[Solved]Can I boot latest ArchBang on NTFS iso frugal boot?

nooby · 11-23-2011, 02:30 PM

Edit. I have not booted it yet but I know now
that it would most likely boot if I use grub2
on USB flash memory. And I do have such installed
on a thumb so it is only my lack of motivation that
is in the way. So I give my thanks to everybody caring.

Older text

Everybody says the latest ArchBang being good.
Can one boot it on NTFS in frugal install?
Maybe using iso frugal install? What code for
grub4dos would one need to boot it?

I managed to boot Godane's Archiso and find it interesting.
So would be cool if people share their experiences about the
later version too. I only do frugal. I do have both NTFS hdd
and a Ext3 but on another computer so code for both would be nice.

John VV · 11-23-2011, 03:40 PM

arch will not boot from a ntfs partition
nor will it run if "/" and/ or "/home" are ntfs

TobiSGD · 11-23-2011, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John VV

arch will not boot from a ntfs partition
nor will it run if "/" and/ or "/home" are ntfs

You didn't get the question. The OP is asking if you can make a frugal install of it on NTFS, which is a totally different thing. Grub4DOS (don't know,may be Grub also) is able to boot from an ISO file, and since Grub4DOS can boot from NTFS it should also be able to to that with ArchBang.

nooby · 11-23-2011, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the answers

Quote:

Grub4DOS can boot from NTFS it should also be able to to that with ArchBang.

Yes grub4dos do boot from NTFS and I iso boot Ubuntu that way.
Some of the Debian do boot that way too. But a huge difference is that
some want to find a special file and them look for it but fail to find
it and then give up and never boot up. while other distros find it or
never looks for it and just boot.

Another big difference is that Ubuntu allow that one write to the NTFS drive
that one booted from "Live session" but Debian don't allow it.

A debian dev asked other devs about it and them say that them don't know.
They did not promise to solve it but maybe do look into if if them have time
and inner motivation to so it kind of hangs on many factors.

so it is not so easy it is complicated. Archiso by Godane did boot
but did not allow me to write to that drive.
Two other Arch looked for a file them never found.
So either me failed to google any code allow them to find that file
or it is not possible to direct them to the file.

So just me curious on the latest version. Maybe it is like Ubuntu.
The only way to find out is to try it. But now when Puppy forum is down
I am kind if lost not having a home base to relate to. sorry

TobiSGD · 11-23-2011, 05:13 PM

Well, just try it and when it fails just make a thread here about that topic, there are many knowledgeable members here that will try to help you with that.

nooby · 11-23-2011, 05:20 PM

Thanks for encouragement I most likely do it when Puppy Linux Murga forum is back.
Or maybe even tomorrow or Friday or Saturday unless them only download using torrent.

I don't do torrent. Sadly CrunchBang only do Torrent now. them based on Debian. Late at night so good night

TobiSGD · 11-23-2011, 05:23 PM

Archbang is available as direct download from their official download site.

nooby · 11-23-2011, 05:52 PM

I did dl from DW that one was fast.
I ended up with this code which lack something

title ArchBang Linux
root (hd0,1)
kernel /arch/boot/i686/vmlinuz archisobasedir=arch archisolabel=ARCHBANG quiet xorg=vesa nomodeset
initrd /arch/boot/i686/archiso.img

error code says

/dev/disk/by-label/ARCHBANG

So most likely I should write

/dev/sda2/by-label/ARCHBANG
by-label is that what? Should I have a Dir named ARCHBANG with capitals?

Now bed for me

lq_asking · 11-25-2011, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nooby

title ArchBang Linux
root (hd0,1)
kernel /arch/boot/i686/vmlinuz archisobasedir=arch archisolabel=ARCHBANG quiet xorg=vesa nomodeset
...

The kernel-parameter "archisolabel=ARCHBANG" searches for a partition or boot-CD with a (partition-)label "ARCHBANG".

