highly doubt that's correct.

[Karl Godt]

I never have seen such grub entries for Grub_1 and Grub_2 .

Is it Grub4Dos ?

Frugal installs go to seperate folders for each derivate or version on my harddrives.

[leejosepho]

That would be the 3rd hard drive and the 15th partition on that drive. I highly doubt that's correct.

It is. I have three drives, and my Linux partitions for 5 distros plus their in-commons (/temp, /swap, /home, etc.) are all on the third drive. However, I only have Mint and Puppy installed so far.

I never have seen such grub entries for Grub_1 and Grub_2 .

Is it Grub4Dos ?

Frugal installs go to separate folders for each derivative or version on my hard drives.

Yes, my "menu.lst" is a slightly-modified copy of the one from the Grub4Dos download, but I did not place Puppy inside a folder because it has its own 4gb partition.

I have since modified the Puppy entry once again, but I have yet to try it. So, I might be back with more questions a little later on!

[rcrsn51]

Assuming that this is a full install, the "pmedia" argument is not needed.

[leejosepho]

Assuming that this is a full install, the "pmedia" argument is not needed.

That is a full install, and I will go take that argument out and try again ... and in the meantime:

Here is my entire (modified-from-downloaded-default) "menu.lst", and please understand I am completely new to all of this -- I have no working knowledge here. However, I do understand the concepts after learning some of this kind of thing on my Commodores many years ago.

Using EasyBCD, I have added a fine-working Puppy entry to my Win7 BCD, but selecting "Puppy" here just sends my machine looking for "/0PE/0PE.ISO" and the remainder of this list, ultimately leaving me at a GRUB command-line prompt.

###############################
# This is a sample menu.lst file. You should make some changes to it.
# The old install method of booting via the stage-files has been removed.
# Please install GRLDR boot strap code to MBR with the bootlace.com
# utility under DOS/Win9x or Linux.

color blue/green yellow/red white/blue white/blue
# timeout 30
default /default

title > grub4dos + Win 98-2K-XP >chainloader /ntldr
fallback 1
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /ntldr
chainloader /ntldr
savedefault --wait=2

title > BIOS Re-Start to Windows 7 BCD Menu >chainloader /bootmgr
fallback 2
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /bootmgr
chainloader /bootmgr
savedefault --wait=2

title > Windows 98 lite >chainloader /cmldr
fallback 3
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /cmldr
chainloader /cmldr

title > Linux Puppy 511
fallback 4
find --set-root --ignore-floppies
root=/dev/sdc15 pmedia=atahd
kernel /boot/vmlinuz initrd initrd.gz
savedefault --wait=2

#########################################################
# write string "cmdcons" to memory 0000:7C03 in 2 steps:
# step 1. Write 4 chars "cmdc" at 0000:7C03
write 0x7C03 0x63646D63
# step 2. Write 3 chars "ons" and an ending null at 0000:7C07
write 0x7C07 0x00736E6F
savedefault --wait=2
#########################################################

title > grub4dos commandline prompt ~ (find and boot 0PE.ISO)
fallback 5
find --set-root /0PE/0PE.ISO
map /0PE/0PE.ISO (0xff) || map --mem /0PE/0PE.ISO (0xff)
map --hook
chainloader (0xff)
savedefault --wait=2

title > floppy seek ends at grub4dos prompt ~ (find and boot MicroPE.ISO)
fallback 6
find --set-root /boot/MicroPE.ISO
map /boot/MicroPE.ISO (0xff) || map --mem /boot/MicroPE.ISO (0xff)
map --hook
chainloader (0xff)
savedefault --wait=2

title > floppy seek ends at grub4dos prompt ~ (Parted Magic ISO)
fallback 7
find --set-root /pmagic.iso
map /pmagic.iso (0xff) || map --mem /pmagic.iso (0xff)
map --hook
chainloader (0xff)
savedefault --wait=2

title > floppy seek ends at grub4dos prompt ~ (Ultimate Boot CD ISO)
fallback 8
find --set-root /ubcd.iso
map /ubcd.iso (0xff) || map --mem /ubcd.iso (0xff)
map --hook
chainloader (0xff)
savedefault --wait=2

title > grub4dos commandline prompt >commandline
commandline

title > Boot Floppy >chainloader (fd0)+1 & rootnoverify (fd0)
chainloader (fd0)+1
rootnoverify (fd0)

title > defective "back to dos" since DOS has yet to be loaded >quit
quit

title > Re-Boot >reboot
reboot

title > ShutDown >halt
halt

title > "file not found" error ~ (MAXDOS.IMG)
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /boot/MAXDOS.IMG
map --mem /boot/MAXDOS.IMG (fd0)
map --hook
chainloader (fd0)+1
rootnoverify (fd0)
###############################

