Re: Multi-boot CDs
On Jan 13 2002, Philip Charles talking about Smart Boot Manager wrote:
> This looks as though the debian-cd team could use this. Unfortunately I
> could not find it in the Debian archive.
Well, the thing is that Smart Boot Manager (http://btmgr.sourceforge.net)
is a really good tool, but its utility for the distro may be limited, but
maybe it would be a good idea to include it.
Let me explain its status and afterwards what it could do for us...
Some time ago when I met Smart Boot Manager I wanted to package it, but then
I found bmconf in Debian, wich was an installer for Smart Boot Manager made
by Risko and that was in Debian. By that time Risko had the idea to
integrade bmconf on SBM and have it substitute the traditional installer of
SBM, but it seems that this didn't ever find its way, as Risko has packaged
SMB (package sbm) for Debian with its traditional installer.
The difference between SMB installer and bmconf is that bmconf lets you tune
all SBM options when installing it, while with SBM installer you must tune
them on boot up through the menus. The problem with bmconfis that it uses
SBM version 3.6-3 and not 3.7.1 wich is the latest.
SBM development seems a bit stopped at this time, last stuff that was
pointed a long time ago was to add linux loading features, but that was
never finished.
What SBM can do for us?
Well, it provides an ATAPI driver that supports booting from ATAPI cdroms on
any system, even though the BIOS doesn't allow you to do it. Also it
supports MultiBoot images, so it can be used on machines that allow booting
from CD but don't allow this feature.
It has both linux and DOS installers so it can be installed from a linux or
from DOS, it can be installed on both hard drives and floppy disks, so it
could, for example, be included on our CDs on its DOS form and people could
install it on a floppy and boot from the cd by booting with this floppy, as
simple as that, no need to make the rescue and root floppies or anything.
Well, guess that is all I can think of right now.
Regards...
--
Manty/BestiaTester -> http://manty.net
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