Quote:

...
error code says

/dev/disk/by-label/ARCHBANG

this is the device-name of a partition (or boot-CD) labeled "ARCHBANG" - which in this case was not found on your system.

nooby · 11-25-2011, 06:49 AM

Thanks indeed for caring about me!

as my name indicate. I surely am like a Nooby.
I barely get what you say there. AFAIK what you
do is to kindly describe what these terms refers to.

My guess is that it would be better to not even have them there
due to them give misleading info to the bootloader.

I have given up already to boot on that computer due to it has
only 10GB left to use so I will try to boot on another computer.

So what is your adivice then. How should I change these codes
or what others code would be more likely to boot on NTFS from hdd.

Don't tell me to read the manual or wikka or FAQ or such because them
always write on a level them understand and not on the noob level.

I have tested this for some 30 years now and I never understand manuals

lq_asking · 11-26-2011, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nooby

title ArchBang Linux
root (hd0,1)
kernel /arch/boot/i686/vmlinuz archisobasedir=arch archisolabel=ARCHBANG quiet xorg=vesa nomodeset
initrd /arch/boot/i686/archiso.img

Giving this grub4dos menu-entry I start from these assumptions:

- hd(0,1)
means: you have copied the content of the CD to your NTFS-partition D:

- archisobasedir=arch
means: after the first step there is now a directory /arch on D:

- archisolabel=ARCHBANG
means: you have labeled partition D: "ARCHBANG"
(how? Under Windows:
> label D: ARCHBANG)

hurry_hui · 11-26-2011, 08:02 AM

Based on df -hT:

/dev/disk/by-label/ARCHBANG is mounted on /run/archiso/bootmnt and also mounted on /bootmnt, its type is ISO9660. This just like rootfs which came (extracted) from /arch/i686/root-image.fs.sfs directory on the CD.

So I think you cannot boot this archbang unless you use loopback (grub2) or map (grub4dos).

People here discuss how to use map feature in grub4dos and its similarity to loopback feature in grub2.

Anyway, having extracting /arch/boot/i686/archiso.img you will find 11 folders and 3 scripts. within this folder /hook you will find archiso script that contains:

Code:

# Initialize loopback device logic (we using on-demand mode)
# args: none
_init_loop_dev() {
    loop_dev_count=99
    loop_dev_range=$(cat /sys/block/loop0/range)
    loop_dev_minor=$((loop_dev_count*loop_dev_range))
}

# Call this function before _make_loop_dev() each time.
# args: none
_next_loop_dev() {
    loop_dev_count=$((loop_dev_count+1))
    loop_dev_minor=$((loop_dev_count*loop_dev_range))
}

# Setup a loopback device for image passed as argument and echo the path to loopback device used.
# args: /path/to/image_file
_make_loop_dev() {
    local img="${1}"
    mknod /dev/loop${loop_dev_count} b 7 ${loop_dev_minor} &> /dev/null
    losetup /dev/loop${loop_dev_count} "${img}" &> /dev/null
    echo /dev/loop${loop_dev_count}
}

# args: source, mountpoint
_mnt_fs() {
    local img="${1}"
    local mnt="${2}"
    local img_fullname="${img##*/}";
    local img_name="${img_fullname%%.*}"
    local dm_snap_name="${dm_snap_prefix}_${img_name}"
    local ro_dev ro_dev_size ro_dev_fs_type rw_dev

    mkdir -p "${mnt}"

    _next_loop_dev
    ro_dev=$(_make_loop_dev "${img}")
    ro_dev_size=$(blockdev --getsz ${ro_dev})
    ro_dev_fs_type=$(blkid -o value -s TYPE -p ${ro_dev} 2> /dev/null)


    if [[ "${cow_persistent}" == "P" ]]; then
        if [[ -f "/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow" ]]; then
            msg ":: Found '/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow', using as persistent."
        else
            msg ":: Creating '/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow' as persistent."
            dd of="/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow" count=0 seek=${ro_dev_size} &> /dev/null
        fi
    else
        if [[ -f "/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow" ]]; then
            msg ":: Found '/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow' but non-persistent requested, removing."
            rm -f "/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow"
        fi
        msg ":: Creating '/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow' as non-persistent."
        dd of="/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow" count=0 seek=${ro_dev_size} &> /dev/null
    fi