[SirDuncan]

It is. I have three drives, and my Linux partitions for 5 distros plus their in-commons (/temp, /swap, /home, etc.) are all on the third drive. However, I only have Mint and Puppy installed so far.

I'd never seen someone make that many partitions on a disk, but for 5 distros it makes sense. In that case I can see nothing wrong with the root line. I can't really comment on the rest because I've never used Grub4Dos. Good luck!

[rcrsn51]

Code: Select all

root=/dev/sdc15 pmedia=atahd
kernel /boot/vmlinuz initrd initrd.gz 

That doesn't make any sense.

Also, I don't know what the "write" command in the middle is doing.

I would make another menu.lst with just the Puppy entry.

[leejosepho]

I thank you folks for your time here, and I know I have much to learn. I have printed out the 60+ pages of documentation for grub4dos ...

Whew. However, the goal here is to become independent of Windows loaders, and to maybe not even use them at all ... and it looks to me like grub4dos can do that.

If you might be interested, here is an XP screen shot of my drives ...

[Karl Godt]

My 3rd hd boots fine with Grub_1 and Grub_2

I got it a little disordered :

sdc1 = primary CrunchBang8.10
sdc2 = extended partition
sdc3 = primary XUbuntu 10.04
sdc4 = primary not used for the moment

sdc5 : Macpup Foxy_3
sdc6 : Lighthouse 4.4.2/3
sdc7 : luci-218
sdc8 : Macpup Opera_2

sdc9 : large area that my Bios doesn`t want to boot (128/137 GB border )

sdc10 : Lighthouse Mariner 4.4.2/3

sdc11: logical not used for the moment

sdc12 : splitted sdc9 to get 4 swap partitions almost synchron on the disk (beginning of sdc2, 2 middle, end)

sdc13,14,15,16 : swap --- note puppy creates up to sd*15 at /dev/ by default, a 16th device is created by `partprobe`command

all bootable partitions inherit one or several frugals -- even CrunchBang and XUbuntu.

[leejosepho]

My 3rd hd boots fine with Grub_1 and Grub_2 ...

I am definitely impressed, and I warn you: I will glean from you if I can!

Last night I installed Debian with its own "/boot" and "/(root)" partitions on my third drive, but now I cannot figure out how to boot it. I had told the installer to make Debian's "/boot" bootable, but then the installer questioned me about making a logical partition/drive bootable ... yet it proceeded when I said "Yes."

Then along with that, I told the installer to place its GRUB loader on (hdo), but a reboot at the end showed nothing there had changed at all ... and I suspect that is because the installer actually went to my second drive with that since my first drive is a SATA. So then ...

Last night and this morning I have made various attempts at using EasyBCD to add Debian to the existing loader for Mint and Puppy, but all that did was to fix a couple of bogus entries in that loader.

I can use Mint to go see everything in place in Debian's "/boot", so now today's challenge is to try to figure out how to get to it at startup.

Multi-booting is great, eh?!

[ICPUG]

OK - you have a full install on a partition you think is number 15 on the 3rd hard disk.

Keeping things nice and simple my grub lines would be:

title Puppy Linux 5.1.1
root (hd2,14)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc15
boot

Note: I am not a full install expert (being a frugal installer myself). I have taken the above from a modified version of Catdude's excellent full install instructions.

I make the following comments:

1) You don't need the initrd parameter with a full install

2) I assume vmlinuz is in the boot directory of partition 15

3) The value of 14 and 15 in the various root references is very dependent on knowing the correct partition number. Have you taken into account the difference between primary and logical partitions? I'm not sure you have.

