UBCD V5.2b3 available for download

[Victor Chew]

UBCD V5.2b3 is available for download:

http://ubcd.mirror.fusa.be/ubcd52b3.iso
md5sum: caa391999cd42c3dd84e2d5d3aced453
sha1sum: e8ea98014e36cbd9cac11c97898a71b72d5ae0db

Changelog:

- Removed mkfdubcd script.
- Updated "ubcd\tools\linux\syslinux2grub4dos\main.sed" and fixed conversion for hdt.c32.
- Updated Memtest86 to V4.1.0. This version includes V3,5b and V4.0b, so the menu entry for the previous version is removed. Thanks to ady for the suggestion.
- Changed syntax of syslinux cfg files and updated syslinux2sed.sed to support the change. Thanks to ady for the suggestion.
- Updated Parted Magic to 2013_01_29.

The updated index page is available here:

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/v52/index.html

Hopefully this is the last beta release. If there are no major showstoppers, next release will be 5.2.0.
I will revisit all app websites and update as required.

[nelsonhf]

Memtest86+ 4.20 isn't booting, it gives the following message:

syslinux_boot_linux() failed: Error 0
linux.c32: Boot aborted!

The problem appears to be the linux.c32 module because booting with the internal linux module of syslinux works fine. To do this change the following in the /ubcd/menus/syslinux/memory.cfg:

From:

Code: Select all

COM32 linux.c32 /ubcd/boot/memtest86p/memtest86p.bin

To:

Code: Select all

LINUX /ubcd/boot/memtest86p/memtest86p.bin

Best regards,
Nelson

[Victor Chew]

@nelsonhf: Got it. Thanks!

[ady]

Is there any reason not to edit

/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg

?

***

The (sed) scripts for syslinux2grub4dos need several corrections.

***

I insist that the content of

/pmagic/boot/syslinux/

is mostly unnecessary. Pmagic's syslinux.cfg is originally pointing to

/boot/syslinux/

, whether explicitely or with relative paths. As in past betas, you have edited the (relative or absolute) paths to point to

/pmagic/boot/syslinux/

, and in some cases that's correct (for the message*.txt, for example), but for the syslinux-related files, that path edition is not the best option.

Just as an example, with the recent changes to UBCD's cfg files (using some relative paths) a similar edition would be needed by someone adding UBCD to a multiboot UFD, IF all files were to be copied to some "/ubcd/" subdirectory (as you do with "/pmagic/").

Moreover, by using this duplicated Syslinux-related files, if PMagic updates its Syslinux version, UBCD 5.2 will fail to chain to it when a user updates pmagic in UBCD.

That's why I already suggested a generic procedure to update pmagic in UBCD (in which, BTW, I forgot to post about the additional boot entries that also point to pmagic's syslinux.cfg).

[Don Manuel]

New release of Mersenne Prime:

Linux 32-bit: Download p95v279.linux32.tar.gz (4.5MB), version 27.9, last updated December 12, 2012.

From the integrated whatsnew.txt

New features in Version 27.9 of mprime
--------------------------------------

1) None, only minor bug fixes.

[Victor Chew]

Is there any reason not to edit /boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg?

Why the need to edit this file?

The (sed) scripts for syslinux2grub4dos need several corrections.

Could you provide more details?

Just as an example, with the recent changes to UBCD's cfg files (using some relative paths) a similar edition would be needed by someone adding UBCD to a multiboot UFD, IF all files were to be copied to some "/ubcd/" subdirectory (as you do with "/pmagic/").

In this case, the "pmagic" folder should be left in '/' and all should work fine.

Moreover, by using this duplicated Syslinux-related files, if PMagic updates its Syslinux version, UBCD 5.2 will fail to chain to it when a user updates pmagic in UBCD.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

[Victor Chew]

New release of Mersenne Prime:

Linux 32-bit: Download p95v279.linux32.tar.gz (4.5MB), version 27.9, last updated December 12, 2012.

I am going to need Explorer09's help to update this...

EDIT: Updated with Don Manuel's help. Thanks!

[ady]

JFYI, sometimes the "bin" file extension can be problematic in some Syslinux menus (memtest*, plop,...)

***

Is there any reason not to edit /boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg?

Why the need to edit this file?

I previously suggested changing, from unnecessary loading menu.c32 twice each time, to using the CONFIG directive instead. I included in my suggestion this file too, but was the only one not changed. That's the reason I'm asking.

The (sed) scripts for syslinux2grub4dos need several corrections.

Could you provide more details?

Several CONFIG statements from the Syslinux menu are transferred to the grub4dos menu.