    _next_loop_dev
    rw_dev=$(_make_loop_dev "/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}/${img_name}.cow")

    echo "0 ${ro_dev_size} snapshot ${ro_dev} ${rw_dev} ${cow_persistent} 8" | dmsetup create ${dm_snap_name}

    msg ":: Mounting '/dev/mapper/${dm_snap_name}' (${ro_dev_fs_type}) to '${mnt}'"
    if ! mount -t "${ro_dev_fs_type}" "/dev/mapper/${dm_snap_name}" "${mnt}" ; then
        echo "ERROR: while mounting '/dev/mapper/${dm_snap_name}' to '${mnt}'"
        launch_interactive_shell
    fi
}

# args: /path/to/image_file, mountpoint
_mnt_sfs() {
    local img="${1}"
    local mnt="${2}"
    local img_fullname="${img##*/}";

    mkdir -p "${mnt}"

    if [[ "${copytoram}" == "y" ]]; then
        msg -n ":: Copying squashfs image to RAM..."
        if ! cp "${img}" "/run/archiso/copytoram/${img_fullname}" ; then
            echo "ERROR: while copy '${img}' to '/run/archiso/copytoram/${img_fullname}'"
            launch_interactive_shell
        fi
        img="/run/archiso/copytoram/${img_fullname}"
        msg "done."
    fi
    _next_loop_dev
    msg ":: Mounting '${img}' (SquashFS) to '${mnt}'"
    if ! mount -r -t squashfs $(_make_loop_dev "${img}") "${mnt}" &> /dev/null ; then
        echo "ERROR: while mounting '${img}' to '${mnt}'"
        launch_interactive_shell
    fi
}

# args: device, mountpoint, flags
_mnt_dev() {
    local dev="${1}"
    local mnt="${2}"
    local flg="${3}"

    local fstype fserror

    mkdir -p "${mnt}"

    msg ":: Mounting '${dev}' to '${mnt}'"

    while ! poll_device "${dev}" 30; do
        echo "ERROR: '${dev}' device did not show up after 30 seconds..."
        echo "   Falling back to interactive prompt"
        echo "   You can try to fix the problem manually, log out when you are finished"
        launch_interactive_shell
    done

    fstype=$(blkid -o value -s TYPE -p "${dev}" 2> /dev/null)
    if [[ -n "${fstype}" ]]; then
        if mount ${flg} -t "${fstype}" "${dev}" "${mnt}"; then
            msg ":: Device '${dev}' mounted successfully."
            fserror=0
        else
            echo "ERROR; Failed to mount '${dev}' (FS is ${fstype})"
            fserror=1
        fi
    else
        echo "ERROR: '${dev}' found, but the filesystem type is unknown."
        fserror=1
    fi

    if [[ ${fserror} -eq 1 ]]; then
        echo "   Falling back to interactive prompt"
        echo "   You can try to fix the problem manually, log out when you are finished"
        launch_interactive_shell
    fi
}

_verify_checksum() {
    local _status
    cd "/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}"
    md5sum -c checksum.md5 > /checksum.log 2>&1
    _status=$?
    cd "${OLDPWD}"
    return ${_status}
}

run_hook() {
    modprobe loop

    [[ -z "${arch}" ]] && arch="$(uname -m)"
    [[ -z "${cowspace_size}" ]] && cowspace_size="75%"
    [[ -z "${copytoram_size}" ]] && copytoram_size="75%"
    [[ -z "${archisobasedir}" ]] && archisobasedir="arch"
    [[ -z "${dm_snap_prefix}" ]] && dm_snap_prefix="arch"
    [[ -z "${archisodevice}" ]] && archisodevice="/dev/disk/by-label/${archisolabel}"

    if [[ -z "${aitab}" ]]; then
        aitab="/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}/aitab"
    else
        aitab="/run/archiso/bootmnt/${aitab}"
    fi

    if [[ -n "${cow_label}" ]]; then
        cow_device="/dev/disk/by-label/${cow_label}"
        [[ -z "${cow_persistent}" ]] && cow_persistent="P"
    elif [[ -n "${cow_device}" ]]; then
        [[ -z "${cow_persistent}" ]] && cow_persistent="P"
    else
        cow_persistent="N"
    fi

