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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1053 Location: UK
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Posted: Sat 28 Jul 2012, 15:33 Post subject:
How to Dual boot Puppy&XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos Subject description: (no changes or additions to your C: drive required) |
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Like many Puppians, particularly those new to Linux, I have always preferred to run my pups from USB2 flash rather than by installing them to my C: drive in some sort of dual boot arrangement. These can work fine but also, can be fraught with difficulty and the corruption or total loss of your Windows system may be the result.
The method described below involves no changes or additions to your C: drive. It was arrived at after a good deal of trial & error and won out due to its simplicity.
No menu.lst is needed.
The downside of booting puppy from USB is that you can be forever popping in & out of the BIOS to change the boot order when switching between XP & puppy. Providing you leave the stick plugged in this need is eliminated as the modified syslinux menu provides the option to boot into XP or Puppy.
For the purposes of this method I used syslinux 4.04 with the graphical vesamenu.c32. It assumes that you already possess a working USB stick using syslinux & vesamenu. Vesamenu.c32 and syslinux.cfg should be in the root of the flash drive together with the splash screen (bart9splash.jpg) if used.
All files including a full copy of my syslinux.cfg, the 2 required grub files and the splash screen are attached.
STEPS:
1. On your stick create the directory structure shown and place the 2 files in it.
2. Append the following block of code to your syslinux.cfg or use the one attached and modify it to suit your particular pup(s).
Code: | MENU SEPARATOR
LABEL grub
MENU LABEL XP Pro 28/07/12
KERNEL /boot/grub/grub.exe --config-file="map (hd1) (hd0);map (hd0) (hd1);map --hook;chainloader (hd0)+1"
MENU SEPARATOR
LABEL reboot
MENU LABEL Reboot
KERNEL /boot/grub/grub.exe --config-file="reboot"
MENU SEPARATOR
LABEL off
MENU LABEL Power Off
KERNEL /boot/grub/grub.exe --config-file="halt"
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3. That’s it! --------- Result as below:
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
Last edited by ETP on Thu 18 Oct 2012, 06:39; edited 4 times in total
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1053 Location: UK
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Posted: Tue 31 Jul 2012, 07:42 Post subject:
How to Dual boot Puppy&XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos |
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Alternate splash screen for syslinux/vesamenu.c32 (1024x768 - 68KB)
Description |
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puppy.tar.gz |
Filesize |
64.72 KB |
Downloaded |
621 Time(s) |
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1053 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu 16 Aug 2012, 05:29 Post subject:
How to Dual boot Puppy&XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos |
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Hello World,
Some relevant feedback would be nice (good or bad - "Nice font" will not suffice)
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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nilsonmorales

Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 938 Location: El Salvador
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Posted: Thu 16 Aug 2012, 09:22 Post subject:
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tnx i will try a report ok
http://nilsonmorales.blogspot.com/
where you download the grub.exe
some link?
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1053 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu 16 Aug 2012, 10:33 Post subject:
How to Dual boot Puppy&XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos |
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Nilsonmorales,
Thanks for your interest. All files are included in the attachment at the bottom of the first post.
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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OscarTalks

Joined: 05 Feb 2012 Posts: 1735 Location: London, England
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Posted: Thu 23 Aug 2012, 14:31 Post subject:
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Hello ETP,
Thanks for posting these dual boot methods. I know how time-consuming it can be working these things out.
I have been using Puppy for a few months now but have always run Live. I have just started dipping my toe in the water of installing and booting and grub and stuff.
I would like to try your method on my little netbook with Windows XP on the HDD and Puppy frugal on an 8 Gig SD card which I have slotted in.
As a first step though, I would like to install Puppy to the SD card after it has been formatted as ext4, which I haven't been able to do yet. Can you (or anyone) tell me how to do this such that it can be booted using the BIOS?
I have currently got it working perfectly (not dual boot of course) by using BootFlash to make the SD card bootable and then Puppy Universal Installer to install the files (Slacko 5.3.3), but BootFlash forces formatting as vfat (unless I missed something) and PUI alone doesn't seem to create an install that boots on ext4 (or is it one of those mbr options that I need to use?). Does it become necessary to install grub or grub4dos even though it is not needed if the SD card is vfat?
Once I can figure this out I would then hope to go on to try the dual boot system. Where did the vesamenu.c32 file come from?
_________________ Oscar in England

