Boot script

Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: Boot script
started by: durbnpoisn

Posted by durbnpoisn on Jan. 15 2005,00:40

I have DSL booting up from a floppy and then running the restore from hda5.

Works like a charm. On my little 300mhz laptop.

Anyway... It gets tedious typing the boot line all the time. How do I automate that in a script.

Right now I type: fb800x600 restore=hda5
at the boot: prompt.

Is there a script I can simply add that to or run instead?

Posted by supertom64 on Jan. 15 2005,01:43

yes there is an easy way just edit the options you like at the syslinux.conf file
hth
TOM

Posted by cbagger01 on Jan. 15 2005,20:33

The nice thing about booting from a floppy is that you can easily change the syslinux config file and save it.

Then it will boot your new defaults by pressing <ENTER> key at the boot prompt.

It's a little harder when booting from CD because you can't easily edit and save a file that is located on a CD-R disk.

Posted by durbnpoisn on Jan. 15 2005,21:55

I found the file. But, I really don't know what to edit.

It looks like there are a series of different boot methods there and one of them is set to DEFAULT.

Where do I put the string I normally use?
fb800x600 restore=hda5

Posted by phlapjack77 on Jan. 15 2005,23:26

it's the first line of your conf file, (think it starts with "DEFAULT") prob. already has "linux24" on it, just leave a space then put the other options you want to automatically happen...

btw, if you don't want to have to hit <enter> to boot, if you look in the conf file for the word "PROMPT", there's a number 1 after it, change it to 0, and it will boot automatically without you having to do anything, and it will use the parameters specifiied in the first line.

hope this helps (and is correct!)

Phillip

Posted by durbnpoisn on Jan. 15 2005,23:52

Yep! That did the trick. On both counts, in fact! Now I can turn on the laptop with the boot disc inside, and walk away without typing a thing. When I come back, DSL is up and working as normal.

Excellent!!

Posted by phlapjack77 on Jan. 16 2005,00:07

glad it worked - *whew*

btw, if you ever do need to specify boot parameters at startup, hold down <shift> or <alt> and you'll hit the boot prompt.

i found all this on the syslinux website...has all kinds of cool stuff about booting

< http://syslinux.zytor.com/faq.php >

Phillip

Posted by durbnpoisn on Jan. 18 2005,23:24

New question:
I got the boot up working automatically, but there is one difference. When I boot up by typing in the command line, the video mode switches in a manner that I can still see the text as the system is loading and unloading (whatever video mode that is). But, now, when booting automatically using the suggestion from the other day, the video mode switches to something unsupported by the laptop until X starts. Once X starts, it's in 800x600 and appears to work just fine.

It's just the boot up and shutdown that I can't see.

And, sometimes there is important information on those screens.

Any ideas.?

Posted by ke4nt1 on Jan. 19 2005,00:28

add vga=normal to your string of text in syslinux.cfg ?

73
ke4nt

Posted by durbnpoisn on Jan. 19 2005,18:12

Yep. That did it. I hadn't thought of that before...

Thanks!!

Posted by apple on Jan. 21 2005,08:51

do i have the syslinux.conf after hd-install too?

Posted by durbnpoisn on Jan. 22 2005,22:19

I don't see why you wouldn't... I think it's standard with all versions of Linux... Check the root of the boot device.

Posted by cbagger01 on Jan. 23 2005,05:06

A hd install works differently than a livecd or poormans install.

A hd install uses the LILO boot manager instead of syslinux

This is why you don't get the Boot Command Line prompt when you are booting from a hard drive install.

So in your case, you need to edit your lilo.conf file and then rerun the lilo program in order to make boot changes.