Just as an example, with the recent changes to UBCD's cfg files (using some relative paths) a similar edition would be needed by someone adding UBCD to a multiboot UFD, IF all files were to be copied to some "/ubcd/" subdirectory (as you do with "/pmagic/").

In this case, the "pmagic" folder should be left in '/' and all should work fine.

I don't understand what you mean. I just gave an example of a potential case with duplicated files.

Moreover, by using this duplicated Syslinux-related files, if PMagic updates its Syslinux version, UBCD 5.2 will fail to chain to it when a user updates pmagic in UBCD.

We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

But waiting for that situation to arise is completely unnecessary. You are currently making a change in pmagic's original syslinux.cfg file that is inconvenient.

Other tools are also duplicated, but those are just a few, and picking them would mainly mean wasting time, so I'm fine with that. But regarding Syslinux-related files, the potential confilct and unnecessary duplication seems to me worth the time.

I understand that it is faster for you to change "anything and everything" in pmagic's syslinux.cfg that reads "

/boot/syslinux/

" into "

/pmagic/boot/syslinux/

". I think that a "more sensible" edition of pmagic's syslinux.cfg would be beneficial, but of course it is your time we are talking about, so...

[Victor Chew]

I previously suggested changing, from unnecessary loading menu.c32 twice each time, to using the CONFIG directive instead. I included in my suggestion this file too, but was the only one not changed. That's the reason I'm asking.

Oh I see. I have updated /boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg.

Several CONFIG statements from the Syslinux menu are transferred to the grub4dos menu.

syslinux2grub4dos.sed fixed, plus a few other fixes as well. PS: Boy, sed is difficult to debug! Took me awhile with this thing.

I don't understand what you mean. I just gave an example of a potential case with duplicated files.

I think what you mean is this:

Code: Select all

MULTIBOOTCD
   \distro1
   \distro2
   \ubcd
       \pmagic*
       \ubcd
   \pmagic

resulting in duplicate files.

To me, this makes no sense at all. The right layout should be:

Code: Select all

MULTIBOOTCD
   \distro1
   \distro2
   \ubcd
   \pmagic*

[ady]

I don't understand what you mean. I just gave an example of a potential case with duplicated files.

I think what you mean is this:

Code: Select all

MULTIBOOTCD
   \distro1
   \distro2
   \ubcd
       \pmagic*
       \ubcd
   \pmagic

resulting in duplicate files.

To me, this makes no sense at all. The right layout should be:

Code: Select all

MULTIBOOTCD
   \distro1
   \distro2
   \ubcd
   \pmagic*

No. What I meant was that IMO it makes no sense (and it even has some disadvantages) to release something like:

Code: Select all

MULTIBOOTCD
   \boot\syslinux\
   \distro1
      \distro1\boot\syslinux\*.c32
   \distro2
      \distro2\boot\syslinux\*.c32
   \ubcd
      \ubcd\boot\syslinux\
   \pmagic
      \pmagic\boot\syslinux\*.c32

if the content of each "boot/syslinux/" are mostly many duplicated files.

Or, specifically for our case, I meant that IMO it makes no sense to release something like:

Code: Select all

MULTIBOOTCD
   \boot\syslinux\*.c32
   \ubcd
   \pmagic
      \pmagic\boot\syslinux\*.c32 (and iso*.* and memdisk)

if "\pmagic\boot\syslinux\" has duplicated files as in "\boot\syslinux\".

But, the worse case for Syslinux files is having in "\pmagic\boot\syslinux\" many of the same Syslinux-related files as in "\boot\syslinux\" but in a different version(s). That would make the "\pmagic\boot\syslinux\syslinux.cfg" file unusable to boot pmagic's kernels.

Please note that when I say "duplicated" files here, I am referring to Syslinux-related files only. I am NOT talking ipxe, mhdd, plpbt, pxelinux, sgd or whatever else. Those might or might not be duplicated, but they are not worth the effort. The Syslinux-related files (iso*.*, *.c32, memdisk,...) are not just a question of waste, but about correct functionality.

One potential solution: in "\pmagic\boot\syslinux\syslinux.cfg", keep pointing to "/boot/syslinux/*.c32" for c32 modules and for memdisk only; while using "/pmagic/boot/syslinux/*" for specific pmagic's files (not Syslinux files), as, for example, pmagic's syslinux.cfg file, message*.txt, ipxe, hdt, mhdd,... Then delete the relevant unnecessary files from "/pmagic/boot/syslinux/*".

In the UBCD52b2 topic I gave a different alternative too (which is even better IMO). The relevant unnecessary files (that can and should be deleted) are also listed there.

