Re: [debian-knoppix] Problem: Dual booting from HD without using floppy/cdrom drive.
>From: "Klaus Knopper" <knopper@linuxtag.org>
>
> On Tue, May 14, 2002 at 09:05:45PM +0200, David GLAUDE Mailing wrote:
> > > I am still searching a way to "dual boot" between Win2k and knoppix.
> > > I would like to teach W2K how to boot knoppix.
> > > This might invove putting the floppy on a HD partition,
>
> This will not work. I'm pretty sure it won't.
Well, I see no difference in booting a FAT12/16/32.
I guess if you dd a floppy on an HD and set the partition as bootable
and put something resonable in the MBR you can boot the "floppy-like"
partition.
This is not unresonable, I believe.
And the reason I wanted to do it with a floppy image
was to automate the process and if you change the floppy,
it should be easy to re-install the boot mechanism.
The problem is to "teach" Win2k boot loader to boot the "floppy-like" stuff.
Win2k is able to boot itself, and various DOS.
> You can copy the vmlinuz and miniroot.gz and use loadlin instead.
So I guess if I succed to let Win2k boot a small DOS partition,
(it does not have to be as small as a floppy-sized partition).
And then in copy those file and put loadlin into an autoexec,
I might be sucessfull.
> Alternatively you can unpack and install Knoppix on a free partition and
> boot directly from there. If there is enough space.
I know but it take the double of the space and is not readonly.
I like to keep it readonly, it seems that system stay more stable,
when I am not able to modify them. ;-)
With knoppix I have to automate the change I want at each boot time.
This make an automatic documentation and automatic roll-back.
It is also making the system very secure.
> "Looks like" is not enough, it is not a floppy device for your computers
> BIOS.
My BIOS only see the master boot record (I guess).
Another interesting attempt would be to make the "floppy-partition"
the primary partition. But I don't want to be unable to boot Win2k anymore.
> Hmm, can't tell you anything about that, I never had a Windows partition
> anywhere on my computers. :-)
Ha, you must be one of those pure from GNU religion.
Are you a saint? Are you using vi or emac?
> > Currently I am searching in Dual boot howto.
> > My best chances seems to be:
> > * Use lilo on a primary partition (not the MBR).
> > * Copy the boot sector on a file.
>
> To boot WHAT?
Well to boot knoppix of course. ;-)
Apparently if you put the boot sector of a system into a file,
then tell Win2k (in boot.ini) that it should boot that...
Then it boot. At least that is one way to dualboot.
> Boot WHAT? You can#t boot a floppy image from Harddisk.
If you say so. ;-)
I guess it should be possible to chain bootloader and boot sector.
Did I say that I am not a boot expert, nor a windows expert. ;-)
> Ok, I guess you can stop now and go for something that is more likely to
> succeed. ;-)
We will see at the autopsy.
> What you are trying to do is running a floppy image from a HARDDISK in
> "el torito boot mode". This is not possible. Your Computer's BIOS simply
> won't understand your intention.
I hope some reader from the mailing list will understand what I try to do,
and have enough Win2k booting background to help me.
David GLAUDE
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