I am trying to boot backtrack (based on ubuntu) using the poor man's install method of booting the live image on the hard disk using grub. I have had success with knoppix and puppy linux using this method. The backtrack live dvd boots fine. Booting the image off the hard disk:

kernel panic - not syncing : attempted to kill init

my grub entry:

title BackTrack
root (hd0,1)
kernel (hd0,1)/BackTrack/casper/vmlinuz boot=/dev/sda2/BackTrack/casper ramdisk_size=100000 apm=power-off vga=791
initrd (hd0,1)/BackTrack/casper/initrd.gz
savedefault
boot

Your menu entry indicates you have a Linux distribution installed and that it is using Grub Legacy, is that right?
I doubt you need (hd0,1) after kernel and initrd but it shouldn't matter.
Have you tried putting the casper directory in the / of sda2? rather than having /Backtrack/casper....?
Have you checked to see if the initrd file has a .gz extension or an .lz?

Yes, I have an install of opensuse 11.1. I have made some progress by tweeking the grub entry. It boots to a busy box prompt. My revised grub entry:

title BackTrack
root (hd0,1)
kernel (hd0,1)/BackTrack/boot/vmlinuz casperroot=/dev/sda2/BackTrack/casper ramdisk_size=100000 apm=power-off vga=791
initrd (hd0,1)/BackTrack/boot/initrd.gz
savedefault
boot

The error message:

-missing modules (cat /proc/modules; ls /dev
Alert! does not exist. Dropping to a shell!

Yes, I have initrd.gz file in the folder

I don't have Backtrack available but I've booted at least one Ubuntu derivative (Peppermint) from Grub Legacy using the following entry. This of course is a Live CD on the hard drive in the / (root) partition of the system with Grub Legacy:

I initially tried this by putting the Peppermint directories/files in a Peppermint directory in the root of sda8. That did not work and I've read a number of posts in various locations that would indicate that at least the casper directory needs to be in root. I would suggest you put the casper directory in the root of sda1 and modify your menuentry to reflect that. If that doesn't work, post the entry from the isolinux.cfg file on the Backtrack iso or CD.

My partitions:

sda1 = swap
sda2 = /
sda3 = /home

I tried moving casper to sda2/casper and edited grub entry with same error (gave up waiting for root device). I could not find an isolinux.cfg file in the iso or cd, but here is bt5 isolinux.cfg (bt5 will not boot on my box):

default vesamenu.c32
prompt 0
timeout 300

menu title BackTrack Live CD
menu background splash.png
menu color title 1;37;44 #c0ffffff #00000000 std

label DEFAULT
menu label BackTrack Text - Default Boot Text Mode
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append file=/cdrom/preseed/custom.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.gz text splash vga=791--

label STEALTH
menu label BackTrack Stealth - No Networking enabled
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append file=/cdrom/preseed/custom.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrds.gz text splash staticip vga=791--

label FORENSICS
menu label BackTrack Forensics - No Drive or Swap Mount
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append file=/cdrom/preseed/custom.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrdf.gz text splash vga=791--

label BackTrack noDRM - No NVIDIA drm driver
menu label BackTrack Text - Default Boot Text Mode
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append file=/cdrom/preseed/custom.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.gz text splash nomodeset vga=791--

label debug
menu label BackTrack Debug - Safe Mode
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append file=/cdrom/preseed/custom.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.gz text--

label memtest
menu label BackTrack Memtest - Run memtest
kernel /isolinux/memtest
append -

label hd
menu label Hard Drive Boot - boot the first hard disk
localboot 0x80
append -

Also, I found this link to create a custom casper directory:
http://rctay.tuletech.com/2010/11/cu...-for-BackTrack

Hope the above helps.

