LinuxQuestions.org - Grub on Cd

Grub Based Multi Boot CDROM

I made a directory called bootcd and one called distros with a sub directory for each distro...
mkdir /home/bootcd
mkdir /home/distros
cd /home/distros
mkdir rescue rip slax puppy feather insert

Then I copied the livecd of each distro into the proper /home/distros/sub directory.
Then I copied the important parts of each distro into the /home/bootcd directory.
Note: If a distro has the same kernel and initrd, I changed the name of one set and also changed the grub entry for that distro. For example:
kernel /boot/vmlinuz3
initrd=/boot/image3.gz

For each distro, look at the isolinux.cfg to see what the kernel and initrd lines should look like.

You will need iso9660_stage1_5 for booting off from a cdrom. This comes with the RIP livecd or even with current distros.
I found that this type of setup doesn't allow any extras like "default=" or "timeout=" or even blank lines. Other wise things work quite well.

Below is my current /boot/grub/menu.lst

Code:

        color light-gray/blue black/light-gray

title *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* CDROM BOOT MENU *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*

root (hd0)

title Windows

        rootnoverify (hd0,0)

        chainloader +1

title Fedora Core

        root (hd1,1)

        kernel /boot/vmlinuz ro root=/dev/hdb2 rhgb quiet

        initrd /boot/initrd.img

title Rescue CD V0.2.15

kernel /boot/vmlinuz1 acpi=off root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc nokeymap vga=785

initrd=/boot/initrd1

title Insert Linux V1.2.18

kernel /isolinux/vmlinuz ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=en apm=power-off hdc=scsi hdd=scsi vga=791 nomce quiet BOOT_IMAGE=insert

initrd=/isolinux/miniroot.gz

title RIP Linux V12.3

kernel /boot/kernel devfs=nomount vga=normal nokeymap init=/linuxrc root=/dev/ram0 rw

initrd=/boot/initrd.gz

title Feather Linux V0.7.4

kernel /isolinux/linux24 ramdisk_size=100000 nodma init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 nomce quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix

initrd=/isolinux/minirt24.gz

title Slax Linux V5.0.0

kernel /boot/vmlinuz2 max_loop=255 init=linuxrc livecd_subdir=/ load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 ramdisk_size=4444 root=/dev/ram0 rw

initrd=/boot/initrd2.gz

title Puppy Linux V1.0.0

kernel /boot/vmlinuz3 root=/dev/ram0 PFILE=pup001-none-262144

initrd=/boot/image3.gz

title Freedos V9

kernel /boot/memdisk

initrd=/images/freedos.img

title Ranish Tool V2.44

kernel /boot/memdisk

initrd=/images/ranish.img

Once you have the systems loaded into the working directory ( bootcd ) and have the menu.lst setup, you can proceed as follows....

CD into the bootcd and type:
cdrecord dev=0,0,0 blank=fast

mkisofs -J -R -b boot/grub/iso9660_stage1_5 -c boot/boot.cat \
-o /home/bootcd.iso -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 32 -boot-info-table .

cdrecord -v speed=4 dev=0,0,0 -data /home/bootcd.iso

I linked my Fedora kernel and initrd to vmlinuz and initrd.img so I wouldn't have to redo the cd everytime I get a new kernel.