A hard disk can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions. To allow more partitions you give up one of these primary partitions and makes it an extended partition. You can then include any number of logical partitions within the extended partition.

I suspect your partition holding puppy is a logical partition within the extended partition.

Grub numbers the first primary partition 0
Grub numbers the second primary partition 1
Grub numbers the third primary partition 2
Grub numbers the fourth primary partition 3

Grub numbers the first logical partition in the extended partition 4
THIS IS TRUE EVEN IF YOU DO NOT HAVE 4 PRIMARY PARTITIONS

Grub numbers the other logical partitions incrementally.

With this knowledge check the puppy partition is the eleventh within the extended partition. If it is the above lines should work. Otherwise, modify the 14 accordingly.

Whatever it is add 1 in the root=/dev/sdcNN bit.

4) Bearing in mind rcrsn51's wise words, just start with a menu.lst containing a reference to puppy and get that working. I would go further and leave out the savedefault and fallback stuff. Let's get it working before doing the fancy stuff.

5) strictly speaking the boot line is not necessary. I like it because it gives me confidence that it is going to happen!

Hope that helps.

[rjbrewer]

Multi-booting is great, eh?!

Depends on how you do it:

http://www.justlinux.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143973

[leejosepho]

Multi-booting is great, eh?!

Depends on how you do it:
http://www.justlinux.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143973

You bet. A friend on another forum seemed impressed with what I am doing, but I already knew I am only a comparative lightweight.

Keeping things nice and simple my grub lines would be:

title Puppy Linux 5.1.1
root (hd2,14)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc15
boot

I will go try exactly that and report back.

1) You don't need the initrd parameter with a full install

Ah, okay. I had first used the frugal installer, then updated to "full" after the frugal boot menu had been written.

2) I assume vmlinuz is in the boot directory of partition 15

3) The value of 14 and 15 in the various root references is very dependent on knowing the correct partition number. Have you taken into account the difference between primary and logical partitions?

Yes, I do know about that, and I have selected the correct partition after visually recognizing it in the drive's lineup displayed during system installation.

4) Bearing in mind rcrsn51's wise words, just start with a menu.lst containing a reference to puppy and get that working. I would go further and leave out the savedefault and fallback stuff. Let's get it working before doing the fancy stuff.

Understood, but I *have* left the fallback lines in because I am assuming they function as a looping mechanism causing the machine to wait for a keypress ...

Am I wrong about that?

5) strictly speaking the boot line is not necessary. I like it because it gives me confidence that it is going to happen!

We think alike.

Hope that helps.

Me too, and having already checked all the others, here is what I am going to go try for Puppy (and then possibly add lines for Mint and Debian if this works):

###########################
# This is a modification of the sample menu.lst file sent along with grub4dos.
# g4d note: The old install method of booting via the stage-files has been removed.

color blue/green yellow/red white/blue white/blue
# timeout 30
default /default

title > BIOS Re-Start to ntldr>boot.ini (Win 98-2K-XP + grub4dos) >chainloader /ntldr
fallback 1
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /ntldr
chainloader /ntldr

title > BIOS Re-Start to bootmgr>bcd (Win 7 Menu) >chainloader /bootmgr
fallback 2
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /bootmgr
chainloader /bootmgr

title Puppy Linux 5.1.1
fallback 3
root (hd2,14)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc15
boot

# Note: Having something to do with booting .iso files and/or CD-Drives,
# the following g4d lines are preserved here for possible use later.
#########################################################
# write string "cmdcons" to memory 0000:7C03 in 2 steps:
# step 1. Write 4 chars "cmdc" at 0000:7C03
# write 0x7C03 0x63646D63
# step 2. Write 3 chars "ons" and an ending null at 0000:7C07
# write 0x7C07 0x00736E6F
# savedefault --wait=2
#########################################################

title > grub4dos commandline prompt >commandline
commandline

title > Boot Floppy >chainloader (fd0)+1 & rootnoverify (fd0)
chainloader (fd0)+1
rootnoverify (fd0)

title > defective "back to dos" since DOS has yet to be loaded >quit
quit

title > Re-Boot >reboot
reboot

title > ShutDown >halt
halt
###########################

[leejosepho]

##########
title Puppy Linux 5.1.1
root (hd2,14)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc15
boot
##########

Well, that is not working, and I have tried various settings for (hdx,x) ... and part of the problem there might have to do with one of my drives being SATA (causing mistaken drive numbers). However, and please forgive my oversight here:

Prior to this effort to add Grub4Dos to my machine, Puppy was already installed and listed (along with Mint) in a NeoGRUB menu written by EasyBCD. So, maybe my problem here has to do with my now circumstantially attempting to bypass that and go to Puppy directly?

