Hi All,
I am new to linux. What I need is- I need such a linux os that can boot from CD as well as from hard drive(Logical partition). In case of booting with hard drive there will be dual boot with Windows-Vista or with Windows-XP.
For above purpose after some googling I found that PUPPY-linux can be booted from CD and from hard drive. I followed the link- (http://www.icpug.org.uk/national/lin...p01-4steps.htm) In this link there are some steps by following those I downloaded the .iso file of Puppy v.4.2.1(puppy-4.2.1-k2.6.25.16-seamonkey.iso). After burning it to a CD I am able to boot my machine with that CD an PUPPY linux runs smoothly.
Now I want to boot it from my hard drive. I followed the steps given there(http://www.icpug.org.uk/national/lin...ep3-puppy4.htm) and do all the changes in to menu.lst file as:-
title Puppy Linux 4.2.1
kernel (hd0,0)/puppy421/vmlinuz PMEDIA=satahd PDEV1=sda1 psubdir=puppy421 psubOK=TRUE
initrd (hd0,0)/puppy421/initrd.gz
boot

I also put initrd.gz ; vmlinuz ; pup_421.sfs files to C:\puppy421 folder.
(Note- I have already download grldr file from http://www.icpug.org.uk/national/linnwin/step1-xp.htm and it is there in C:\ drive)

Now If I boot my machine I see there two options to boot with (because I already made the change in boot.ini file to select the option)
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Start Linux
I select second option "Start Linux".
Now I get one error message that says - "Error19 linux kernel must be loaded before initrd" and it get hang on this screen and I need to restart it from Windows XP.

Did someone face this problem? Is something else I am missing?

Please help me out.

Thanks
Madan Chauhan

I faced same problem earlier. Trying to duel boot linux and windows. I assume that you are using GRUB (based on the config file). Please make sure you have the latest version of GRUB. GRUB is only a bootloader and is independant of your Linux Distribution. Search in google for GRUB4DOS. Then download the latest version (i think 0.4.4). Better yet, here is the link: http://download.gna.org/grub4dos/

Then, you should replace GRLDR in c:\ with the new GRLDR in the zip file, also put GRLDR.mbr and menu.lst in c:\. You can now go and edit the menu.lst to boot your puppy linux.

TIP: The updated version of GRUB4DOS can also boot ISO's. You will find an example in the standard menu.lst that is in the zip file.

GRUB4DOS is excellent. You can use the "command" option, and then type in your boot code (ie: root (hd0,), kernel...,initrd, and boot) and then you can follow where the problem lies. ALSO GRUB supports command completion so type roo [TAB] to complete root, and also (hd0,0) [TAB] will give you a directory listing and complete your file/directory names.

sorry... I'am reading through your post again and I have SO many suggestions.

you can boot ALL iso's from HDD, not just puppy linux. you can use the CDROM emulation in GRUB, however I have found that it is not always great... (Post if you have queries.) You can also extract the iso to HDD, and then boot straight into the extracted iso. Please note, some linux kernels do not have support for NTFS, this may be your problem.

Solution: I assume you have portitioned your whole hard drive and you don't have any free space... Use something like Partition Magic to resize one of your partitions to open up space. Then boot your puppy (or whatever) create a new linux partition using fdisk, create a filesystem using mke2fs, and copy your linux files here for booting. (Change your menu.lst appropriately. I find using the "command" option in GRUB first to work best (eliminate spelling errors!))

This is just a rough draft on what is required, post your queries.

Thanks Argief for your reply.
The problem has resolved now puppy linux is smoothly booting with the logical volume. I just retype the contents of menu.lst file, saved it and boot the machine.

Well I have another question please suggest me some way.
- If i want to boot puppy linux from the logical volume without putting menu.lst, grldr in C:\ ie first primary partition and without making change in boot.ini file. I mean I dont want to use any of the primary partition to boot with puppy linux that is there in logical volume.
As this time I am jumping to pupy linux(logical volume) with the help of boot.ini->grldr->menu.lst->Linux Kernel while (boot.ini, grldr,menu.lst) are in first primary partition. So in the case how can I jump to that logical volume that contain pupy linux?

sorry if I could not put my query clearly. I try to explain in other way.
What exactly I need is- I am making a data recovery-backup tool. In case of system crash or incidentally OS get corrupted or formatted I will boot the machine from one recovery partition that is a logical volume and I will use any linux OS(puppy is not necessary may be other one) to boot the machine and then my data recovery tool will execute and that will recover the lost partition. so at that time when my C:\ drive(windows partition) is corrupted, I need to boot linux.
The sequence of procedure that I am following this is- boot.ini->grldr->menu.lst->linux kernel. first three files are in Windows partition. And if this partition get corrupted then it will not find these files and linux will not boot. So I need something that will execute linux directly without boot.ini.
If I am not wrong I need any GRUB loader that can send the command either to boot.ini or to linux loader.

Could you please suggest me the way.


Thanks
Madan Chauhan

I guess there are more than one way.

The safest I think would be to make a recovery disk. This could be a 3.5" floppy, cd, or USB. Install GRUB on this device and use it to boot linux. You just change the menu.lst file to point to your linux.

1. You could possibly install your bootsector on 2nd drive, and always boot from there. (ie d:\GRUB or boot.ini -> c:\windows)

2. You could install a bootsector on 2nd drive and ignore it, then when something happens you can change the active partition and boot from the 2nd partition.

However, case 1 above: what happens when 2nd drive is corrupted? You will not be able to boot windows? Case 2: when 1st drive is corrupted how will you access fdisk to change your active partition?

So, both the cases (1 + 2) is not viable in the end. Best would be to make a recovery disk.

Can I add: If you are really doing disaster recovery plan... When a hard drive is corrupted, ALL partitions are corrupted. Best is to allways have some other way of booting your machine. There are various recovery tools available for download, ie BartPE. To be sure, just keep a cd/dvd handy with your recovery OS, don't place all your hope on one drive! Your approach would work if your have 2 hard drives.