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Multi-Boot Stick

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Main #

I’ve looked for a way to build a multi-boot-stick which make it easy to update the used systems and got the idea to use iso-images because these can easily be replaced.

Warranty There is no warranty that this setup works for any system which provide the dependencies listed below. I'm just providing these information because it worked for me. If you have questions you can leave a message here but I decide whether I'll answer and help or not.

Requirements:

  • syslinux
  • memdisk: it’s an extensions for syslinux which is bundled with syslinux in some distributions like Arch Linux
  • mcopy: it’s part of mtools
  • mkfs.vfat: part of dosfstools
  • USB-stick :-D
  • Linux LOL

Installation #

  1. create a partition with enough space for all iso-images you want to boot

  2. set the boot-flag for this partition

  3. format the partition using vfat ⚠️ syslinux doesn’t support other filesystems for this use-case ⚠️

  4. install mbr:

    dd if=/usr/lib/syslinux/bios/mbr.bin of=/dev/sdX

  5. install syslinux files:

    # use the created partition here
syslinux /dev/sdX1

  6. mount the partition and change to the mountpoint, there now has to be the file ldlinux.sys

  7. create the folder syslinux

  8. create the config-file syslinux/syslinux.cfg example config

    # Config file for Syslinux -
# Default entry
DEFAULT hdd
PROMPT 0        # Change to 1 if you do not want to use a menu
TIMEOUT 0       # 0 = disabled, value in 1/10 seconds

# Menu Configuration
# Either menu.c32 or vesamenu32.c32 must be copied to /boot/syslinux
UI menu.c32
#UI vesamenu.c32

# Refer to http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Doc/menu
MENU TITLE Rescue Stick
MENU COLOR border       30;44   #40ffffff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR title        1;36;44 #9033ccff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR sel          7;37;40 #e0ffffff #20ffffff all
MENU COLOR unsel        37;44   #50ffffff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR help         37;40   #c0ffffff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR timeout_msg  37;40   #80ffffff #00000000 std
MENU COLOR timeout      1;37;40 #c0ffffff #00000000 std
MENU COLOR msg07        37;40   #90ffffff #a0000000 std
MENU COLOR tabmsg       31;40   #30ffffff #00000000 std

# boot tiny-core image
LABEL tinycore
    MENU LABEL Tiny-Core
    LINUX memdisk
    INITRD ../tinycore-current.iso
    APPEND iso
# boot Arch Linux image
LABEL arch
    MENU LABEL Arch Linux
    LINUX memdisk
    INITRD ../archlinux-2010.05-core-dual.iso
    APPEND iso
# boot GRML 32-Bit image
LABEL grml32
    MENU LABEL Grml32
    LINUX memdisk
    INITRD ../grml_2011.05.iso
    APPEND iso
# boot GRML 64-Bit image
LABEL grml64
    MENU LABEL Grml64
    LINUX memdisk
    INITRD ../grml64_2011.05.iso
    APPEND iso
# boot memtest
LABEL memtest
        MENU LABEL Memtest
    LINUX ../memtest
# boot Hardware Detection Tool
LABEL hdt
        MENU LABEL HDT (Hardware Detection Tool)
        COM32 hdt.c32
# reboot
LABEL reboot
        MENU LABEL Reboot
        COM32 reboot.c32
# Power off system
LABEL off
        MENU LABEL Power Off
        COMBOOT poweroff.c32

  9. copy needed binaries into syslinux folder:

    sudo cp /usr/lib/syslinux/bios/{hdt.c32,menu.c32,reboot.c32,poweroff.c32,memdisk} syslinux/

  10. copy all iso-images to the mountpoint

That’s it.
I’ve tested this system with the images of tiny-core, archlinux dual-boot and GRML 32-Bit & 64-Bit.

Memdisk might sometimes hang without a reason while loading the image. In that case for me a reboot fixed it.