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Old 02-08-2015, 03:21 PM   #1
techdude
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Multiboot ISO maker


I want to make a multi-boot disc for several Linux Distros. XBoot truncates two of the images, and I can't figure out Sardu 3. I already have the images. I just want a FREE program that will allow me to make a multi-boot disc image. It can either be Windows or Linux. GUI would be preferred. The Linux software have to come in .deb files. My school's wi-fi blocks the Ubuntu repositories.
 
Old 02-08-2015, 06:09 PM   #2
yancek
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Do you want to create an iso of multiple systems to burn to a DVD, or can you use a flash drive?
Most of the multi-boot software is pretty limited as to which distributions you can use.
You can copy iso files to a directory, put all the grub2 files in a /boot/grub sup-directory, create a proper grub.cfg file with loopback loop entries and then use either the mkisofs or genisoimage command to create a bootable DVD.

That takes a little more than a few mouse clicks.
 
Old 02-08-2015, 07:23 PM   #3
techdude
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I want it for a DVD, not a USB. Not all computers can boot via USB. Can you tell me the specific steps on how to do the Grub2 stuff? I have no idea on how to do that.
 
Old 02-08-2015, 07:39 PM   #4
knudfl
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The grub setup :
I would have a look at a multi-boot DVD from a Magazine, e.g. LXF.

When you have got familiar with the files and have put everything together ..
http://www.asylumnation.com/blogs/am...post-2775.html
.. then use a command like :
Code:
mkisofs -o /tmp/new.iso -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -J -R -V disks ./
.. to create the new ISO image.

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Old 02-08-2015, 09:45 PM   #5
yancek
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The link posted above by knudfi should work. You can do something similar using Grub Legacy although there will need to be some modifications. Booting a iso directly requires that the system be bootable in that manner. Ubuntu and most of its derivatives will work as will some tools such as Gparted. Which operating systems do you want on the DVD?
 
Old 02-08-2015, 10:26 PM   #6
techdude
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I wanted these:
Disc 1:
* Bodhi Linux 2.4.0 64 & 32 bit
* Bodhi Linux 3.0.0 64 & 32 bit
Disc 2:
* Linux Mint 17.1 KDE 64 & 32 bit 3.10 GB
Disc 3:
* Linux Mint 17.1 XFCE 64 & 32 bit 2.77 GB
Disc 4:
* Linux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon 64 & 32 bit 2.62 GB
ect.

The same pattern goes for Fedora, Ubuntu, Ubuntu Gnome, Knoppix, ect and many other distros.

I really don't want to waste 4 DVDs on Bodhi when all 4 can fit on a single disc. Same thing for the others, I don't want to waste discs.

Last edited by techdude; 02-08-2015 at 10:27 PM.
 
Old 02-09-2015, 04:10 AM   #7
knudfl
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Quote:
I really don't want to waste 4 DVDs
I guess you will have to face that you won't succeed the first time.
Or second time. Etc.

DVD´s are cheap now. Example, BilligMedien Germany
http://www.billigmedien.de/index.php?page=pi&l1=4&l2=14

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Old 02-09-2015, 08:32 AM   #8
yancek
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Quote:
I really don't want to waste 4 DVDs
Install VirtualBox and use it to test after you have created the iso file.

To create the iso first create a directory in your /home/user directory. For the sake of simplicity, call it iso. Move the downloaded iso files of Bodhi and Mint into that directory. I don't know if Fedora and Knoppix can be booted directly as iso files so you'll have to check their sites for info. Create a boot directory in the iso directory then create a grub sub-directory in the boot directory. You then need the grub files copied. On the Ubuntu derivatives, they should be in the /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc directory. Copy them all to /home/user/iso/boot/grub directory. You then need to create a grub.cfg file and you can use the simple example below or download a template, available on a number of sites. In the example below, you it exactly as is with spaces where they show in the entries and no extra spaces and the exact name of the iso file you have. The rest should work for any Ubuntu derivatives.

Quote:
insmod biosdisk
insmod pc
insmod gpt
insmod part_msdos
# Boot automatically after 30 secs
set timeout=30
# By default, boot the first entry
set default=0
# Fallback to the second entry
set fallback=1
set menu_color_normal=red/black
set menu_color_highlight=magenta/black

menuentry "Linux Mint 17" {
loopback loop /linuxmint-17-cinnamon-dvd-32bit-rc.iso
linux (loop)/casper/vmlinuz boot=casper iso-scan/filename=/linuxmint-17-cinnamon-dvd-32bit-rc.iso quiet splash --
initrd (loop)/casper/initrd.lz
}
With Knoppix and Fedora, if they don't boot directly from the iso, create a mount point directory to loop mount. Example for an iso named knoppix.iso: mkdir Knoppix; mount -o loop knoppix.iso Knoppix After doing that, copy the folders/files from the loop mounted Knoppix directory to the / of the iso directory. The entry below booted Knoppix for me. You can look at the loop mounted menu file which will be in the isolinux directory. It could be isolinux.cfg or txt.cfg, you will just have to check.

menuentry 'Knoppix' {
linux /boot/isolinux/linux ramdisk_size=100000 lang=en apm=power-off nomce libata.force=noncq hpsa.hpsa_allow_any=1 loglevel=1 tz=localtime
initrd /boot/isolinux/minirt.gz

You will probably have to do the same for Fedora. Then run the following command if you have an eltorito.img file in your grub directory:

Code:
genisoimage -v -r -b boot/grub/eltorito.img -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -o multidvd.iso iso
If you don't find the eltorito.img file and I checked Ubuntu 14.04 and it's not there, the command won't work. Try grub-mkrescue

Code:
sudo grub-mkrescue --output=multidvd.iso iso
The above will create the iso named multidvd.iso (change the name to whatever you want) in the directory form which you run the command which if you use the directions above would be the Downloads directory.

Last edited by yancek; 02-09-2015 at 08:33 AM.
 
  


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