wok annotate syslinux/stuff/iso2exe/README @ rev 13692

syslinux: iso2exe (tiny edits)
author Paul Issott <paul@slitaz.org>
date Thu Dec 13 18:22:00 2012 +0000 (2012-12-13)
parents 7d300004a3b8
children d47403fdd900
rev   line source
pascal@13691 1 The iso2exe tool inserts a DOS .EXE header in an ISO image.
pascal@13691 2 The ISO image can be launched by DOS :
pascal@13691 3
pascal@13691 4 C:\> ren slitaz-5.0.iso slitaz.exe
pascal@13691 5 C:\> slitaz
pascal@13691 6
pascal@13691 7
pascal@13691 8 Why ?
pascal@13691 9
paul@13692 10 According to the SliTaz forum, some new users have problems burning CD-ROMs,
paul@13692 11 creating USB Keys and booting these devices with the BIOS. Others are lost
paul@13692 12 during the installation process or partitioning.
pascal@13691 13
pascal@13691 14 The slitaz.exe program boots the SliTaz ISO image with a text menu:
pascal@13691 15
paul@13692 16 - to start SliTaz in RAM (live) in graphics mode or text mode.
pascal@13691 17
pascal@13691 18 - to install SliTaz "a la UMSDOS" in the \slitaz\ subdirectory. The simplest
paul@13692 19 way install to SliTaz. No partitioning. No questions.
pascal@13691 20
pascal@13691 21
pascal@13691 22 Usage:
pascal@13691 23
pascal@13691 24 C:\> progname [mode]
pascal@13691 25
paul@13692 26 Default mode is menu. Mode can be:
pascal@13691 27
pascal@13691 28 - menu start with an interactive menu
pascal@13691 29 - live launch SliTaz in RAM with graphics
pascal@13691 30 - text launch SliTaz in RAM with text mode
pascal@13691 31 - install SliTaz UMSDOS like installation
pascal@13691 32
paul@13692 33 If the program name includes one of the supported modes; the according mode is
pascal@13691 34 assumed. Example 'C:\> slitazlive.exe' starts SliTaz in RAM with graphics.
pascal@13691 35
pascal@13691 36
pascal@13691 37 Implementation:
pascal@13691 38
pascal@13691 39 ISO9660 format begins with 32Kb unused (16 sectors). Some programs may use it:
pascal@13691 40
pascal@13691 41 - isolinux uses the first 512 bytes for hybrid iso boot (ISO image in a
pascal@13691 42 partition).
paul@13692 43 - tazlito stores extra flavor info at the 2nd Kb for 'tazlito iso2flavor'.
pascal@13691 44
pascal@13691 45 The iso2exe tool moves the isolinux boot sector, installs its own boot sector
pascal@13691 46 with a DOS .EXE header, and adds a DOS .COM Linux loader and an initramfs in
pascal@13691 47 the end of the first 32Kb.
pascal@13691 48
pascal@13691 49 +-----------------+
pascal@13691 50 | untouched | ISO9660 files including /boot/bzImage and /boot/rootfs*
pascal@13691 51 32K +-----------------+
pascal@13691 52 | ISO initramfs | Live loader and UMSDOS like install script
pascal@13691 53 +-----------------+
pascal@13691 54 | DOS .COM loader | Load bzImage, the last rootfs*.gz and the ISO initramfs
pascal@13691 55 +-----------------+
pascal@13691 56 unused
pascal@13691 57 +-----------------+
paul@13692 58 | tazlito info | Flavor missing data for 'tazlito iso2flavor'
pascal@13691 59 1K +-----------------+
pascal@13691 60 | isohybrid boot | Starts isolinux.bin
pascal@13691 61 512 +-----------------+
pascal@13691 62 | iso2exe boot | Boot starts isohybrid (*), .EXE starts DOS .COM loader
pascal@13691 63 0 +-----------------+
pascal@13691 64
pascal@13691 65 * Eltorito boot (i.e. bootable CD-ROM by BIOS) is not concerned by iso2exe.
pascal@13691 66
pascal@13691 67
pascal@13691 68 Limitations:
pascal@13691 69
paul@13692 70 - Real mode support only. VM86 is not (yet?) supported.
pascal@13691 71
paul@13692 72 - Image/zImage format not supported, bzImage only. Can't boot memtest or gpxe.
pascal@13691 73
pascal@13691 74 - The tiny Linux loader can't load more than 15Mb of files. (not really a
pascal@13691 75 problem since many-in-1 ISO format).
pascal@13691 76
pascal@13691 77 - The DOS Linux loader and the ISO initramfs must fit in ~30Kb.
pascal@13691 78
pascal@13691 79 - Old Linux kernels don't support multiple initramfs load. They will not
paul@13692 80 find the /init.exe file. As a workaround, you can add the "text" argument:
pascal@13691 81 C:\> slitaz.exe text
pascal@13691 82
paul@13692 83 - The ISO image must include the files /boot/bzImage and /boot/rootfs*.
pascal@13691 84