[Victor Chew]

I think I totally understand what you are getting at, but in the end, I think we have a difference in objectives.

For me, my primary goal is to make as little change to the Parted Magic distro as possible to while integrating it into UBCD. If the next release of Parted Magic breaks the status quo, I will find other ways to work around the changes, all the while maintaining my original goal (as little change as possible).

It is not my objective to worry about the addition of other distros to UBCD. I will leave the modding and optimization to the person doing that.

[Victor Chew]

And just to press this point, if I were to put together my own multiboot CD, I find absolutely nothing wrong with this:

Code: Select all

MULTIBOOTCD
   \boot\syslinux\
   \distro1
      \distro1\boot\syslinux\*.c32
   \distro2
      \distro2\boot\syslinux\*.c32
   \ubcd
      \ubcd\boot\syslinux\
   \pmagic
      \pmagic\boot\syslinux\*.c32

I am willing to put up with the small number of duplicate files just to keep each distro as "intact" as possible.

But this seems to offend your sense of aesthetics!

[ady]

I am willing to put up with the small number of duplicate files just to keep each distro as "intact" as possible.

I agree. I am not talking about the distro (pmagic) itself, nor about any of its extra tools.

But this seems to offend your sense of aesthetics!

Not at all. I am not talking about aesthetics. I am talking about functionality.

For me, my primary goal is to make as little change to the Parted Magic distro as possible to while integrating it into UBCD.

I agree with the goal, and by using "/boot/syslinux/" for PMagic's Syslinux-related files, you would be making the same amount of changes, or even less. In PMagic, the original path is already "/boot/syslinux/" (whether in absolute or in relative notation). You are currently changing it to "/pmagic/boot/syslinux/", and I suggest keeping "/boot/syslinux/" where it points to Syslinux-related files. For the files that come from PMagic but not from Syslinux, keep changing it to "/pmagic/boot/syslinux/" as done in the betas.

(Hey, I'm not suggesting to correct the wrong directives that are sometimes part of the original PMagic file; so even those are left without change. )

If the next release of Parted Magic breaks the status quo, I will find other ways to work around the changes, all the while maintaining my original goal (as little change as possible).

My point being, you can already avoid having to deal with such situation, and still keep that original goal.

It is not my objective to worry about the addition of other distros to UBCD. I will leave the modding and optimization to the person doing that.

I am talking about PMagic in the official release of UBCD, not about anything else.

In fact, you already perform the same type of editions for other utilities. Sometimes the relevant cfg file needs little editions, and sometimes it doesn't, but you are not adding Syslinux-related files for each utility included in UBCD. Furthermore, adding them would break UBCD, as each utility comes with different versions of Syslinux. To make it work consistently, UBCD must centralize and unify those Syslinux-related files. I am suggesting to do exactly the same for some few Syslinux-related files (and dozens of boot entries that unfortunately use relative notation) for PMagic in UBCD.

The reason this change is somehow troublesome is because PMagic uses a mix of relative and absolute notations to point to the same path, "/boot/syslinux/". For example, if PMagic, instead of using "COM32 linux.c32" would use "COM32 /boot/syslinux/linux.c32" (which points to the same original path and file), you wouldn't need to edit such lines. I am suggesting to "change" them to "COM32 /boot/syslinux/linux.c32", instead of changing them to "COM32 /pmagic/boot/syslinux/linux.c32" as done in the betas. Using the same version of linux.c32 as of UBCD's boot loader is about functionality, not aesthetics. After that, the "/pmagic/boot/syslinux/linux.c32" file is unnecessary and its use should be discouraged (by deleting it) so to avoid mixed versions of Syslinux-related files. The same goes to the other unnecessary Syslinux-related files that are currently (in the betas) in "/pmagic/boot/syslinux/".

[Victor Chew]

OK, got it. Have made the recommended changes to Parted Magic's syslinux.cfg file.

Please download and critique. Thanks!

[ady]

This is ONE possibility, with the following characteristics:

_ It respects PMagic 2013_01_29 stable, without any improvement(s) made after it in PMagic's development releases.
_ There are as less changes as possible in relation to the original PMagic 2013_01_29. Mostly, it uses absolute notation for Syslinux-related files so to point them to "/boot/syslinux/" (as the original location), and some minor additional tweaks.
_ The CWD for this cfg file is "

/pmagic/boot/syslinux/

".
_ The only files that are needed in "/pmagic/boot/syslinux/" are:

Code: Select all

 hdt.gz        (part of pmagic's extras)
 memtest       (part of pmagic's extras)
 syslinux.cfg  (attached in this post)
 message.txt
 message2.txt
 message3.txt
 message4.txt

and other files in this directory should be deleted (*.c32, memdisk, iso*.*, *.bin and any other).

