gBootRoot pronounced "bOOtrOOt"
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<H1 align="center">gBootRoot</h1>
<H3 align="center">at</h3>
<p align="center"><A href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/gbootroot">
<IMG src="http://sourceforge.net/sflogo.php?group_id=9513&type=1"
width="88" height="31" border="0"
alt="SourceForge Logo"> </A></p>
<p></p>
<P align="center">
<b>bOOTrOOT</b> makes the development, construction, and
testing of distributions fun and simple.</P>
<br>
<P align="center">
<b>Download gBootRoot</b></P>
<P align="center">Stable version</P>
<p align="center"><A href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/gbootroot/">
Old versions</A></P>
<P align="center">
<IMG ALT="" SRC="images/gbootroot.jpg">
</P>
<P align="center">
<b>How to Use gBootRoot</b></P>
<P><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/gBS.jpg" align="right">The most important button to
familiarize yourself with is the Submit button which starts the whole process;
dialogs are presented as the process continues asking you if you want to
continue &quot;OK&quot; or stop &quot;Cancel&quot;.</P>
<p>
The <u>first row</u> presently has only one Boot Method choice:
"2 disk compression."&nbsp;&nbsp
Clicking on the menu on the right selects the Boot Method.</p>
<P>The <u>second row</u> allows you to select the kernel for the Boot/Root set.&nbsp;&nbsp; You
may either use the file selector button on the right hand side, or you may
type in the location on the left hand side.</P>
<P>
The <u>third row</u> allows you to select the compressed filesystem you are
providing, using either of the two ways mentioned before. &nbsp;&nbsp; You may use a
pre-made root filesystem or you may create one using one of the Methods
provided in the Advanced Root Section.
</P>
<P>The <u>fourth row</u> allows you to select the device you want to use.&nbsp;&nbsp; The default
device is the first floppy disk - /dev/fd0.</P>
<p>
The <u>fifth row</u> allows you to choose the size of the device being used. &nbsp;&nbsp;
The default size of 1440 assumes you are using a floppy drive (Note: You may
want to experiment with 1722 which works fine with many floppy drives.), but
can be used with other sized devices like tape drives. &nbsp;&nbsp; Click on the
appropriate radio button to choose either gzip or bzip2 compression if the
program doesn't automatically detect it.</p>
<P align="center"><b>Verbosity Box</b></p>
<IMG ALT="" SRC="images/verbosity_box.jpg" align="right">
The <u>slider bar</u> on the right allows the output of the verbosity box
to be
changed from the highest (2) to the lowest setting (1) or to be turned off (0)
or on again.&nbsp;&nbsp;
At times it may be advantageous to turn off the verbosity box
since large quantities of output to this box may cause gbootroot to use too
much cpu power; however, output may still be found in the text file "verbose"
in /tmp/gbootroot_tmp'time-date'.</p>
<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
<p><P align="center"><b>
Using the Advanced Boot Section</b></p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/ABS.jpg" align="right">
"Stripping"&nbsp;&nbsp; On by default for libraries and binaries.&nbsp;&nbsp; The stripping
behavior for libraries may be changed by clicking on the right mouse button
to change from --strip-debug to --strip-all.</p>
<p>
"Devel Device"&nbsp;&nbsp; If the device used for development is different than the
actual boot device, use this field to indicate that device.&nbsp;&nbsp; You will have to
run lilo -v -C brlilo.conf -r "device mount point" manually at a later time
on the actual boot device.</p>
<p>
"Opt. Device"&nbsp;&nbsp; Add devices to the boot disk which are necessary for the
kernel to function properly.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Put a space between each device.&nbsp;&nbsp;
For instance, /dev/fb0 for frame buffer devices.</p>
<p>
"Kernel Module"&nbsp;&nbsp; Add the modules found in
/lib/modules/kernel-version which are necessary for the Boot Method to work
properly.&nbsp;&nbsp;
If these modules aren't found in the modules directory it is assumed
that they either are in the kernel or they do not exist.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In the case of 2 disk compression, floppy needs to be included in the
kernel or included as a module. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Kmod inserts the modules, and kmod needs to be built-in to the kernel along
with initrd and ramdisk.",</p>
<p>
"append ="&nbsp;&nbsp; Add append options to brlilo.conf.&nbsp;&nbsp; If you are using a frame
buffer device you could add something like video=matrox:vesa:402,depth:16.</p>
<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
<P align="center">
<b>Using the Advanced Root Section</b></P>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/ARS.jpg" align="right">
"Root Device"&nbsp;&nbsp;
This is the device used for the root filesystem when
constructing the Boot/Root set.&nbsp;&nbsp;
You may choose a device which is different
than the Boot device, but presently only floppy devices are supported.</p>
<p>
"Root Device Size"&nbsp;&nbsp; The size of the actual media used for the Root Device.</p>
<p>
"Root Filename"&nbsp;&nbsp;
