ARCHISO - Different mount paths for ISO in VM & USB key in baremetal

D3vil0p3r · 2022-11-05 02:41:47

Hello,
I used Archiso for creating an ISO file and I'm using Calamares installer for managing the installation. I performed two tests:
1- Installation of the target system by an ISO attached directly to a VM in VMware Workstation software
2- Installation of the target system by a USB key where I burnt inside the ISO

Calamares, by the unpackfs module, takes airootfs.sfs and vmlinuz-linux file in two specific paths that are shown in the content of "/etc/calamares/modules/unpackfs.conf":

unpack:
    -   source: "/run/archiso/bootmnt/arch/x86_64/airootfs.sfs"
        sourcefs: "squashfs"
        destination: ""
    -   source: "/run/archiso/bootmnt/arch/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz-linux"
        sourcefs: "file"
        destination: "/boot/vmlinuz-linux"

About the paths of these two files in the 2 scenarios,
if we are installing the system in a VM attaching a .iso file:

airootfs.sfs file will be in /run/archiso/bootmnt/arch/x86_64/
vmlinuz-linux file will be in /run/archiso/bootmnt/arch/boot/x86_64/

if we are installing the system in bare-metal by using a USB key:

airootfs.sfs file will be in <mounted-path-of-usb-key>/arch/x86_64/
vmlinuz-linux file will be in <mounted-path-of-usb-key>/arch/boot/x86_64/

It means that "unpackfs.conf" will be able to work correctly only in the Scenario 1 (the VM with .iso). For the scenario 2, it will say that is not able to find "airootfs.sfs" and "vmlinuz-linux".

My question: for avoiding to change manually the path of these sources in "unpackfs.conf", is there a way, by Archiso or by another manner, to make the USB key (bare-metal scenario) to be mounted in the same path the source files are mounted for the 1st scenario (VM with .iso) that is the "/run/archiso/bootmnt/" folder? Or better, is there a way to make the source files to be mounted always in "/run/archiso/bootmnt/" for all scenarios?

cfr · 2022-11-05 03:35:20

Are you aware that the installed system(s) will not be Arch?

Trilby · 2022-11-05 04:01:01

D3vil0p3r wrote:

is there a way, by Archiso or by another manner, to make the USB key (bare-metal scenario) to be mounted in the same path

Yes. When you run the mount command, you specify whatever mount point you want.

nl6720 · 2022-11-05 08:11:01

Unpacking the installation medium's root file system image (airootfs.sfs) is not a supported installation method. It contains customizations unsuitable for an installed system (such as allowing root SSH login with a password).

D3vil0p3r · 2022-11-05 16:25:30

Hey guys, thank you for your answers! I'll try to answer one by one.

cfr wrote:

Are you aware that the installed system(s) will not be Arch?

It is not a pure Arch, but it is Arch-based. It is a pure Arch with some additional graphics. Nothing more.

Trilby wrote:

Yes. When you run the mount command, you specify whatever mount point you want.

Uhm, my doubt is where I can run the mount command if, when I insert the USB key in the computer, it mounts it automatically? Is there an Archiso file where I can specify a fixed path for mounting?

nl6720 wrote:

Unpacking the installation medium's root file system image (airootfs.sfs) is not a supported installation method. It contains customizations unsuitable for an installed system (such as allowing root SSH login with a password).

I didn't know it was not supported, I think it is the only method offered by Calamares currently. I'm doing this for testing Archiso and Calamares Installer.

Trilby · 2022-11-05 17:03:14

D3vil0p3r wrote:

Uhm, my doubt is where I can run the mount command if, when I insert the USB key in the computer, it mounts it automatically? Is there an Archiso file where I can specify a fixed path for mounting?

That's up to how you've configured the host system. Setting the path for mounting is also up to whomever mounts it - and if that's done automatically by some process you didn't configure and don't understand, then it is up to whomever configured that process for you. If you want help with that system (the host with some automounting process), you need to check with their support channels as it's clearly not arch linux. But on any linux, you should be able to unmount the device and then mount it manually wherever you chose.

D3vil0p3r wrote:

I think it is the only method offered by Calamares currently. I'm doing this for testing Archiso and Calamares Installer.

NO installation done with Calamares will be supported by this community. Please reconsider your goal. It will only be a disservice to those who (try to) use it.

Last edited by Trilby (2022-11-05 17:05:47)

D3vil0p3r · 2022-11-05 19:42:34

Trilby wrote:

D3vil0p3r wrote:
Uhm, my doubt is where I can run the mount command if, when I insert the USB key in the computer, it mounts it automatically? Is there an Archiso file where I can specify a fixed path for mounting?
That's up to how you've configured the host system. Setting the path for mounting is also up to whomever mounts it - and if that's done automatically by some process you didn't configure and don't understand, then it is up to whomever configured that process for you. If you want help with that system (the host with some automounting process), you need to check with their support channels as it's clearly not arch linux. But on any linux, you should be able to unmount the device and then mount it manually wherever you chose.
D3vil0p3r wrote:
I think it is the only method offered by Calamares currently. I'm doing this for testing Archiso and Calamares Installer.
NO installation done with Calamares will be supported by this community. Please reconsider your goal. It will only be a disservice to those who (try to) use it.

Thank you for your kind explanation.

Arch Linux

#1 2022-11-05 02:41:47

ARCHISO - Different mount paths for ISO in VM & USB key in baremetal

#2 2022-11-05 03:35:20

Re: ARCHISO - Different mount paths for ISO in VM & USB key in baremetal

#3 2022-11-05 04:01:01

Re: ARCHISO - Different mount paths for ISO in VM & USB key in baremetal

#4 2022-11-05 08:11:01

Re: ARCHISO - Different mount paths for ISO in VM & USB key in baremetal

#5 2022-11-05 16:25:30

Re: ARCHISO - Different mount paths for ISO in VM & USB key in baremetal

#6 2022-11-05 17:03:14

Re: ARCHISO - Different mount paths for ISO in VM & USB key in baremetal

#7 2022-11-05 19:42:34

Re: ARCHISO - Different mount paths for ISO in VM & USB key in baremetal

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