Bug#1003461: Missing syslinux-utils package breaks network booting of live ISO images

Package: live-boot
Severity: important
Version: 1:20210208

Dear Maintainers,

Debian Live project includes code to detect Syslinux's MEMDISK and enable network booting of live ISO images. This is however conditioned by the existence of the binary file /usr/bin/memdiskfind, which is provided by package syslinux-utils. This package is currently not included in any of the Debian Live ISO images, which breaks network booting.

Suggested fix: Include package syslinux-utils in Debian Live builds, or at least binary file /usr/bin/memdiskfind.

Current code from Debian Live project is reproduced below for reference:

[1/2] File /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/live from package live-boot-initramfs-tools:

# Program: memdisk
if [ -x /usr/bin/memdiskfind ]
then
[ "${QUIET}" ] || echo -n " memdisk"
copy_exec /usr/bin/memdiskfind
manual_add_modules phram
manual_add_modules mtdblock
fi

[2/2] File /lib/live/boot/9990-main.sh from package live-boot:

if [ -x /usr/bin/memdiskfind ]
then
if MEMDISK=$(/usr/bin/memdiskfind)
then
# We found a memdisk, set up phram
# Sometimes "modprobe phram" can not successfully create /dev/mtd0.
# Have to try several times.
max_try=20
while [ ! -c /dev/mtd0 ] && [ "$max_try" -gt 0 ]; do
modprobe phram "phram=memdisk,${MEMDISK}"
sleep 0.2
if [ -c /dev/mtd0 ]; then
break
else
rmmod phram
fi
max_try=$((max_try - 1))
done

# Load mtdblock, the memdisk will be /dev/mtdblock0
modprobe mtdblock
fi
fi

Many thanks and kind regards,
Sebastien