September 2007 - Grml - lists.mur.at

grml-live: build framework based on FAI for generating a Linux Live system
by Michael Prokop 20 Sep '07

20 Sep '07

Hi, I'm pleased to be able to officially announce grml-live. grml-live is a build framework based on FAI¹, which provides the infrastructure to create a grml and Debian based Linux Live-CD. One single command and if everything goes fine you'll have your own live-cd. :) grml-live should work on any Debian based distribution and as it uses /etc/grml/fai as main configuration directory it should not clash with any other FAI packages. The Debian package of grml-live is available via grml's pool: http://deb.grml.org/pool/main/g/grml-live/ grml-users (and everyone else using deb.grml.org inside sources.list) can get it via 'au ; agi grml-live'. :) Current sources are available from the mercurial repository: http://hg.grml.org/grml-live/ The documentation and some more details can be found at the grml-live webpage: http://grml.org/grml-live/ I appreciate any feedback, feature requests, bugreports and of course patches. :) ¹ http://www.informatik.uni-koeln.de/fai/ regards, -mika- -- http://grml.org/ # Linux for texttool-users and sysadmins http://wiki.grml.org/ # share your knowledge http://grml.supersized.org/ # the grml development weblog #grml @ irc.freenode.org # meet us on irc

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grml-small - raise ISO-size?
by Michael Prokop 20 Sep '07

20 Sep '07

Hi, I'm busy working on grml-live¹, a framework (based on FAI²) which provides the possbility to build a grml-ISO with 1(!) single command (oh and live-initramfs has been integrated into grml basically as well already). Creating your very own grml version is pretty easy now. http://grml.supersized.org/archives/263-grml-live-create-your-own-grml-ISO.… This framework might be the system behind grml 1.1, grml64 0.2 and grml-small 0.5 already and I think it's time to discuss the ISO-size limit of grml-small now. :) Some history: grml-small 0.1 started with 49MB total ISO-size, grml-small 0.2 had 56MB, grml-small 0.3 had 58MB and grml-small 0.4 has 60MB now. So it's definitely growing (due to the new features of kernel and userland in every single release). The main problem for the grml team so far was, to keep the ISO size of grml-small as small as possible but nevertheless provide all the software people wanted to see included. Another important drawback is the separate kernel version, which had to be maintained *additionally* to the main (non-small) grml-kernel. Using grml-live we are able to build grml-small with one single command now. The resulting ISO for grml-small has a size of 133MB currently - though the ISO still provides some more software than grml-small 0.4 did (like python, aptitude,...) and even a full featured /usr/share/doc (24MB) plus the current grml-kernel (2.6.22-grml). So the 133MB ISO could be stripped down a little bit further (maybe to something like 125MB) without losing toooo much. My suggestion therefore is to raise the ISO-size of grml-small to something like <=128MB (so it still fits on 128MB USB pens). Pros: * some more software could be included (and /usr/share/doc could be shipped as well maybe) * as maintainenance for the grml-team is much easier, we would provide up2date grml-small versions always together with a new release of (full) grml * use of same kernel version as with full grml -> installing additional Debian kernel packages not being available on the ISO yet (due to lack of space) is no problem furthermore Cons: * "grml toram" will last a little bit longer * 64MB USB pens as well as the really small CDs aren't support anymore (though I recommend to use fast >=1GB USB pens for booting anyway nowadays ;-)) As grml-live will be available to the public soon and everyone might build his own grml-version ;-), everyone could build his own grml-small version anyway. So what's *your* opinion about "grml-small grows to ~125MB"? I highly appreciate any feedback. ¹ http://grml.org/grml-live/ ² http://www.informatik.uni-koeln.de/fai/ regards, -mika- -- http://grml.org/ # Linux for texttool-users and sysadmins http://wiki.grml.org/ # share your knowledge http://grml.supersized.org/ # the grml development weblog #grml @ irc.freenode.org # meet us on irc

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Call for Testing: initramfs-tools
by Michael Prokop 05 Sep '07