The name give to the root filesystem when initially made
in the temporary creation location.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The save button allows the creation to
be saved in the permanent default location when the
Accept button is pressed.</p>
<p>
"Filesystem Size"&nbsp;&nbsp;
Root Methods make the filesystem the size which is
specified here.</p>
<p>
"Compression"&nbsp;&nbsp;
Off by default to allow user-mode-linux testing.&nbsp;&nbsp; Turn on
compression when you are ready to use a Boot Method
which requires compression.</p>
<p>
"Method"&nbsp;&nbsp; The root filesystem creation method.</p>
<p>
"Template"&nbsp;&nbsp; The template associated with a Root Method.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Not all Root Methods
have templates.</p>
<p>
"Generate"&nbsp;&nbsp; This puts the chosen Root Method in action.</p>
<p>
"UML"&nbsp;&nbsp; Abbreviation for user-mode-linux. &nbsp;&nbsp;
This is a linux kernel which runs on
top of the host system's linux kernel and allows a you run a live root
filesystem.</p>
<p>
"Accept"&nbsp;&nbsp;
This accepts the created root filesystem if it is found in the
temporary creation directory. &nbsp;&nbsp;
The UML box and the main section will now
reflect the path to this root filesystem. &nbsp;&nbsp;
You can now test with the UML
button or a put together a complete Boot/Root set with the Submit button.</p>
<br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
<p><P align="center"><b>User Mode Linux Box</b></p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/uml_box.jpg" align="right">
"Xterm"&nbsp;&nbsp; Choose an xterm with its executable options switch.</p>
<p>
"Options"&nbsp;&nbsp;Enter uml command-line options like: mem=64,
devfs=nomount.</p>
<p>
"Root_Fs"&nbsp;&nbsp;Choose an uncompressed root filesystem.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Append with ubd?=.</p>
<p>
"Abort"&nbsp;&nbsp; Abort user-mode-linux kernel processes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><P align="center"><b>
About the Yard Box</b></p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/yard_box.jpg" align="center"></p>
The Yard Box is a Root Method which is "Generated" from the Advanced Root
Section after a Template is chosen.&nbsp;&nbsp;
It has several interesting features.
<p>
The check boxes at the bottom represent the different stages involved in
creating a root filesystem.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The behavior of these stages may be altered in
three ways: Edit->Stages->one-by-one (default) will perform each stage
sequentially, stopping between each stage, the user may continue the process
by pressing the Continue button. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Edit->Stages->continuous proceeds non-stop
through all the stages.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Edit->Stages->'user defined' allows the user to
choose any stages the user wants, and will then proceed through all the
chosen stages.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Choosing only 'Check', 'Links & Deps', 'Create" is a good
example.</p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/tests.jpg" align="center"></p>
<p>
The behavior of some of the stages may be altered.&nbsp;&nbsp;
For instance Alt-T allows
you to choose which tests to run on the newly created
root filesystem.</p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/template_search.jpg" align="center"></p>
<p>
Press Alt-S to enable template text searching in either
direction.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Find exact matches or ignore case with the case sensitive check
box.</p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/file.jpg" align="center"></p>
<p>
Use Ctl-S to save the changes to an open template, and Alt-A to save the
template with a new name.&nbsp;&nbsp;
bOOTrOOT will not allow read-only templates or template links to be saved
with their own name.&nbsp;&nbsp;
A few of these example files are included. &nbsp;&nbsp;
You may make changes to them or clear their buffers.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Then you may save the template with a
different name.</p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/stripping.jpg" align="center"></p>
<p>
Edit->Settings->Stripping allows you to turn off/on stripping for
Libraries, Binaries, and Modules.&nbsp;&nbsp;
--strip-all is the default for binaries and libraries,
and --strip-debug is the default for modules; however libraries may
be changed to --strip-debug in the settings.</p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/paths.jpg" align="center"></p>
<p>
Edit->Setting->Paths allows you to prepend a new search path to your
environments $PATH variable.
</p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/filesystem.jpg" align="center"></p>
<p>
Edit->'File System" may alter the type of filesystem used to make the root
filesystem.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Because the filesystem is created on a loop device, some
filesystem types may complain or not be created at all.</p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/replacements.jpg" align="center"></p>
<p>
Edit->Replacements in your $HOME/.gbootroot/Replacements directory using
an editor of your choice.
