Booting Puppy ISO files, enhanced loopback.cfg, utility to do it

[gyrog]

BTW: Did you know that your PUP test-distro performs very well?

No.
And I would not suggest anyone use it. I did not even consider what is include in it, etc...
It's only purpose was to prove that a woof-ce patched to generate an "enhanced" 'loopback.cfg', could produce a Puppy that boots.
And the generated 'loopback.cfg' is consistent with what I have published here.

[Clarity]

Lastly, I think you also know that the SG2D author has a GIT site that he routinely visits. He support it different from Ventoy which has a forum page for support.

No. Please provide a URL.

https://github.com/supergrub/supergrub/ ... ster/menus

[gyrog]

I've uploaded 'glimlb-1.zip' to https://www.mediafire.com/folder/qiwvlxw46bp5f/iso
This is another isobooter, implemented in grub2 config files, for uefi booting computers.
It boots ISO files from a specified location, provided they contain a '/boot/grub/loopback.cfg'.

It's a severely stripped-down/hacked version of https://github.com/thias/glim
GLIM uses multiple customised grub config file templates to suported multiple distributions,
with ISO's stored in multiple directories.
GLIMLB uses a single grub config file template, that activates the 'loopback.cfg' in the ISO,
with ISO's stored in a single directory.

How to use:
Mount an empty, bootable, fat32 partition, e.g. a usb stick.
Unzip a downloaded 'glimlb-1.zip' into the mount point of the usb stick.
Boot the usb stick.

This should result in a grub2 menu with only "UEFI Firmware Settings", "Reboot", and "Shutdown" options.

ISO files need to be added;
They can be added to the default location, '/boot-imgs' on the usb stick.
Or some other location defined in a '/boot/grub/imgs-defs.cfg' file.
There are 2 example files included:
'/boot/grub/imgs-defs_isos.cfg' defines only a different directoty on the usb stick.
'/boot/grub/imgs-defs_elsewhere.cfg' defines a location on some partition which need not reside on the usb stick.
It uses a filesystem LABEL to specify the partition, (using a UUID is not supported).
Boot the usb stick.

This should result in a menu that starts with the ISO files.
If the ISO file contains a 'loopback.cfg', selecting it should produce a menu as defined in the 'loopback.cfg'.
Otherwise an error message will be displayed.
You can return to the main menu by pressing the "Esc" key.

Notes

1) GLIMLB contains a complete efi grub2, both "x64" and "ia32".
It is sourced from debian grub-efi 2.06-13+deb12u1 unsigned packages.
Since it's unsigned it will not work if "Secure Boot" is enabled.

2) This is uefi booting, the fat32 partition is an ESP (Efi System Partition).
There is no mbr, just the appropriate files in the fat32 partition.

[Clarity]

@gyrog
I am aware that you have a Ventoy USB. There are 4 ways one can boot a Ventoy USB; MBR or GPT, either of these built with or without Secure boot. Not sure which path you took in your USB. For me, I have tested each path not finding any difference in the use to boot ISOs on non-UEFI PCs. And, the Secure-boot variant is perfectly happy on a UEFI enabled PC without issue in either listing ISO files found or in launching them for boot as it will register, if warranted.

You may have remembered that I strongly suggested to anyone using Ventoy for booting this forum's distros to create a folder on its partition #1 where ALL distro ISOs or IMGs files are to be kept. The 'true' reason for this is to be able to, BOTH, be able to launch distros from Ventoy's menu OR if SG2D ISO/IMG file is launched, SG2D will find those bootable ISO files and list them for launch. SG2D, in almost every-all cases, will boot files it finds and list for user choice.

That SG2D option is there for those forum distros which will not boot from Ventoy's menu for whatever reason (and they are inconsistently varied in the case of WoofCEs), then, SG2D WILL BOOT THEM TO DESKTOP. Thus any user now has a USB that is the best of all known worlds of booting ISO files in or out of the forum.

If I read your prior post correctly, a USB that is created by a Ventoy utility can add your entry in Ventoy's partition #2 and achieve the results you describe.

Correct?

[gyrog]

@gyrog
I am aware that you have a Ventoy USB.

Incorrect. I deleted Ventoy once I realised that it is "modifying" the Puppy ISO before it boot's it.
I don't trust that anything I would boot with Ventoy is exactly what was released.

If I read your prior post correctly, a USB that is created by a Ventoy utility can add your entry in Ventoy's partition #2 and achieve the results you describe.