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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1053 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri 24 Aug 2012, 09:38 Post subject:
How to Dual boot Puppy XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos Subject description: No changes or additions to your C: drive required |
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Hi OscarTalks,
It is good to hear that you have created a working vfat SD using Bootflash & the PUI. With very little work that can be modified to provide a dual boot but you will need to stick with vfat.
It is possible to create an ext4 partition at the end of the card to hold your main sfs & save file but I would advise against it as the gains are minimal. The benefit of having a vfat volume which is accessible from both Puppy & XP is the better option. If however you have a pressing reason for creating an ext4 partition let me know & I will post instructions.
Vesamenu.c32 is one of the many modules provided within syslinux. Its use enables posh menus with high resolution png or jpg splash screens up to 1024x768. (Grub is limited to 640x480)
A copy of vesamenu.c32 from syslinux 4.04 is attached – place it in the root of your SD.
For the benefit of other readers using XP
Syslinux (4.04 zip) can be downloaded from here:
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/
Instructions here:
http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/HowTos
Attached is a (tested) syslinux.cfg specifically for Slacko 5.3.3. In conjunction with the 2 grub files placed as per the first post in this topic it will provide the dual boot with XP from an SD card or USB stick.
Steps to set this up.
1. Rename your existing syslinux.cfg to say syslinux.osc
2. Place the attached files (syslinux.cfg & vesamenu.c32) in the root of your SD.
3. Off the root create the directory p533 and move all your Puppy files into it:
vmlinuz
initrd.gz
slackosave.xxx.xfs (whatever yours is named)
puppy_slacko_5.3.3.sfs
4. Place the 2 grub files as shown in first post.
5. Place the splash screen (bart9splash.jpg) in the root of your SD.
Caveat:
You may find that depending on your screen resolution, the menu may be off centre. Adjust the HSHIFT & VSHIFT values in syslinux.cfg to suit.
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Description |
vesamenu.c32
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Filename |
vesamenu.zip |
Filesize |
83.18 KB |
Downloaded |
540 Time(s) |
Description |
syslinux.cfg for Slacko 5.3.3
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Download |
Filename |
syslinux.zip |
Filesize |
808 Bytes |
Downloaded |
576 Time(s) |
_________________ Regards ETP
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canbyte

Joined: 10 Jan 2009 Posts: 266 Location: Hamilton, Canada
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Posted: Wed 17 Oct 2012, 22:38 Post subject:
Dual boot from cd |
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Hoping to hitchhike on this thread but haven't yet got to the point of usb/flash install. Now running from cd with files on flash drive. A new cd RW drive is presenting difficulties getting the disk in/out before windows boots up (and also a bit lazy and just hoping to leave CD in the drive). Having various _save files on the flash drive, puppy presents them in a list and waits for a number input corresponding to the desired running profile.
Would it be possible to simply add a choice '0' to the list for going back to the C drive and starting windows (xp)? Seems there must be something in this thread to do that but I'm not expert enough to identify what and where to put it. Thanks in advance.
_________________ 1. Dell Dimension E521, AMD Athln 64, 2 GHz 1.93GB ram,
Puppy 533 on CD, accesses flash drive only,
FFox Nightly12.0
2. Compaq P3 733Hz 375RAM
Printer: Oki C3400 > LAN
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greengeek