I would suggest loop mounting the Backtrack iso and copying at least the casper and preseed directories to the / of sda2. I usually copy all directories/files but I don't think you need the files or the isolinux directory. Won't hurt to copy them too. In your case I believe you need the Backtrack directories in the / of the partition and not under "Backtrack". The grub entry in your last post doesn't look anything like the entries from your Backtrack isolinux.cfg file you posted. After moving your Backtrack directories/files to the / of sda2, try the entry below and report back:

title Backtrack
kernel (hd0,1)/casper/vmlinuz file=/preseed/custom.seed boot=casper text splash vga=791--
initrd (hd0,1)/casper/initrd.gz

Result:
kjournald starting: commit interval 5 seconds
ext-fs(sda2): mounted filesystem with writeback mode
ext-fs(sda3): mounted filesystem with writeback mode
ext-fs: barriers not enabled

ends with a busybox prompt

To clarify, the isolinux.cfg was from backtrack 5. Backtrack 4 does not have an isolinux.cfg. I included it in my post because I felt it might help in troubleshooting the problem.

If I am using a grub legacy, what would the grub entry look like for a backtrack iso loopback?

Also, I can not copy the /boot folder to / because my opensuse install already has /boot in sda2.

The box has an opensuse 11.1 64 bit install with kde desktop.
Other iso's I boot from grub: knoppix dvd edition
Puppy Linux

You would need some boot menu file on the Backtrack CD to boot it. If you don't have isolinux.cfg, syslinux.cfg??
Are you trying to install Backtrack 4? If so, loop mount it and post the directories/files in its /. The directories/files in the / of an Ubuntu iso are shown below. Are the Backtrack files/directories different? If so, how?

Here is the bt cd file layout:

under /
/boot
/casper
boot.catalog
md5sum.txt

under /casper
filesystem.manifest
filesystem.manifest-desktop
filesystem.squashfs
sedlMqeji

unber /boot
/grub
bootsplash
initrd800.gz
initrdfr.gz
initrd.gz
memtest86+.bin
vmlinuz

Have not tried loopback option yet and beginning to feel that bt4 may not be bootable this way (although not giving up just yet). Is it possible to boot from the raw iso file using grub? Running backtrack in a virtual machine works well, except do not like the added overhead on the pc. I also made a bootable usb key with backtrack 4 and grub menu installed that I will try on the box to see if can support usb booting.

No preseed directory under /, interesting. What's in the grub directory? I don't see any other boot files, usually there is an isolinux directory? It might be bootable with a loopback. Most Ubuntu derivatives I have tried have booted. I have Ubuntu 11.04 installed on sda5 of my system and have a remastered mint iso file in the / of that system which boots with no problems with this menuentry:

You would obviously have to modify it. Backtrack doesn't seeem to have the same directories/files as most other Ubuntu derivatives. I don't think this will be possible with Grub Legacy but I've never tried. The entry above is from a Grub2 grub.cfg file.

On the bt4 cd, the menu.lst file:

# By default, boot the first entry.
default 0

# Boot automatically after 30 secs.
timeout 30

splashimage=/boot/grub/bt4.xpm.gz
foreground e3e3e3
background 303030

title Start BackTrack FrameBuffer (1024x768)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper nopersistent rw quiet vga=0x317
initrd /boot/initrd.gz

title Start BackTrack FrameBuffer (800x600)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper nopersistent rw quiet vga=0x314
initrd /boot/initrd800.gz

title Start BackTrack Forensics (no swap)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper nopersistent rw vga=0x317
initrd /boot/initrdfr.gz

title Start BackTrack in Safe Graphical Mode
kernel /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper xforcevesa rw quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.gz

title Start Persistent Live CD
kernel /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper persistent rw quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.gz

title Start BackTrack in Text Mode
kernel /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper nopersistent textonly rw quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.gz

title Start BackTrack Graphical Mode from RAM
kernel /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper toram nopersistent rw quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.gz

title Memory Test
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

title Boot the First Hard Disk
root (hd0)
chainloader +1


under /grub

bt4.xpm.gz
menu.lst
stage2_eltorito

I have not had a chance to try the loopback edit or the usb key, however will post back tomorrow on those results.

I am going to set this issue on the back burner for now. I searched and found nothing in regard to grub legacy and iso booting. I have to upgrade to grub2 for iso booting as you suggested earlier. For the time being, I am going to get by on this box with dvd booting and/or using virtual box. I have other boxes to test BT on. My preference is bt5, but the box does not boot it. BT5 does seem to have a dvd file structure similar to Ubuntu, but not bt4... Thanks for all the input. Will post back if I stumble on a solution.