Flash boot of Ubuntu Casper

1. Fix Casper Script

• log as root in Ubuntu 8.04 and mount installation CD
• extract initrd:

mkdir casperfix
cd casperfix
gzip -dc /cdrom/casper/initrd.gz | cpio -i

• edit scripts/casper: find the line

mount ${cowdevice} -t ${cow_fstype} -o rw,noatime,mode=755 /cow

and remove mode=755. The resulting code should look like

mount ${cowdevice} -t ${cow_fstype} -o rw,noatime /cow
      || panic "Can not mount $cowdevice on /cow"

• save the changes, update the casper script and create the new initrd.gz file:

find . | cpio -o -H newc | gzip -9 > initrd.gz

• Replace the old initrd.gz file on usb flash drive or or rebuild the iso

2. Create flash drive

• install syslinux and mtools

apt-get install -y syslinux mtools

• insert a 1GB or larger USB flash drive
• list available drives/partitions

fdisk -l

• unmount automatically mounted USB partition

umount /dev/sdx1

• re-partition the flash drive

fdisk /dev/sdx

• type p to show the existing partition and d to delete it
• type p again to show any remaining partitions, repeat the previous step if needed
• type n to make a new partition
• type p for primary partition
  • type 1 to make this the first partition
  • hit enter to use the default 1st cylinder
  • type +750M to set the partition size
  • type a to make this partition active
  • type 1 to select partition 1
  • type t to change the partition filesystem
  • type 6 to select the fat16 file system
• type n to make another new partition
• type p for primary partition
  • type 2 to make this the second partition
  • hit enter to use the default cylinder
  • hit enter again to use the default last cylinder
  • type w to write the new partition table
• unmount the partition

umount /dev/sdx1

• format the first partition

mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n ubuntu8 /dev/sdx1

• ensure the partition is unmounted

umount /dev/sdx2

• format the second partition

mkfs.ext2 -b 4096 -L casper-rw /dev/sdx2

• remove and re-insert your flash drive. if prompted that a new medium has been detected, select to open in a new window and click ok
• install boot loader on the flash drive

syslinux -sf /dev/sdx1

• copy the installation cdrom contents

cd /cdrom
cp -rfv casper dists install pics pool preseed .disk isolinux/*  /media/ubuntu8
cp -rfv md5sum.txt README.diskdefines install/mt86plus  /media/ubuntu8

• replace /media/ubuntu8/syslinux.cfg
• fix /media/ubuntu8/casper/initrd.gz as explained above
• save changes and unmount the flash drive
• reboot your computer and set your system BIOS boot priority to boot from the USB stick

3. Booting from a flash drive

This is an example of settings for the Gigabyte GA-M61PM-S2 mobo with Award BIOS:

Attachments

ps-u8-flashboot-syslinux.cfg_.txt

ps-u8-flashboot-syslinux.cfg_.txt 962 bytes