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Bug 19548 - Boot floppy for systems that do not support booting the livecd
Summary: Boot floppy for systems that do not support booting the livecd
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: [OLD] Docs-user
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Gentoo Alternative Installation Guide (show other bugs)
Hardware: x86 All
: High normal (vote)
Assignee: Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED)
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
: 10385 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2003-04-18 09:28 UTC by Gerald Normandin (RETIRED)
Modified: 2003-08-02 08:45 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

See Also:
Package list:
Runtime testing required: ---


Attachments
The boot image (gentooboot.img,1.41 MB, application/octet-stream)
2003-04-18 09:29 UTC, Gerald Normandin (RETIRED)
Details
windows based image writing tool (rawwritewin.exe,369.50 KB, application/octet-stream)
2003-04-18 09:30 UTC, Gerald Normandin (RETIRED)
Details
My floppy howto (floppy.xml,2.14 KB, text/xml)
2003-04-18 09:31 UTC, Gerald Normandin (RETIRED)
Details
Fixed howto.... (floppy.xml,2.15 KB, text/xml)
2003-04-18 09:38 UTC, Gerald Normandin (RETIRED)
Details
FLoppy Howto (fixed) (floppy.xml,2.15 KB, text/xml)
2003-04-18 09:39 UTC, Gerald Normandin (RETIRED)
Details
Floppy Howto (floppy.xml,2.16 KB, text/xml)
2003-04-18 09:41 UTC, Gerald Normandin (RETIRED)
Details

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Description Gerald Normandin (RETIRED) 2003-04-18 09:28:07 UTC
This floppy allows a system whose bios does not support booting the livecd to do
so. It is baed off of the tools available from btmgr.sf.net

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1.follow attached tutorial
2.put cd and floppy in respectable drives
3.boot up and it works!

Actual Results:  
A booted livecd

Expected Results:  
A booted livecd

The floppy image is attached, as well as my xml tutorial and the windows tool
rawritewin
Comment 1 Gerald Normandin (RETIRED) 2003-04-18 09:29:28 UTC
Created attachment 10833 [details]
The boot image
Comment 2 Gerald Normandin (RETIRED) 2003-04-18 09:30:30 UTC
Created attachment 10834 [details]
windows based image writing tool
Comment 3 Gerald Normandin (RETIRED) 2003-04-18 09:31:11 UTC
Created attachment 10835 [details]
My floppy howto
Comment 4 Gerald Normandin (RETIRED) 2003-04-18 09:38:06 UTC
Created attachment 10836 [details]
Fixed howto....
Comment 5 Gerald Normandin (RETIRED) 2003-04-18 09:39:31 UTC
Created attachment 10837 [details]
FLoppy Howto (fixed)
Comment 6 Gerald Normandin (RETIRED) 2003-04-18 09:41:25 UTC
Created attachment 10838 [details]
Floppy Howto
Comment 7 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-05-08 11:01:58 UTC
Isn't this part of the Alternative Installation Guide? http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/altinstall.xml
Comment 8 Gerald Normandin (RETIRED) 2003-05-08 11:05:09 UTC
Well, this boot image will boot the cd for you, even if the system does not support it. No netboot required, nor is an existing linux install required. It would be extremely benificial for users wanting to install it on system that do not or will not support booting cds. 
Comment 9 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-05-08 11:20:02 UTC
This could be a welcome addition to the alternative installation guide... reassigning.
Comment 10 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-05-18 09:04:50 UTC
Sorry, but forcing users to use a binary bootloader is a no go. This provides us with a security issue, as you probably can figure out.

Can you extend the doc so that it contains *every* single step for the users?
Comment 11 Gerald Normandin (RETIRED) 2003-05-18 15:28:03 UTC
Well, the reason it is binary is because it won't compile with a newer version of nasm, but i'm working on that slowly. Additionally, i thought that becasue it was a bootloader, that I would be all set, mainly because if the system is not installed, how would ou go about compiling it?  All of the code came from btmgr.sf.net, with custom configuration options so that the cdrom is booted automatically. Addtionally, morphix.sf.net is using this floppy per my request, and has several satisfied users. 

Also, by every single step, do you mean compiling, etc?
Comment 12 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-05-19 02:32:11 UTC
With every single step I mean from downloading sources to configuring so that the CDROM is booted automatically until creating and booting the floppy.

So in other words, the reader of the document should be able to create your binary floppy just by reading and following the document.
Comment 13 Seemant Kulleen (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-06-10 07:07:31 UTC
I honestly think this would be a good thing (TM) to offer
Comment 14 John Mylchreest (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-06-11 05:39:40 UTC
I also think this is a great idea.
the ability to just download the img and write to a floppy imo, would be ideal and quick.

I would also like to see, and have spoken to Gerald about this is a netboot floppy.
a floppy containing a stripped down mini-distro with nothing more than net card modules, wget/lynx, and disk formatting/partitioning tools.

this means no more cd-required for those who dont even have a cd-drive. Just put in the floppy, boot it, format disks, download a stage, and whala. This will also be useful for those booting from other misc. devices such as usb storage.
Comment 15 Donnie Berkholz (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-07-08 21:09:48 UTC
If someone gets a howto together on how to make a boot floppy, I'll try packing kdrive onto it so it can be GUI.
Comment 16 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-07-31 10:24:09 UTC
The altinstall.xml now contains information about bootfloppies (more precisely, using the smart bootmanager).
Comment 17 Seemant Kulleen (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2003-08-02 08:45:51 UTC
*** Bug 10385 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***