wok annotate syslinux/stuff/iso2exe/README @ rev 13713

syslinux/iso2exe: add loram support
author Pascal Bellard <pascal.bellard@slitaz.org>
date Tue Dec 18 16:09:07 2012 +0100 (2012-12-18)
parents d47403fdd900
children 18dff2eb17c1
rev   line source
pascal@13697 1 (c) GPLv2, Pascal Bellard <pascal.bellard@slitaz.org>
pascal@13697 2
pascal@13691 3 The iso2exe tool inserts a DOS .EXE header in an ISO image.
pascal@13691 4 The ISO image can be launched by DOS :
pascal@13691 5
pascal@13691 6 C:\> ren slitaz-5.0.iso slitaz.exe
pascal@13691 7 C:\> slitaz
pascal@13691 8
pascal@13691 9
pascal@13691 10 Why ?
pascal@13691 11
paul@13692 12 According to the SliTaz forum, some new users have problems burning CD-ROMs,
pascal@13697 13 creating USB Keys and booting these devices with the BIOS. Others are lost
paul@13692 14 during the installation process or partitioning.
pascal@13691 15
pascal@13691 16 The slitaz.exe program boots the SliTaz ISO image with a text menu:
pascal@13691 17
paul@13692 18 - to start SliTaz in RAM (live) in graphics mode or text mode.
pascal@13691 19
pascal@13697 20 - to install SliTaz "a la UMSDOS" in the \slitaz\ subdirectory. The easiest
pascal@13699 21 way to install SliTaz. No partitioning. No questions.
pascal@13691 22
pascal@13691 23
pascal@13691 24 Usage:
pascal@13691 25
pascal@13691 26 C:\> progname [mode]
pascal@13691 27
paul@13692 28 Default mode is menu. Mode can be:
pascal@13691 29
pascal@13697 30 - menu start with an interactive menu
pascal@13697 31 - live launch SliTaz in RAM with graphics
pascal@13697 32 - text launch SliTaz in RAM with text mode
pascal@13697 33 - install SliTaz UMSDOS like installation
pascal@13691 34
pascal@13697 35 If the prognam name includes one of the supported modes, the according mode is
pascal@13691 36 assumed. Example 'C:\> slitazlive.exe' starts SliTaz in RAM with graphics.
pascal@13691 37
pascal@13691 38
pascal@13691 39 Implementation:
pascal@13691 40
pascal@13691 41 ISO9660 format begins with 32Kb unused (16 sectors). Some programs may use it:
pascal@13691 42
pascal@13691 43 - isolinux uses the first 512 bytes for hybrid iso boot (ISO image in a
pascal@13691 44 partition).
paul@13692 45 - tazlito stores extra flavor info at the 2nd Kb for 'tazlito iso2flavor'.
pascal@13691 46
pascal@13691 47 The iso2exe tool moves the isolinux boot sector, installs its own boot sector
pascal@13691 48 with a DOS .EXE header, and adds a DOS .COM Linux loader and an initramfs in
pascal@13691 49 the end of the first 32Kb.
pascal@13691 50
pascal@13691 51 +-----------------+
pascal@13691 52 | untouched | ISO9660 files including /boot/bzImage and /boot/rootfs*
pascal@13691 53 32K +-----------------+
pascal@13691 54 | ISO initramfs | Live loader and UMSDOS like install script
pascal@13691 55 +-----------------+
pascal@13691 56 | DOS .COM loader | Load bzImage, the last rootfs*.gz and the ISO initramfs
pascal@13691 57 +-----------------+
pascal@13691 58 unused
pascal@13691 59 +-----------------+
paul@13692 60 | tazlito info | Flavor missing data for 'tazlito iso2flavor'
pascal@13691 61 1K +-----------------+
pascal@13691 62 | isohybrid boot | Starts isolinux.bin
pascal@13691 63 512 +-----------------+
pascal@13697 64 | iso2exe boot | Boot starts isohybrid (*), .EXE starts DOS .COM loader
pascal@13691 65 0 +-----------------+
pascal@13691 66
pascal@13691 67 * Eltorito boot (i.e. bootable CD-ROM by BIOS) is not concerned by iso2exe.
pascal@13691 68
pascal@13691 69
pascal@13691 70 Limitations:
pascal@13691 71
pascal@13699 72 - Only DOS 3, 4 and 6 supported. Checked with http://www.allbootdisks.com/
pascal@13699 73
pascal@13699 74 - Real mode support only. VM86 is not supported.
pascal@13691 75
paul@13692 76 - Image/zImage format not supported, bzImage only. Can't boot memtest or gpxe.
pascal@13691 77
pascal@13691 78 - The tiny Linux loader can't load more than 15Mb of files. (not really a
pascal@13691 79 problem since many-in-1 ISO format).
pascal@13691 80
pascal@13691 81 - The DOS Linux loader and the ISO initramfs must fit in ~30Kb.
pascal@13691 82
pascal@13691 83 - Old Linux kernels don't support multiple initramfs load. They will not
pascal@13697 84 find the /init.exe file. Only the "text" mode will work:
pascal@13691 85 C:\> slitaz.exe text
pascal@13691 86
paul@13692 87 - The ISO image must include the files /boot/bzImage and /boot/rootfs*.
pascal@13691 88