05 Sep '07

Hi, Problem description =================== Some of you might know the problem with initramfs-tools >0.87b, quoting http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=431291 => ,---- [ #431291 ] | Booting with 'root=UUID=...' fails, it just hangs at "Waiting for | root file system..." and you can't boot your system anymore unless | you fall back to root=/dev/... syntax. `---- initramfs-tools version is 0.90a is available in Debian/unstable and 0.91 will be available soon. I'm asking you for help in testing the current version so we can ship it with grml as well. I can't reproduce the problem from #431291 on my own systems and therefore need your help. If we can't locate any bugs with initramfs-tools booting harddisk installations within the next few days I'll remove the old initramfs-tools version from grml's pool so new versions will reach the systems when upgrading them again. So please help us! How to test =========== Are you using an initrd? (Check the initrd line in /etc/lilo.conf when using lilo or /boot/grub/menu.lst when using grub.) If so please make sure you have a grml CD by hand so you can fix your system if it really does not boot anymore (hopefully that won't happen and falling back to root=/dev/... syntax in the bootloader should be possible anyway). ;) Which version of initramfs-tools are you using? Just for the record please save output before testing: # dpkg --list initramfs-tools # cat /proc/cmdline Make sure you have the old, working version available: # wget http://deb.grml.org/pool/main/i/initramfs-tools/initramfs-tools_0.87b_all.d… Now update initramfs-tools to 0.90a: # apt-get update ; apt-get install initramfs-tools/unstable Now a new /boot/initrd.* should be generated automatically for you. Does your system still boot without problems? What I need =========== Please let me know (no matter whether it works or not or if you tested it at all!): * do you have problems with booting your system? * what's inside your /proc/cmdline? * are you using SW-RAID? * are you using LVM? * which bootloader (lilo vs. grub) are you using? * which versions of initramfs-tools do work for you and which *not* (check via 'dpkg --list initramfs-tools') If you can't help in testing initramfs-tools (no matter why) please provide information of questions above anyway! It will help in any case as soon as you are using an initrd on your system! Problems with Booting? ====================== To get a working system again you just have to get the old version: # wget http://deb.grml.org/pool/main/i/initramfs-tools/initramfs-tools_0.87b_all.d… Install it running: # dpkg -i initramfs-tools_0.87b_all.deb If you manually want to re-generate the initrd/initramfs just invoke: # update-initramfs -c -t -k $(uname -r) Falling back to root=/dev/[sh]d* syntax instead of root=UUID=... should be possible as well. If you *really* can't boot anymore you'll find all available tools on a recent version of grml of course. I'm available for helping you as well, feel free to bug me if you don't know what to do. Debugging ========= See http://wiki.debian.org/InitramfsDebug for more information if you are interesting in debugging the problem on your own. Debian's maintainer of initramfs-tools provided help in debugging problems as well (thanks, maks!), and of course I'm available as well. If you have any questions or need further assistance please don't hesitate to contact me. You can reach me via mail, on IRC (#grml) or via jabber (mika(a)jabber.grml.org). Please help us! Thanks! regards, -mika- -- http://grml.org/ # Linux for texttool-users and sysadmins http://wiki.grml.org/ # share your knowledge http://grml.supersized.org/ # the grml development weblog #grml @ irc.freenode.org # meet us on irc

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RE: Emacspeak replacement?
by Jeff 02 Sep '07

02 Sep '07

Since emacspeak was removed in 1.0, is there an alternative that will work with similar functionality? Thank you, Jeff No, emacspeak had to be dropped from grml 1.0 (seehttp://grml.org/files/README-grml-1.0.php) because of it was justtoo big and did not work with current emacs versions, sorry.regards,-mika--- http://grml.org/ _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com The most personalized portal on the Web!

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Using QEMU with grml
by - Tong - 01 Sep '07

01 Sep '07

Hi, I was on and off with QEMU in the past because it was slow. I knew there is a kernel accelerated QEMU but never made the attempt to try it, because I was stopped by the idea that I should compile/deal with the kernel modules. I never blame others for my own fault, but this time, mika, I think you are to blame for this. I mean, I didn't know that the accelerated QEMU works out of box in grml ever since grml v0.5 (http://www.grml.org/qemu/) -- you should be blamed for the fact that I don't know it. You made things so easy for us but never let us know. :-) Now I will give QEMU a serious try. mika, I think your wiki can use some more explanation on the following 2 points. - "To see if kqemu is enabled and working correctly, use the QEMU monitor command" -- please elaborate more about it, because 'info kqemu' didn't give me the desired info. Moreover, it'd be better to clearly tell uses in wiki how to do it. - I learned that "To run the emulated system, a good idea is to use overlay images. This way you can create hard disk image once and tell Qemu to store changes in external file. You get rid of all the instability, because it is so easy to revert to previous system state." (http://manual.sidux.com/en/hd-install-opts-en.htm#qemu) could you write something about this overlay image practice as well in your wiki please? That'll sure benefit grml users. Furthermore, in order to make it easier for grml users, I think it is better to start kqemu the standard way, not the hacking way. Please twist the following file and release it in the future of grml: /etc/init.d/kqemu #!/bin/sh case "$1" in start) echo "Starting kqemu: " /sbin/modprobe kqemu major=0 # load the kernel module mknod /dev/kqemu c 250 0 # create the device chmod 666 /dev/kqemu /dev/net/tun # adjust permissions ;; stop) echo "Stopping kqemu: " /sbin/rmmod kqemu ;; restart) /sbin/modprobe kqemu major=0 ;; *) ;; esac thanks -- Tong (remove underscore(s) to reply) http://xpt.sourceforge.net/techdocs/ http://xpt.sourceforge.net/tools/

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RE: Emacspeak
by Jeff 01 Sep '07

01 Sep '07

I have low vision. In past versions of grml, I was able to use text to speech easily. I loaded 1.0 last weekend. I couldn't get the setting set correctly. I looked at the wiki but I was still unable to get it working. Does 1.0 only include and support speakup? Is emacspeak still available. Thank you for your assistance and the great distribution, Jeff _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com The most personalized portal on the Web!

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