Brainstorming and Collaboration

[wiak]

I have been experimenting with Grub2config running and working in KLV-Airedale. So far I can get it see the drives/partitions but it can not identify fs_type to actually install the boot loader. Anybody familiar with the code?

I'm not familiar with grub2config at all though I've read what it is for.

I agree that it sounds like one of the important pieces of functionality the KL series of distros should incorporate.

We should maybe also have a special KL distro brain storming thread where first poster to thread collates functionality we have and/or need or want. Functionality such as this installation-related grub2config, save from RAM related functionality such as save2flash, which we have, and remaster and merge, which we partially have, and dev type functionality such as that provided by filemount, which we have but could be expanded, maybe via plug-ins (e.g. to include for example initrd decompression and compression.

That brain storming thread first post could usefully contain links to main KL-oriented dev thread for each such implementation.

A brain storming thread like that would help by indicating/organizing the work needing done in a summarized organized way. So we should have series of KL threads related to the brain storming summary, a KL thread for grub2config being one of them.

Such a thread, summarizing work needed done, would be good place to first look for anyone wanting to do some KL-related utility dev work since it also indicates work in progress.

I'm too busy doing other core build script related devs, but anyone willing to start suggested brain storm with collation/summary of in-progress work thread?

Now that I've made this post I feel it should be moved to KL forum area for more focussed consideration and thought.

[Clarity]

2 people come to mind who, I feel, would welcome participation to expand knowledge and provide good insights: namely @shinobar (GRUB2)and @gyrog (INIT). Also @jamesbond and @peebee , I feel would be invaluable for unbiased insights on helping to frame the knowledge for this and all forum PUPs/DOGs going forward into the current future.

From my observations over the recent years, the comined knowldege of these 4 on

• machine architecture

• Firmware starts

• Linux initialization (INIT/INTRD)

• Inter-relationship of distro starts (distro parms) & shutdown processing

would fasttrack a complete understanding that we can incorporate in a small working document for PUP members-user understandings.

Currently I see that every modern PUPDOG is using the same-similar GRUB2 ability to allow traditional frugals, ISO file, and installed OSes to simply boot to a working desktop without issues. This includes ability to detect and incorporate any persistences present. This is a maturity that is stable and many, now, have a good understanding of this facit of the PUP boot process. This has significant benefit as all look the same, per se, at the Boot manager level. Further the model contributes to a level of consistency when problems erupt during boot, as some of forum distros will detect boot-time problems in INIT and drop out for a 'debug' capture of pertinient information that development can use to pin-point startup problems when they occur.

I am not sure what should be the next steps such that a model emerges that should meet the needs that this threads aims.

[fredx181]

I have been experimenting with Grub2config running and working in KLV-Airedale. So far I can get it see the drives/partitions but it can not identify fs_type to actually install the boot loader. Anybody familiar with the code?

As far as I can see, grub2config uses "guess_fstype" for that (which is included in Puppy, but probably not in KLV-Airedale).

[rockedge]

@fredx181 as usual I think you are on to something here and might have pointed us in the right direction! Now to test borrowing guess_fstype from Puppy Linux and installing it on KLV.

guess_fstype is a link to busybox, which is in KLV-Airedale but I am not sure yet how it all goes together to make Grub3config function

[rockedge]

@wiak, @fredx181

I was able to get Grub4Dos to work on KLV-Airedale-beta27!! Booted into a fresh new QEMU virtual machine in RAM0 with the ISO
Then ran GParted and created a partition and formatted as ext2. Directly thereafter I ran Grub4Dos and was able to install the MBR bootloader and attempted to write the menu.lst like it found a Puppy Linux. Some quick editing and a reboot into the HDD worked!

So was able to boot into the ISO as a CD-ROM in mode RAM0, and using the tools in KLV I was able to set up the hard drive completely using GParted and Grub4Dos to boot a KLV-Airedale-beta27.

I copied the Puppy Linux patched busybox and replaced the current version in KLV then added the guess_fstype symlink all to /sbin (also a symlink to /usr/bin)

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[wiak]

That's great you have Grub2config working! It is an important utility. However...

A misundertanding re the point of my opening this particular thread. I wasn't meaning to put all new dev work, or particular dev discussion such as on Grub2config in this particular thread. Rather, a grub2config new thread should be started in this KL-Dev_Work forum area specifically for KL Grub2config discussion. THIS thread was intended to provide a summary of ALL such dev work needing done with links to specific threads (such as new KL-Dev_work/grub2config thread. As I said, I was hoping for this to become a collations of work needing done and work in progress to help us know what needs done and/or contribute to existing work in progress threads...

We should maybe also have a special KL distro brain storming thread where first poster to thread collates functionality we have and/or need or want. Functionality such as this installation-related grub2config, save from RAM related functionality such as save2flash, which we have, and remaster and merge, which we partially have, and dev type functionality such as that provided by filemount, which we have but could be expanded, maybe via plug-ins (e.g. to include for example initrd decompression and compression.

I mean it is fine what has been written, but if all dev discussion goes into this one thread then it is soon going to be unreadable for finding anything... Whatever, my idea would need someone with a good technical eye, though not necessary to be active developer per se, to take charge of this thread in terms of collating what is going on in various KL-Dev_Work new started topics.

i.e. please start a new thread entitled something regarding grub2config inside KL-Dev_Work area and move the most recent posts regarding grub2config into that new specific KL dev thread for grub2config if you see what I mean?

As for someone to collate this 'menu' pointer TODO and BEING-DONE thread will someone with good organisational skills that doesn't mind keeping track of KL developments please put their hand up and rockedge can hopefully then take my name of first post of this collating thread and replace with the person going to do it... ???

This particular Brainstorming thread should then be made sticky at top of all the topics that will hopefully grow inside the KL-Dev_work area so easy to just open this Brainstorm thread, look at the first post and then click on whatever interests in terms of BEING-DONE or lets us see what needs to be done so we then start doing it and start appropriate new thread also inside this KL-Dev_Work area. Well I understand what I mean if no-one else does! Important thing for anyone volunteering to take this thread over is that they are not long-winded... just a quick summary with pointers to the actual main dev threads such as the one re KL distros concerned with grub2config (which doesn't exist yet... someone has to start it in KL-Dev_work subforum area...).

Yes I know, the more professional would want to use "git issues" or similar... but this is a forum for everyone and I prefer we use the forum for dev issues to actually allow anyone (including myself) to be readily involved in our discussions, ideas, and creations.

EDIT: Just realized you were referring to Grub4dos not Grub2config rockedge, but much the same I wrote in this post applies I think

[fredx181]

I copied the Puppy Linux patched busybox and replaced the current version in KLV then added the guess_fstype symlink all to /sbin (also a symlink to /usr/bin)

Here's package guessfstype_1.0.0_amd64.deb https://github.com/doglinux/bullseye/ra ... _amd64.deb which contains /usr/local/bin/guess_fstype binary.
Once made it for Debiandog, can't remember how (probably copied from some Puppy), didn't test in KLV, but if it works, I think it's better way than replacing busybox.