Correct?

I don't think so.
Both the utilities I have released for booting ISO files utilising the embedded 'loopback.cfg', are designed to be run independent of Ventoy or SG2D, or any other similar utility.
mk-img-boot-entries runs in a Puppy that can access the 'grub.cfg' for the computer. It's "smarts" are a Linux script.
glimlb is a bootable usb stick in it's own right. It's "smarts" are written as grub2 config files.
No other software is needed to install it on a usb stick, just unzip the release file.

[Clarity]

ON a Ventoy USB, the 'boot' partition is partition #2 accessed when the PC turns over control to the booting segments. It is GRUB2. This has nothing to do with booting a distro, rather it sets up for listing the ISOs found in partition #1. At this point, NOTHING of any ISO files are modified. What your investigations have uncovered is that for some unknown reason, Ventoy appears to be introducing an overide for psave as the PUP processes its GRUB2 menu. (It is unclear of whether this is true for other non-WoofCE ISO files in the forum, as they don't exhibit the same behavior problem we have discussed for WoofCE PUPs).

I will exchange Ventoy's partition 2 contents with your content to try an get a proper understanding of all this.

There is a reason for use of Ventoy USB as I think I have a manner of USB creations that will eliminate 99% of the problems all users have encountered from time to time in USB creates. Thus, it has the potential of reducing both user frustrations with forum distros and member support efforts producing a benefit to all. AT least for now, I have one manner and your addition could contribute to 'solve' this for all time, if there is a point of use of that USB...maybe.

[Clarity]

Environment
A Ventoy USB

• The USB's boot instructions are on partition 2

• Its boot operations searches the USB and finds ISO files on partition 1 in folder I've named BOOTISOS

• The ISO+IMG files it finds there are listed for launch selection

• The Ventoy boot partition 2, a 'vfat' partition, is as follows

  

  WoofCE problem file 1.jpg (9.08 KiB) Viewed 475 times

Planned revamp of partition 2 to accommodate these new instructions

• Exchange the above EFI folder with the folders from this thread's EFI folder

• Exchange the GRUB folder with the folders found in this thread's boot/grug folder

• Boot this USB to determine if there will be a list of discovered ISO-IMG files on partition 1

The new contents are delivered as follows:

WoofCE problem file 2.jpg (11.24 KiB) Viewed 475 times

ANYONE see a flaw in either steps or expectations?

Reason for the expectations

• FATDOG ISO files boots without the WoofCE issues

• KL's ISO files boot without the WoofCE issues

• I have mastered a foolproof solution to creating USB with NONE of the problems members run into in thier efforts to

  • create a bootable USB (MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS!)

  • setup and boot to desktop IMG files created by forum members

  • setup and boot any distros installed frugally with no changes to the default forum distro's Menus.

• The current strategy I have tested for the past year is foolproof addressing these items. Having to start over to cover a new set of tools/instructions would be extremely costly to myself and others to come up with another "foolproof" manner for member use. It is best and simpler to maintain the current layout, if possible for the WoofCE distros that currently boot successfully via this arrangement and SG2D.

This strategy has been created to both reduce forum support of users with USB issues for loading and running forum distros as well as stop most/all user frustrations no matter which background they come to Puppyland from. A universal win-win for this community...even in its current state.

@gyrog, the approach you are taking is really a reasonable approach. I like what you have found and what you are doing.

[freya]

I'm presently just mounting the iso and copying the files to a sub directory on my hard disk.
I have lots of puppies on the same partition this way.
It sure beats creating usb sticks over and over which seems a much more hit and miss affair these days for some reason.

This works great with fresh puppies but I'm having trub with legacy puppies as the system is unable to find the main sfs after loading the initrd. Still trying to work out why.

something must be hard coded in the init of legacy puppies.

[gyrog]

This works great with fresh puppies but I'm having trub with legacy puppies as the system is unable to find the main sfs after loading the initrd. Still trying to work out why.

something must be hard coded in the init of legacy puppies.

For many years Puppies have named their main .sfs file 'puppy_${DISTRO_FILE_PREFIX}_${DISTRO_VERSION}.sfs,
where ${DISTRO_FILE_PREFIX} and ${DISTRO_VERSION} are defined in '/etc/DISTRO_SPECS'.
The current 'init' script looks for this file.

But it has not always been so.
If you look inside the legacy puppies iso files, you may find that the main .sfs file has a filename that is now not-standard.