Can I boot from some other device (not USB stick)?

The title says it all.

 

I might have a really small hard-disk I want to dedicate as boot and/or my system cannot allow for boot from USB.

 

Can't this be allowed somehow?

 

AFAIU the only reason this is not permitted is because of the registration ID right?

 

I'd suggest some other registration method (or an additional one), that would allow for such a setup.

 

 

You can install a development Slackware system to a HD, with the sources so you can compile your own kernel to use with unRAID, and that drive can be accessible from unRAID, house yor swap, etc., but not be part of the array.  But you still have to have the USB for the license.

The title says it all.

 

I might have a really small hard-disk I want to dedicate as boot and/or my system cannot allow for boot from USB.

 

Can't this be allowed somehow?

 

AFAIU the only reason this is not permitted is because of the registration ID right?

 

I'd suggest some other registration method (or an additional one), that would allow for such a setup.

 

 

If you have the skills to set up a boot device, yes.  The FLASH drive with an UNRAID volume label will still have to be plugged into a USB port on the computer to be able for it to find the serial number, the superblock data file, and other config files. 

 

Search for "kicker" on these forums will get you started.  Most of those posts tried using a floppy to boot from, but there is nothing in boot process that absolutely requires booting from the USB flash drive.  You could boot from anything and then invoke the scripts on the USB drive labeled appropriately.  At least one person has booted from a boot CD.

 

Good luck.  Some of the smaller Linux distributions allow creation of "kicker floppies" of boot-cd's, those will be similar to what you need. Puppy Linux seems to have a fairly sophisticated kicker floppy.  You might look at it for ideas.

thanks people

 

 

You can install a development Slackware system to a HD, with the sources so you can compile your own kernel to use with unRAID, and that drive can be accessible from unRAID, house yor swap, etc., but not be part of the array.  But you still have to have the USB for the license.

 

OK i installed slackware on a drive in the system but when i try to mount it i get invalid file system.  What file system should i be using to for the slackware install so i can mount it in unraid?

 

thanks

 

 

You don't just install Slackware..... you have to get the source for 2.6.22.5, get the GPL'd mods from the unRAID distro, build a custom kernel, decompress the initramfs, copy files to new locations, move some scripts and symlinks around, edit some scripts.  It is a rather complex process.  I got it working, but went back to booting off the USB stick.  Now I build my custom kernel right to the USB stick.

 

You don't just install Slackware..... you have to get the source for 2.6.22.5, get the GPL'd mods from the unRAID distro, build a custom kernel, decompress the initramfs, copy files to new locations, move some scripts and symlinks around, edit some scripts.  It is a rather complex process.  I got it working, but went back to booting off the USB stick.  Now I build my custom kernel right to the USB stick.

 

 

That is my goal to boot off the stick and build a custom kernel there.  I thought i have everything in place to do just that but I keep getting hit with snags.  Mostly trying to get gcc on the stick.  I have already set up a process to decompress the files to a temp location and put them back on the stick. 

In that case, just boot the stick, decompress the bzroot, use installpkg to install the sources and development kit packages (gcc and libs), then recompress the file system back to the initramfs on the flash.  They you can boot from the flash and build a new kernel and initramfs.

 

But that is a very inefficient way to do it.

 

I just keep a separate source directory on my regular linux development box for the unRAID kernel and a copy of the unRAID initramfs decompressed.  I compile on my regular development box, and a script copies all the files to the uncompressed initramfs directory, then compresses it back to the USB stick and copies the new custom kernel to the USB stick.  It is a little ugly, but:

 

make modules_install
mount /dev/hda4 /mnt/uraid
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/usb
rm /mnt/uraid/lib/modules/2.6.22.5/*
rm /mnt/uraid/lib/modules/2.6.22.5/kernel/* -r
cp /lib/modules/2.6.22.5/* /mnt/uraid/lib/modules/2.6.22.5 
cp /lib/modules/2.6.22.5/kernel/* /mnt/uraid/lib/modules/2.6.22.5/kernel -r
cd /mnt/uraid
find . | cpio -o -H newc | gzip > /mnt/usb/custom.gz
cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /mnt/usb/vmcustom
sync

In that case, just boot the stick, decompress the bzroot, use installpkg to install the sources and development kit packages (gcc and libs), then recompress the file system back to the initramfs on the flash.  They you can boot from the flash and build a new kernel and initramfs.

 

But that is a very inefficient way to do it.

 

I just keep a separate source directory on my regular linux development box for the unRAID kernel and a copy of the unRAID initramfs decompressed.  I compile on my regular development box, and a script copies all the files to the uncompressed initramfs directory, then compresses it back to the USB stick and copies the new custom kernel to the USB stick.  It is a little ugly, but:

 

make modules_install
mount /dev/hda4 /mnt/uraid
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/usb
rm /mnt/uraid/lib/modules/2.6.22.5/*
rm /mnt/uraid/lib/modules/2.6.22.5/kernel/* -r
cp /lib/modules/2.6.22.5/* /mnt/uraid/lib/modules/2.6.22.5 
cp /lib/modules/2.6.22.5/kernel/* /mnt/uraid/lib/modules/2.6.22.5/kernel -r
cd /mnt/uraid
find . | cpio -o -H newc | gzip > /mnt/usb/custom.gz
cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /mnt/usb/vmcustom
sync

 

To be a total clueless wonder can you point me to links of what i need to install. to be able to do this on the usb.  I followed the install instructions on the other thread I just cant figure out which version of gcc and what else i need to install..

 

thanks

 

 

 

 

Your stated desires have been inconsistent.  Do you want to boot a complete development system from the USB, or do you want to boot from hard drive and compile a new kernel back to the USB?

 

Don't be offended but this is not something that you can just "follow" with a set of preprinted steps.  Configuring and building a linux kernel is  not a trivial task.... there are too many variables involved for someone else to do it for you in a forum post.

 

 

Your stated desires have been inconsistent.  Do you want to boot a complete development system from the USB, or do you want to boot from hard drive and compile a new kernel back to the USB?

 

Don't be offended but this is not something that you can just "follow" with a set of preprinted steps.  Configuring and building a linux kernel is  not a trivial task.... there are too many variables involved for someone else to do it for you in a forum post.

 

 

 

Not offended at all appreciate the help What i would like to do is be able to do it all on the usb drive.  It is a 4 gig stick, I really only need to add 2 drivers for the rocket raid cards i have.  Once that is setup I am all set.  I am very happy with Unraid it just does not support my cards out of the box. 

If you only need to add 2 drivers, why do you want to do the most complex thing possible (complete development system on the bootable USB with unRAID)?  Not to mention it will take a long time to boot.

 

Just build the kernel and the modules you need on a regular development system, then copy the files to the USB stick and you will be done.  That is *much* easier.

did not mean to hijack the thread.  I give up until tom or some kind soul can give me the patched kernel this is on hold.  I have had no luck whats so ever with patching the kernel even with a dev machine. 

 

Any takers for patching it for me?

 

thanks

 

 

it would be cool if it could be copied to an HD/compactflash/etc.

 

i have a 2 gig compactflash on the underside of my motherboard for OS booting. the case has a front door that makes plugging in usb devices impossible if the door is closed. i'd have to stick this in the back, which means it has to stick out from the wall, possibly could be bumped out etc...

 

a small usb-extensioncord routed back through a slot into the cabinet, makes it less vunerable.

/Rene

I boot from a "kicker disk" floppy since my motherboard doesn't support booting from USB. It's been working for me for a long time.

 

So long, in fact, that I've been hesitant in upgrading my 3.1 beta-2 unRAID box.