Syslinux - Aug 2008 - Best method for booting logical partions via syslinux...

Hi.

Which is the preferable method for booting multiple logical partions via
syslinux ?

1. Create seperate logical (fat 32) partitons for 'each' Live CD,
extracted and prepared identically via syslinux/syslinux.cfg (sdc5,
sdc6,sdc7 etc.)





2. Use Grub2 to attempt to boot seperate logical partitions with the same
extracted Live CD plan as above.





3. Use the chain.c32 module that comes with the latest syslinux to boot logical
partitions... i.e.

label Hardy


kernel chain.c32


append hd0 4

label CentOS
kernel chain.c32
append hd0 5

Thank you.

Tech Digger <techdiggr at yahoo.com> writes:
> Which is the preferable method for booting multiple logical partions via
syslinux ?
For booting several 'live CDs' from a pendrive you usually don't
need
separate partitions, some search&replace on their isolinux.cfg can go
pretty far.  Then invoke those from a top-level syslinux.cfg.  This
way you don't have to allocate space rigidly, and it's also very easy
to temporarily free some space to accomodate huge data files.  Needs
some work, though.
-- 
Cheers,
Feri.

Op 20080829 om 01:16 schreef Tech Digger:
> Hi.
>
> Which is the preferable method for booting multiple logical partions
> via syslinux ?
Never done that ...
> 1. Create seperate logical (fat 32) partitons for 'each' Live CD,
> extracted and prepared identically via syslinux/syslinux.cfg (sdc5,
> sdc6,sdc7 etc.)
>
>
> 2. Use Grub2 to attempt to boot seperate logical partitions with the
> same extracted Live CD plan as above.
>
>
> 3. Use the chain.c32 module that comes with the latest syslinux to
> boot logical partitions... i.e.
>
> label Hardy
> kernel chain.c32
> append hd0 4
>
> label CentOS
> kernel chain.c32
> append hd0 5
 ... but I would go for the chain approach.


Cheers
Geert Stappers

Tech Digger <techdiggr at yahoo.com> writes:
> The problem with placing 'all' of the extracted Live CD files in
one
> location is...
> some folders/files have the same names from different Live CDs.
Yes.  And they would create a mess anyway, so I put them under
separate directories.
> I felt if each partition housed it's own Live CD, then there would
> be no need to hack any initrd script or other, and would ease in
> adding/subtracting new distros.
Well, if adding/subtracting partitions is easy, then more power to you.
My method indeed requires some labour investment, but the distros I
encountered (Musix and Finnix) had boot parameters to override their
boot directory so butchering initrds wasn't necessary in the end.
> The chain.c32 approach didn't work and the documentation is not as
> robust as I feel comfortable.
I never tried, but syslinux in general is very well maintained, so
speak up if something doesn't work as advertised.  Enclosing a small
image demonstrating the problem helps tremendously.
-- 
Regards,
Feri.

Tech Digger <techdiggr at yahoo.com> writes:
> --- On Fri, 8/29/08, Ferenc Wagner <wferi at niif.hu> wrote:
>
>> Tech Digger <techdiggr at yahoo.com> writes:
>>
>>> The problem with placing 'all' of the extracted Live CD
files in one
>>> location is...
>>> some folders/files have the same names from different Live CDs.
>>
>> Yes.  And they would create a mess anyway, so I put them under
>> separate directories.
>>
>>> I felt if each partition housed it's own Live CD, then there
would
>>> be no need to hack any initrd script or other, and would ease in
>>> adding/subtracting new distros.
>>
>> Well, if adding/subtracting partitions is easy, then more power to you.
>> My method indeed requires some labour investment, but the distros I
>> encountered (Musix and Finnix) had boot parameters to override their
>> boot directory so butchering initrds wasn't necessary in the end.
>>
>>> The chain.c32 approach didn't work and the documentation is not
as
>>> robust as I feel comfortable.
>>
>> I never tried, but syslinux in general is very well maintained, so
>> speak up if something doesn't work as advertised.  Enclosing a
small
>> image demonstrating the problem helps tremendously.
>
> chain.c32 is sputtering all over the place. I'm tempted to return to
> an external boot CD/DVD instead.
Please submit a proper bug report (include syslinux version, media,
what you wanted to achieve, what actions you performed, what you
expected and what happened instead)!
> By the way, I haven't used a list for years... how do I reply to the
> list and not your individual message?
Look for "followup", "wide reply", "reply to all"
or similar commands
in your email client.  It is a general feature and probably very easy
to access in any email client.

But please refrain from top-posting, especially when using a mailing
list (recommended reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_styles).
-- 
Thanks,
Feri.