Joined: 20 Jul 2010 Posts: 4943 Location: Republic of Novo Zelande
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Posted: Thu 18 Oct 2012, 03:29 Post subject:
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ETP, Just getting this on my watchlist 'cos I want to try this on my work netbook... Looks like a neat idea.
Just to clarify - does this method mean that I can leave my Win XP install untouched, then set my netbook to boot from usb, then plug in a usb stick with a version of puppy (including the setup you describe), then I will get a choice of booting into Windows or Puppy?
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1053 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu 18 Oct 2012, 03:39 Post subject:
Re: Dual boot from cd |
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canbyte wrote: | Hoping to hitchhike on this thread but haven't yet got to the point of usb/flash install. Now running from cd with files on flash drive. A new cd RW drive is presenting difficulties getting the disk in/out before windows boots up (and also a bit lazy and just hoping to leave CD in the drive). Having various _save files on the flash drive, puppy presents them in a list and waits for a number input corresponding to the desired running profile.
Would it be possible to simply add a choice '0' to the list for going back to the C drive and starting windows (xp)? Seems there must be something in this thread to do that but I'm not expert enough to identify what and where to put it. Thanks in advance. |
Hi canbyte,
Leaving your CD in the drive I take it that your PC boots from it when you power up (i.e. your BIOS is set to boot from the CD before the hard disc – which is normal)
To boot from the hard disc instead, simply hold down your SHIFT key as you power on. (Release it when you see the hard disc begin to boot)
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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greengeek

Joined: 20 Jul 2010 Posts: 4943 Location: Republic of Novo Zelande
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Posted: Thu 18 Oct 2012, 03:41 Post subject:
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p.s: I don't understand how I would get a working puppy on the stick without using grub already? Can you point to a tutorial how to get the stick ready for the additions you mention? cheers. (the link on the syslinux tutorial pointing to "bootable usb" seems inactive)
Last edited by greengeek on Thu 18 Oct 2012, 03:51; edited 1 time in total
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1053 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu 18 Oct 2012, 03:44 Post subject:
How to Dual boot Puppy XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos |
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greengeek wrote: | ETP, Just getting this on my watchlist 'cos I want to try this on my work netbook... Looks like a neat idea.
Just to clarify - does this method mean that I can leave my Win XP install untouched, then set my netbook to boot from usb, then plug in a usb stick with a version of puppy (including the setup you describe), then I will get a choice of booting into Windows or Puppy? |
You have it in one Sir.
_________________ Regards ETP
Kennels
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ETP

Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 1053 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu 18 Oct 2012, 04:09 Post subject:
How to Dual boot Puppy XP from USB using syslinux & grub4dos |
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greengeek wrote: | p.s: I don't understand how I would get a working puppy on the stick without using grub already? Can you point to a tutorial how to get the stick ready for the additions you mention? cheers. (the link on the syslinux tutorial pointing to "bootable usb" seems inactive) |
Hi greengeek,
The method does assume that you already possess a working USB stick with puppy on it using syslinux to boot.
If not, use Bootflash & the PUI to create one. Do NOT use grub to make it bootable. Then follow the instructions in the original post.
See also my reply to OscarTalks and the links if you wish to create such a stick manually.
_________________ Regards ETP
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greengeek

Joined: 20 Jul 2010 Posts: 4943 Location: Republic of Novo Zelande
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Posted: Thu 18 Oct 2012, 04:13 Post subject:
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EDIT Quote: | "If not, use Bootflash & the PUI to create one. Do NOT use grub to make it bootable. Then follow the instructions in the original post. " | OK, I think I understand. Will give that a go.
[EDIT]Deleted most of this post at ETPs request to avoid confusion that my post created
Last edited by greengeek on Thu 18 Oct 2012, 17:10; edited 3 times in total
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greengeek

Joined: 20 Jul 2010 Posts: 4943 Location: Republic of Novo Zelande
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Posted: Thu 18 Oct 2012, 04:30 Post subject:
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OK, I just found a stick that I made ages ago, and it is bootable - but could you look at these contents and tell me if you think it is suitable please? Is it ok that it contains ldlinux.sys? (Just checked with Gparted that it's a FAT32 partition - so that part should be ok)
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23.86 KB |
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2667 Time(s) |

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