    [[ -z "${cow_directory}" ]] && cow_directory="persistent_${archisolabel}/${arch}"

    # set mount handler for archiso
    mount_handler="archiso_mount_handler"
}

# This function is called normally from init script, but it can be called
# as chain from other mount handlers.
# args: /path/to/newroot
archiso_mount_handler() {
    local newroot="${1}"

    _init_loop_dev

    if [[ "${archisodevice}" -ef "${cow_device}" ]]; then
        _mnt_dev "${archisodevice}" "/run/archiso/bootmnt"
    else
        _mnt_dev "${archisodevice}" "/run/archiso/bootmnt" "-r"
    fi

    if [[ ! -f "${aitab}" ]]; then
        echo "ERROR: '${aitab}' file does not exist."
        echo "   Falling back to interactive prompt"
        echo "   You can try to fix the problem manually, log out when you are finished"
        launch_interactive_shell
    fi

    if [[ "${checksum}" == "y" ]]; then
        if [[ -f "/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}/checksum.md5" ]]; then
            msg -n ":: Self-test requested, please wait..."
            if _verify_checksum; then
                msg "done. Checksum is OK, continue booting."
            else
                echo "ERROR: one or more files are corrupted"
                echo "see /checksum.log for details"
                launch_interactive_shell
            fi
        else
            echo "ERROR: checksum=y option specified but checksum.md5 not found"
            launch_interactive_shell
        fi
    fi

    if [[ "${copytoram}" == "y" ]]; then
        msg ":: Mounting /run/archiso/copytoram (tmpfs) filesystem, size=${copytoram_size}"
        mkdir -p /run/archiso/copytoram
        mount -t tmpfs -o "size=${copytoram_size}",mode=0755 copytoram /run/archiso/copytoram
    fi

    if [[ -n "${cow_device}" ]]; then
        _mnt_dev "${cow_device}" "/run/archiso/cowspace"
    else
        msg ":: Mounting /run/archiso/cowspace (tmpfs) filesystem, size=${cowspace_size}..."
        mkdir -p /run/archiso/cowspace
        mount -t tmpfs -o "size=${cowspace_size}",mode=0755 cowspace /run/archiso/cowspace
    fi
    mkdir -p "/run/archiso/cowspace/${cow_directory}"

    local aitab_img aitab_mnt aitab_arch aitab_sfs_comp aitab_fs_type aitab_fs_size
    while read aitab_img aitab_mnt aitab_arch aitab_sfs_comp aitab_fs_type aitab_fs_size; do
        [[ "${aitab_img#\#}" != "${aitab_img}" ]] && continue
        [[ "${aitab_arch}" != "any" && "${aitab_arch}" != "${arch}" ]] && continue
        if [[ "${aitab_fs_type}" != "none" ]]; then
            if [[ "${aitab_sfs_comp}" != "none" ]]; then
                _mnt_sfs "/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}/${aitab_arch}/${aitab_img}.fs.sfs" "/run/archiso/sfs/${aitab_img}"
                _mnt_fs "/run/archiso/sfs/${aitab_img}/${aitab_img}.fs" "${newroot}${aitab_mnt}"
            else
                _mnt_fs "/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}/${aitab_arch}/${aitab_img}.fs" "${newroot}${aitab_mnt}"
            fi
        else
            _mnt_sfs "/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}/${aitab_arch}/${aitab_img}.sfs" "${newroot}${aitab_mnt}"
        fi
    done < "${aitab}"

    if [[ "${copytoram}" == "y" ]]; then
        umount /run/archiso/bootmnt
    else
        mkdir -p "${newroot}/bootmnt"
        mount --bind /run/archiso/bootmnt "${newroot}/bootmnt"
    fi
}

# vim:ft=sh:ts=4:sw=4:et:

and this code shows you why the label cannot be changed.

