Arch Linux

madeye

Member

From: Denmark

Registered: 2006-07-19

Posts: 331

Website

Chainload syslinux

I am trying to build myself a package builder and test PC for both i686 and x86-64. For that purpose I have installed archlinux as described below

sda1 100M boot ("master boot")
sda5 20G / (32bit builder)

sda6 100M boot ("slave boot")
sda7 20G / (64bit builder)

sda8 100M boot ("slave boot")
sda9 20G / (64bit tester)

I installed syslinux on the mbr to use the master boot(sda1). The other two installations have syslinux use their respective boot partitions(sda6 & sda8).

My intention was now to use syslinux on the mbr to chainload the others. But this is not working.
An excerpt from my syslinux.cfg is

label arch64
TEXT HELP
Boot arch linux 64bit
ENDTEXT
MENU LABEL Arch Linux 64bit
COM32 chain.c32
APPEND hd0 6

The error I get is:

Booting...
Multiple active partitions.

Reboot and select proper Boot device

I've checked and I only have sda1 set active (bootable).

Anyone know or have a good idea what is going wrong? I am unable to find any information on how to use syslinux for chain loading except for chainloading an iso image.
The following page has some examples, but nothing that looks like what I am searching for : http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.ph … /chain.c32

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MadEye | Registered Linux user #167944 since 2000-02-28 | Homepage

pyther

Member

Registered: 2008-01-21

Posts: 1,395

Website

Re: Chainload syslinux

What is the output of fdisk -l /dev/sda ?

You might want to give Syslinux 4.04 from a testing a try (make sure to run extlinux --update)

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Website - Blog - arch-home
Arch User since March 2005

madeye

Member

From: Denmark

Registered: 2006-07-19

Posts: 331

Website

Re: Chainload syslinux

The output of fdisk -l is

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000308dd

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *          63      192779       96358+  83  Linux
/dev/sda2          192780   117788579    58797900    5  Extended
/dev/sda5          192843    39262859    19535008+  83  Linux
/dev/sda6        39262923    39455639       96358+  83  Linux
/dev/sda7        39455703    78525719    19535008+  83  Linux
/dev/sda8        78525783    78718499       96358+  83  Linux
/dev/sda9        78718563   117788579    19535008+  83  Linux

Just in case here is the complete contents of my syslinux.cfg file

DEFAULT vesamenu.c32
PROMPT 0
MENU TITLE Arch Linux
MENU BACKGROUND /syslinux/splash.png
TIMEOUT 300

MENU WIDTH 78
MENU MARGIN 4
MENU ROWS 10
MENU VSHIFT 10
MENU TIMEOUTROW 15
MENU TABMSGROW 13
MENU CMDLINEROW 11
MENU HELPMSGROW 17
MENU HELPMSGENDROW 29

# Refer to http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Doc/menu

MENU COLOR border       30;44   #40ffffff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR title        1;36;44 #9033ccff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR sel          7;37;40 #e0ffffff #20ffffff all
MENU COLOR unsel        37;44   #50ffffff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR help         37;40   #c0ffffff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR timeout_msg  37;40   #80ffffff #00000000 std
MENU COLOR timeout      1;37;40 #c0ffffff #00000000 std
MENU COLOR msg07        37;40   #90ffffff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR tabmsg       31;40   #30ffffff #00000000 std

ONTIMEOUT arch32
# DEVICE DETAILS: /dev/sda1 UUID=4b45af38-3d0d-4b61-98eb-b8c039230443 LABEL=boot32
# DEVICE DETAILS: /dev/sda5 UUID=aa90ee51-3672-4622-8bb6-c235a6a5e2d6 LABEL=root32
label arch32
TEXT HELP
Boot Arch Linux 32bit
ENDTEXT
MENU LABEL Arch Linux 32bit
LINUX /vmlinuz26
append initrd=/kernel26.img root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/aa90ee51-3672-4622-8bb6-c235a6a5e2d6 rootfstype=ext4 
label fallback32
TEXT HELP
Boot Arch Linux Fallback 32bit
ENDTEXT
MENU LABEL Arch Linux Fallback 32bit
LINUX /vmlinuz26
append initrd=/kernel26-fallback.img root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/aa90ee51-3672-4622-8bb6-c235a6a5e2d6 rootfstype=ext4 

label arch64
TEXT HELP
Boot Arch Linux 64bit
ENDTEXT
MENU LABEL Arch Linux 64bit
COM32 chain.c32
APPEND hd0 6

label arch64t
TEXT HELP
Boot Arch Linux 64bit Testing
ENDTEXT
MENU LABEL Arch Linux 64bit Testing
COM32 chain.c32
APPEND hd0 8

I am not sure if the problem I am seeing is related to the version I am using, or if I am simply using the wrong method.

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MadEye | Registered Linux user #167944 since 2000-02-28 | Homepage