I will have to work on sorting that out ... and I do have this to help:

I am on my old 533mhz "test" machine at the moment, and it has this:

#####
title Linux Puppy 511 (on /dev/hdb1)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /vmlinuz pkeys=us
initrd /initrd.gz
#####

... being accessed by Grub4Dos after being called by this line in NTLDR's "boot.ini":

-----
c:\boot\stage1="Puppy 5.1.1"
-----

... and that is working perfectly.

So, I now plan to go do the same on my regular machine and see how badly setting that up via "grubinstaller" might mess up my regular Windows loaders at this particular point in my attempt to move away from so much dependence upon them.

[rcrsn51]

Try this: put a dummy file named "mymarker" at the root of sdc15

Then use:

Code: Select all

find --set-root --ignore-floppies /mymarker
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc15

BTW, you never stated what the error message was from your last attempt. Was it from GRUB or Puppy?

[leejosepho]

Try this: put a dummy file named "mymarker" at the root of sdc15

Then use:

Code: Select all

find --set-root --ignore-floppies /mymarker
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc15

Ah, I see your thought there and I will keep that in mind.

BTW, you never stated what the error message was from your last attempt. Was it from GRUB or Puppy?

I do not recall specifically at the moment, but I believe it was just the typical "file not found" kind of thing. However ...

#######################
title > Linux Puppy 511
fallback 4
find --set-root --ignore-floppies
root=/dev/sdc15 pmedia=atahd
kernel /boot/vmlinuz initrd initrd.gz
savedefault --wait=2
#######################

... pulling possibly those "fallback" and probably especially the "savedefault" lines out of my menu entries was a *huge* mistake! To explain ...

I had installed Debian not long before all of this, and I had told Debian to "take over" my MBR and install a "master loader" (while fully expecting to have to fix some things afterward) ... but then nothing about my startup was any different after that installation had completed. Well! It now appears quite likely those "savedefault" lines (and possibly the "fallback" lines also) must be there to do something similar to what Acronis does in its "OS Selector" where each menu entry can change drive order and/or "active" or whatever else needed to run an OS ... and then later put things right back to "default" (just as they had been) at the end of a run ... and I say that because Debian *did* finally "take over" right after I had removed those lines, and ... well, you would not want to see the mess I have here now! However, the fault there is all mine because I knew what I had done with Debian could bring trouble.

Question: With Linux, what is the purpose of mounting a drive or partition as "/Windows" (in whatever format)? What is that intended to accomplish?

I had included sdc1 as "/Windows" when I installed Debian farther back on that same drive, but I did that without knowing why.

[Karl Godt]

I still believe that your BIOS doesn't boot that far.
In the Bios the first page to set date and time there also should be the possibillity to switch Auto entries to some ( typing + or - ) thing that shows the size and heads,cylinders and so on of the attached drives.

[leejosepho]

I still believe that your BIOS doesn't boot that far.

All of this is happening on past the BIOS and inside the first partition on the first drive where both GRUB4DOS and its special menu.lst are located. GRUB4DOS *can* be placed in a boot sector either on a drive or partition, and I *might* see about doing something like that after I get that drive set back up once again. After those "safety lines" (or whatever they are) had been removed from the GRUB4DOS menu, Debian's overall "system-menu loader" in the boot sector sent my machine off to run an OS backup ... and that did not work at all. But then my efforts to get Debian's stuff out of that boot sector in order to recover control here were futile since I did not have a backup of that boot sector.

[L18L]

Code: Select all

kernel /boot/vmlinuz initrd initrd.gz 

I would try

Code: Select all

kernel /boot/vmlinuz
initrd /boot/initrd.gz