Tip: If you want to add more distributions (Debian and Parted Magic were tested) you can edit this file. Maybe even give it a nice menu and a background image, instead of defaulting to the Arch Linux ISO. Refer to the Syslinux wiki.
And the note at the bottom about i686 (32 bit) operating systems ?
]]>Do you thing this boot method works for other untouched ISOS, like ubuntu, or debian for instance?
I don't think this will work because I think these distribs will search for a live cd on /dev/sda...sdz...
Is there a way to 'fake' such a device?
]]>Finally!
Seems like it doesn't matter if it's 256M, 256Mi, 256MiB or 256MB because apparently it even works with "256Mothergoose" or "256mantits". I shit you not!
I wonder if people with 256 MB RAM would be able to go through with the install... If I set anything lower than, say, 224M, the KMS (screen resolution) doesn't kick in. Which makes me think that it wasn't mapped in its entirety. Any idea?
PS: I even wrote a wiki article: Boot the entire ISO from RAM
Enjoy.
]]>Creating your own iso is pretty easy. Get the archiso-git package from the AUR and it will build install ISOs for you however you feel like configuring it.
]]>The only i686 that works is from the unofficial "Archboot"
Sure it does not use memdisk, or in better words, it does not use phram+mtdblock. Archboot just works on rootfs.
]]>It's really not that difficult. I even managed to install it using Windows XP from VirtualBox (Arch as host OS):
X:\Boot
X:\Boot\ISOs
X:\Boot\Settings
From syslinux-4.05.zip copy the memdisk file to the "Settings" folder and after you create a proper syslinux.cfg file...
DEFAULT loadmyconfig
LABEL loadmyconfig
LINUX memdisk
INITRD /Boot/ISOs/archlinux-2011.08.19-netinstall-dual.iso
APPEND iso
...create a .bat file that runs: syslinux.exe -m -a -d /Boot/Settings X:
And surprise, surprise! You'll see that the archlinux-2011.08.19-netinstall-dual.iso image works for x86_64 but NOT for i686. The same ISO, the same syslinux.cfg file, the same 30 second error...
The only i686 that works is from the unofficial "Archboot" (archlinux-2012.01-1-archboot.iso). Even the "Boot Arch Linux LTS (i686)" entry works. It waits for 10 wonderful seconds for the device (instead of the wretched 30), but it bloody well finds it ! Probably because of a newer kernel? I don't know. I give up... Just look how beautifully clean these syslinux.cfg entries are:
LABEL arch
MENU LABEL Boot Arch Linux (i686)
LINUX /boot/vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=/boot/initrd.img rootdelay=10
LABEL arch-lts
MENU LABEL Boot Arch Linux LTS (i686)
LINUX /boot/vmlts
APPEND initrd=/boot/initrd.img rootdelay=10
No label!
So it is possible. I just hope they survive to the (official) 2012 release.
]]>Memdisk and *.iso not working
linux.c32 and bzImage working
]]>Arch or pmagic not working
Pekka, which version did you try? i686, x86_64? Make sure you installed SYSLINUX correctly.
I have a feeling that the "vmalloc=256M" argument (or "256MiB") should be in the Arch i686 syslinux.cfg file. Is there any way to rebuild the ISO with this parameter? Or is this a good time for a 2012 release?
]]>Hmm
Kernel/AMD bug ?
I Have AMD Phenom II X6
]]>Doesn't this mean that the ISO was booted correctly? MEMDISK did its job. The rest is up to how Arch was built.
What am I doing wrong?
]]>load_ramdisk, prompt_ramdisk: Arch booting process does not use ramdisks. memdisk != ramdisk
edd: nothing to do with BIOS EDD here, memdisk is not a "BIOS disk"
max_loop: uneeded, there is no need to set a upper limit of /dev/loop* devices, memdisk is not a loop device.
vmalloc: if this does not help , there is no reason to change the default.
I think these flags were supposed to be in the Arch's APPEND section: load_ramdisk, prompt_ramdisk, edd, max_loop, vmalloc.
Especially vmalloc.
]]>And Arch uses a label...
Why you insist with the "label"? There is other issue for you, ioremap() fails, then there is no disk visible inside the OS.
Try recent isos, maybe is a kernel issue.
Of course Pmagic is not using the same kernel as Arch (3.1.6 vs 3.0.3) and not using the same configs.
EDIT: see how memory is remapped in pmagic.
]]> LABEL pmagic_iso
MENU LABEL Boot Parted Magic
LINUX memdisk
INITRD /Boot/ISOs/pmagic_2011_12_30_x86_64.iso
APPEND iso
LABEL pmagic_mostpeople
MENU LABEL Boot Parted Magic - "Most People" Edition (probably i686)
LINUX memdisk
INITRD /Boot/ISOs/pmagic_2011_12_30.iso
APPEND iso
LABEL pmagic_i486
MENU LABEL Boot Parted Magic i486
LINUX memdisk
INITRD /Boot/ISOs/pmagic_2011_12_30_i486.iso
APPEND iso
All of them booted fine. Even the i486 image, which is meant for Pentium II ! Come on! And without a vmalloc parameter, mind you.
Now let's compare the Parted Magic "syslinux.cfg" file to Arch's (both i686):
LABEL normal
MENU LABEL ^1. Default settings (Runs from RAM)
TEXT HELP
Default mode intended for 312MB+ based systems.
* Version: 2011_12_30, (C) 2011, Patrick Verner
* Disclaimer: Author excluded from any liability.
ENDTEXT
COM32 linux.c32
APPEND /pmagic/bzImage initrd=/pmagic/initrd.img edd=off load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 rw vga=normal loglevel=9 max_loop=256 vmalloc=256MiB
LABEL arch
TEXT HELP
Boot the Arch Linux live medium. It allows you to install Arch Linux or
perform system maintenance.
ENDTEXT
MENU LABEL Boot Arch Linux
LINUX /arch/boot/i686/vmlinuz
INITRD /arch/boot/i686/archiso.img
APPEND archisobasedir=arch archisolabel=ARCH_201108
# Next line should be uncommented when prepare enviroment to boot from PXE.
#IPAPPEND 3
The bottom line is that all Parted Magic ISO images boot fine, without any hiccups and without any 256M, 256Mi or even 256MiB attached, ANYWHERE!!! Except in the ISO. And Arch uses a label... It tries to find "ARCH_201108", doesn't, and throws up the infamous 30 second error afterwards!
Why so complicated? God, this has given me so much headache.
]]>should be:
APPEND iso vmalloc=256M
]]>