Code:

_verify_checksum() {
    local _status
    cd "/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}"
    md5sum -c checksum.md5 > /checksum.log 2>&1
    _status=$?
    cd "${OLDPWD}"
    return ${_status}
}

run_hook() {
    modprobe loop

    [[ -z "${arch}" ]] && arch="$(uname -m)"
    [[ -z "${cowspace_size}" ]] && cowspace_size="75%"
    [[ -z "${copytoram_size}" ]] && copytoram_size="75%"
    [[ -z "${archisobasedir}" ]] && archisobasedir="arch"
    [[ -z "${dm_snap_prefix}" ]] && dm_snap_prefix="arch"
    [[ -z "${archisodevice}" ]] && archisodevice="/dev/disk/by-label/${archisolabel}"

    if [[ -z "${aitab}" ]]; then
        aitab="/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}/aitab"
    else
        aitab="/run/archiso/bootmnt/${aitab}"
    fi

HTH

nooby · 11-26-2011, 09:55 AM

Thanks to both of you for very interesting reading.
Ah so that is how them do such things. Hm way above
my low level of getting such instructions.

I think I stick to Ubuntu and Linux Mint and Netrunner
and such "easier" distros? I am so slow in head.

Much appreciated that you cared and kudos to those at reboot
for having such a forum. I hope he get it going. He has a chance
of learning it so he sooner or later would get a hang on it.

Way too difficult for me. I barely boot anything. I am just very curious.

lq_asking · 11-26-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hurry_hui

Based on df -hT:

/dev/disk/by-label/ARCHBANG is mounted on /run/archiso/bootmnt and also mounted on /bootmnt, its type is ISO9660. This just like rootfs which came (extracted) from /arch/i686/root-image.fs.sfs directory on the CD.

So I think you cannot boot this archbang unless you use loopback (grub2) or map (grub4dos).

If you follow my (really simple?) instructions you can easily boot from a NTFS partition - tested with a really old grub4dos-version without using the map command.

Quote:

and this code shows you why the label cannot be changed.

Code:

_verify_checksum() {
    local _status
    cd "/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}"
    md5sum -c checksum.md5 > /checksum.log 2>&1
    _status=$?
    cd "${OLDPWD}"
    return ${_status}
}

run_hook() {
    modprobe loop

    [[ -z "${arch}" ]] && arch="$(uname -m)"
    [[ -z "${cowspace_size}" ]] && cowspace_size="75%"
    [[ -z "${copytoram_size}" ]] && copytoram_size="75%"
    [[ -z "${archisobasedir}" ]] && archisobasedir="arch"
    [[ -z "${dm_snap_prefix}" ]] && dm_snap_prefix="arch"
    [[ -z "${archisodevice}" ]] && archisodevice="/dev/disk/by-label/${archisolabel}"

    if [[ -z "${aitab}" ]]; then
        aitab="/run/archiso/bootmnt/${archisobasedir}/aitab"
    else
        aitab="/run/archiso/bootmnt/${aitab}"
    fi

HTH

Don't you really mean the archisobasedir-path? The volume-label can be changed though.

lq_asking · 11-26-2011, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nooby

Thanks to both of you for very interesting reading.
Ah so that is how them do such things. Hm way above
my low level of getting such instructions.

Nooby,

I assumed you have a working grub4dos with the given menu.lst.
What to do else?

- first unpack the ISO-image under windows with say 7zip to some new folder.
- afterwards you would only have to copy all of the content of the folder to
the root of D:.
- in a last step you label your partition D: (in your case) "ARCHBANG" with
the DOS-command-line I gave above.

That's all!