Here is the problem/challenge...

I have systems, in the field, with the BIOS locked down so they cannot be changed. This is the way that I need it to be. The BIOS is set to boot the internal HD only and will not allow a CD/DVD to be booted.

I want to create a grub entry/configuration, that will bypass the BIOS configuration, allowing me to boot a Linux Rescue CD/DVD or other live distro CD/DVD.

This configuration will be put in the /boot directory and the system will be rebooted. Upon the reboot the system needs to boot the CD/DVD distrobution.

The whole purpose of this exercise is that I want to be able to reimage the HD in the system via automated script. Booting from the CD/DVD will allow me full access to the HD.

What can you guys come up with for this?

I suggest that if you are the legal owner of that device....you have lawful authority to change the bios boot order just like most of us....who use a live cd...its not big deal to boot up a live cd to image the hard drive.

But if you are concerned someone else will then try the same trick just set the bios boot order to hd only and set a password so only if an attempt is made to change the order ....the password is needed.

Any other advice would imho amount to possible unlawful activity and I am likely to then report this post to a moderator.

And you are? You don't know the situation and it is not your position in life to make that decision for me or other people. You would have better handled this by asking me outright if you had concerns instead of posting your mis-informed opinions and forcing your moral value on the rest.

With regards to reporting to a moderator... I am reporting you to the moderator for you actions.

First, I have legal authority. This is a linux based product line that I am trying upgrade in the field.

Second, the legacy systems in the field I need to upgrade each has a different password on the BIOS. I do not want these passwords out. This procedure I outline will allow me to creata a script that will boot from CD, modify the system, then remove the configuration. After the procedure is complete the system is again locked down.

FYI this is a one of a kind (no one else makes one) cardial medical device.

Guys, I think you both need to chill out for a bit. So far, I don't see anything wrong with the requests in the thread, so for now I am going to leave this thread open with the hope that it will continue in good spirit.

quote and you are?

that is exactly why I posted the way I did.

EDIT

I will assume tho, that if you can change the system files, you are really are as nice as me, heh heh

I have never used this bootloader on my hd...but you may want to read this
http://syslinux.zytor.com/faq.php

look for the section on CD boot sector

if I understand this correctly....I may be wrong...you will have a chainload command to a bin file which is an image of the mbr for the removeable media.

Sure, that makes perfect sense. You want to be able to chainload a CD/DVD from GRUB. You can't do that with grub itself, however, you CAN have GRUB load something that can.

Check out this entry on the Gentoo wiki. If you use the fast method, then it's not Gentoo specific:
http://gentoo-wiki.com/TIP_Chainload...-ROM_from_GRUB

I could see doing this so you don't have to send the techs out to re-image a users computer. Just ssh in and change the grub/menu.lst so the DVD boot option is enabled, then have the user reboot to the imaging disk. That can either automatically pull down an image from the server, or contain an image on it's own.