</p>
<p><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/create.jpg" align="center"></p>
<p>
Create->Replacements creates special replacement files.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Presently it creates
an fstab configuration file as Replacements/etc/fstab.new in
$HOME/.gbootroot/yard/.</p>
<P>Little things you may want to know:</P>
<P>* gBootRoot requires ash for initrd.&nbsp;&nbsp; Ash is a feather weight version of Bash.</P>
<br>
<P><IMG ALT="" SRC="images/gBSicon.jpg" align="center"> <b>FAQ</b></P>
<P><b>What does the 2 disk compression method do?</b></P>
<P>This Boot Method creates a boot disk with lilo, a kernel and an initrd
image.&nbsp;&nbsp; The
initrd script mounts another root disk with a compressed (gzip or bzip2)
filesystem.</P>
<P><b>What's the advantage of using this program?</b></P>
<P>You can use a bzip2 compressed filesystem, this program is easy to use, and it provides a framework showing a simple initrd method which you can freely
modify.&nbsp;&nbsp; I wrote this program as an extension to BootRoot which was written
as a solution to help oster at EE (www.experts-exchange.com) create separate
boot and root floppies for an emergency system for his customers.</P>
<P><A href="./bootroot.html">BootRoot</A>
was the original program, but it was decided that a GUI approach
provided the user much more versatility and power in creating distributions.
</P>
<P>If you make a cool change to this program, or if this program helps you I'd love to know, that's better than receiving pizza. :)</P>
<P><b>How can I test gBootRoot?</b></P>
<P>1. Download
<a href="http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/user-mode-linux/root_fs_tomrtbt_1.7.205.bz2">
root_fs_tomrtbt_1.7.205.bz2</a> from user-mode-linux at Sourceforge.</p>
<p>
2.
[Ctrl] ([Tab] to see available images)
<br> boot: bootdisk single [Enter]
<br> ( now filesystem is single user mode)
<br> exit [Enter]
<br> (now you are in multi user mode)
<p>
Better yet, do [Ctrl]
<br> boot: bootdisk 2 [Enter]
<P><b>Why doesn't looplinux work as &quot;bootdisk 1?&quot;</b></P>
<P>There is a difference between &quot;1&quot; and &quot;single.&quot; Looplinux was written in a
way that runlevel 1 doesn't work properly in relation to gBootRoot unless
single is used.&nbsp;&nbsp; And you thought they were the same thing?&nbsp;&nbsp; gBootRoot
proves otherwise. </P>
<P><b>gBootRoot doesn't start because it can't locate Gtk.pm?</b></P>
<p>This program requires Gtk-Perl available from <a href="http://www.perl.com/CPAN">CPAN</a>, <a href="http://freshmeat.net/projects/gtk-perl">Freshmeat</a> or most GNU/Linux distributions.</p>
<p><b>There isn't enough room left on my 1440 floppy to make a Boot or Root
disk.&nbsp;&nbsp;Is there any way to free up more space apart from reducing
the size of the kernel?</b></p>
<p>
Move the device size to 1722. This is a trick that <a href="http://www.toms.net/rb/">tomsrtbt</a> uses on his famous rescue disk.</p>
<p><b>If you roll the floppy density counter down to 0 and then try go back
up towards 1440 and 1722, you get very funny figures.</b></p>
<p>
This is because of the way Gtk works.&nbsp;&nbsp; There are two adjustments,
step and page increments.&nbsp;&nbsp;When you press your first mouse button the step
has been set to 282 so that a person can easily switch between 1440 and 1722.
&nbsp;&nbsp;When you use your second mouse button the page is set at 360. You can go
down to zero by pressing your third mouse button on the down arrow.&nbsp;&nbsp; Now
page up with the second button to 1440 and step with the first button to
1722.&nbsp;&nbsp; Pretty cool, eh?</p>
<p>Why we are on this subject please check out these keyboard shortcuts for Gtk.</p>
<P>Motion Shortcuts
<UL>
<LI> Ctrl-A Beginning of line </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-E End of line </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-N Next Line </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-P Previous Line </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-B Backward one character </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-F Forward one character </LI>
<LI> Alt-B Backward one word </LI>
<LI> Alt-F Forward one word </LI>
</UL>
<P> Editing Shortcuts
<UL>
<LI> Ctrl-H Delete Backward Character (Backspace) </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-D Delete Forward Character (Delete) </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-W Delete Backward Word </LI>
<LI> Alt-D Delete Forward Word </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-K Delete to end of line </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-U Delete line </LI>
</UL>
<P>Selection Shortcuts
<UL>
<LI> Ctrl-X Cut to clipboard </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-C Copy to clipboard </LI>
<LI> Ctrl-V Paste from clipboard </LI>
</UL>
<IMG ALT="Larry Ewing's Penguin celebrates in gBootRoot." SRC="images/peng-movie.4.gif">
<br><br><br>
Contact me:&nbsp;&nbsp;Jonathan Rosenbaum&nbsp;&nbsp;<<a href="freesource@users.sourceforge.net">freesource@users.sourceforge.net</a>>
<br>
Submit a Bug:&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://sourceforge.net/bugs/?group_id=9513">gBootRoot Bug System</a>
<br>
Join or browse the mailing lists:&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=9513">gbootroot-{devel,user} mailing lists</a>
<br>
Ask a question:&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?forum_id=29639">Help Forum</a>
<br>
Start a discussion:&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?forum_id=29638">Open Discussion Forum</a>
<p>
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