It should be noted that there are other ways to achieve the same functionality, by using different restrictions than those pointed above.

[ady]

Victor,

In my previous post I forgot to mention that your pmagic_syslinux_001.cfg should mostly be fine if the CWD is "

/boot/syslinux/

" (without the initial "/pmagic"). If this CWD is acceptable by you, I can add some minimal suggestions for it.

EDIT_ UPDATE: My comments about your "

pmagic_syslinux_001.cfg

" posted are:

1_ Line 10:
# MENU DEFAULT normal

2_ Line 225:
LABEL live32

3_ Line 235:
LABEL live64

4_ Line 558:
LABEL nwipe32

5_ Line 568:
LABEL nwipe64


The only files that are needed in "

/pmagic/boot/syslinux/

" are:

Code: Select all

 hdt.gz        (part of pmagic's extras)
 memtest       (part of pmagic's extras)

 syslinux.cfg  (from your posted "pmagic_syslinux_001.cfg", with the above 5 corrections)

 message.txt
 message2.txt
 message3.txt
 message4.txt

and other files in this "

/pmagic/boot/syslinux/

" directory should be deleted (*.c32, memdisk, iso*.*, *.bin and any other).

In "

./ubcd/menus/syslinux/

" the following files:

Code: Select all

bios.cfg
main.cfg
others.cfg
hdd/cloning.cfg
hdd/devmgmt.cfg
hdd/partmgmt.cfg
hdd/recovery.cfg
hdd/wiping.cfg

in previous betas contained the line:

Code: Select all

CONFIG /pmagic/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg /pmagic/boot/syslinux/

at least once.

The new line(s) in those files for your posted "pmagic_syslinux_001.cfg" should be:

Code: Select all

CONFIG /pmagic/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg /boot/syslinux/

Then the syslinux2grub4dos sed script(s) might potentially need some adjustement.

[Victor Chew]

1_ Line 10:
# MENU DEFAULT normal

2_ Line 225:
LABEL live32

3_ Line 235:
LABEL live64

4_ Line 558:
LABEL nwipe32

5_ Line 568:
LABEL nwipe64

I can see the problems with the lines you've pointed out, but technically they don't really affect the functions of Parted Magic within UBCD, so as you might have guessed based on my earlier postings, I am not going to touch them.

and other files in this "/pmagic/boot/syslinux/" directory should be deleted (*.c32, memdisk, iso*.*, *.bin and any other).

Ditto. I am not going to sweat over <200KB worth of files.

The new line(s) in those files for your posted "pmagic_syslinux_001.cfg" should be:

Thanks for the reminder. Already updated.

Then the syslinux2grub4dos sed script(s) might potentially need some adjustement.

Just checked. It doesn't. Thankfully, the existing rules are enough to bump off all the pmagic config lines.

[ady]

Then the syslinux2grub4dos sed script(s) might potentially need some adjustement.

Just checked. It doesn't. Thankfully, the existing rules are enough to bump off all the pmagic config lines.

Great. The adequate CWD and the correct sed scripts are the most important parts of my previous post. Indeed the others are mostly cosmetic.

[ArnaudJ]

Hello,

In \boot\syslinux you can find :
pciids.gz (14/04/2011)
and in the web site http://pciids.sourceforge.net/ you can find a newer version http://pciids.sourceforge.net/v2.2/pci.ids.gz

In \ubcd\tools\win32\unxutils\bin :
gzip : version 1.3.12.2844 of 2007; newer version : ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gzip/ 1.5 ?
tar : 1.13.1371.39525 of 2003; newer version : http://www.gnu.org/software/tar/ 1.26 of 2011
MSYS-1.0.10.exe -> http://sourceforge.net/projects/mingw/f ... -1.0.18-1/
sed 4.1.5 -> sed 4.2.1 // http://sourceforge.net/projects/gnuwin3 ... sed/4.2.1/
wget 23/06/2005 -> ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/wget/ wget 1.14 of 05/08/2012
mv cat rm sort // 5.3.0.1936 -> ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/coreutils/

Good work for this version, and thanks...
Arnaud

[Victor Chew]

Thanks, will update pciids.gz. I was going to wait for the actual release to do it, so now's a good time.

As for the EXEs in "\ubcd\tools\win32\unxutils\bin", since they are only used for scripting, I won't be updating them unless some of the new scripts need updated versions.