Monday, May 19, 2014

Update on Multi-Sytem Multi Boot Linux System and the Live CD


Update on Multi-System Multi Boot Linux System and the Live CD
I am glad, even the Linux Magazine is reading my blog posts (even though, my blog pieces are bit crappy).

In the Last Magazine, they produced a DVD with lot of Tiny Linux distributions.
Then in the previous edition Linux magazine described the Linux multi boot options.

There is a smart guy who brings out EXTON derivatives of Linux distributions and his work single handed should be recognized as good as Knoppix.

Here is an update on Muti-System USB Boot utility not YUMI which is basically windows utility.

Pendrive Linux site gives graphic descriptions of all the utilities.
It is the best available SITE.
But the Linux Magazine described a Linux Live CD.
Its name ms_its_precision_r9.iso.
After lot of digital digging, I found it at Linux Software foundation and downloaded it (which is 700 MB).
It is a French creation and one needs to press F2 (boots very fast)to get the English (if you are not French).
It has a Ubuntu Desktop and has Multi System Utility to prepare USB Multi-booting.
My advise is for you to download the favorite distributions ISO.O to your download folder and then use the Muti Syttem Utility.
I used my Peppermint Linux, in root (cannot use it as an ordinary user) and tried to boot ms_its_precision_r9.iso distribution.
I tried it twice and GRUB Menu directed me to Multisystem in French and English but its squash (Live file system) file is not properly extracted into the USB or faulty and is not loaded with initrm.
This blog is to make them aware of this fact and in future it should be able to boot (Multi-Sytem iso).
This is probably due to dropping some of the files that are used by Ubuntu in Live Mode.
I hope they will work on it and in future not only from a CD but even from a USB, the Multi System Utility should be able to boot.
Below is my earlier blob about YUMI.

Please NOTE
YUMI-Your Universal Multiboot Installer
Not So Yummy!

USB Multi-booting with Ubuntu 14.04-An Update on Multi-booting

There are only two multi-booting utilities.

One coming from Debian Linux called YUMI- (Your Universal Multi-booting Installation) and other from Ubuntu (Coming from France).

Links are both available at Pendrive Linux.

The hassle I went through was unbelievably agonizing for a Linux Convert.
But I am one who Never give up, simply because if have to tell a newbie how to do something in Linux, I need to have done it at least once, myself.

Downloading Ubuntu was Easy Peassy (old Ubuntu Netbook derivative).
Installing was difficult since I had an old Graphic Card and only I GiB RAM.

It had Libre and fire fox on the left side menu.

Then using Ubuntu Software center, I installed gparted and K3B.
That was easy.

Then I wanted to Install MultiSystem Utility.

1. Went to Pendrive Linux site and down loaded the .sh file.
easy.
Extracted it. 

2. I clicked on the file to see whether, the file file open a terminal.
It did not.
3. I did not know where the terminal was.

4. Went to the search logo on top of the left hand corner and typed, command terminal.

And presto, I found the hidden terminal.

6. With difficulty, I pasted the .sh file gave the root password and activated the Debian's apt-get.

7. In a flash it downloaded (those are breezy in Linux even with my 56 KB download speed) and installed it and after a reboot (Updated the file on reboot) Multi-Sytem was running fine.

But what a hassle!


Then I wanted install YUMI.

1. Downloaded the Debian file of YUMI.

2. Extracted it but it won't run.

3. Then I kept on clicking on the file but no result.

4. Then after a few fiddling, It left a message and went to Ubuntu Software centre and directed me to download YUMI.

5. Unlike Multi-system (which took half an hour of 280 odd files) in a few minutes it Installed MultiBoot with a simple dialog box.

6. I am downloading 4MLinux to (about 160 iso) install in a PenDrive and thought of writing this to keep me occupied, from the brand new and very slow Ubuntu.

My advice to the developers is, for them to install one of the utilities as a default for the newbies to enjoy the product.

I tried YUMI on Ubuntu 14.04 and it does not mount the Pendrive and after several tries gave it up.
I went back to Peppermint and tried to install YUMI and it straight away alerted me that it has lot of dependencies (it is a gambas- visual basic product) and probably obsolete and did not go ahead with the installation.

The Linux Magazine states that the developers are developing the version 7 in python with Qt base and my advice for the newbies is not to try it at all.

The developers should make intending users aware of the above facts in their web site.

 Nothing to worry since MultiSystem does a good job of creating multi booting USBs.

YUMI-Your Universal Multiboot Installer-Not So Yummy!

YumI in Japanese is arrows but in Linux is Your Universal Multiboot Installer.
I downloaded both Mini and and Meteor from Linuxtracker.
Mini is over 800 MiB and and the Meteor was of Gorilla size, nearly 4 GiB.

Both work in only on windows.
That was the downside for me.

After three days of trial and error, I managed to get a hang of it but it allowed only a selected lot of multiple Linux distributions and all the old windows operating system including XP.
Some of the latest and my favorites Korora were not there.
Take what is offered and not what I really wanted in my Flash Drives.
This problem was there with UnetBootIn and I figured out how to make best use of it and install what I want.
It can be done in Linux since it only wants the path to the iso file and Flash Drive mounted.The GRUB is taken care of.
It worked well with windows 7.
However it was very slow indeed.
Finally, I decided to install the Linux version of Multiboot which is just over 200 MiB but can be used only on Ubuntu based Linux distributions.

UnetBootIn can be used in some of KDE Linux (not in SuSe) and the USB creators of all the KDE platforms are generally very bad at making a Bootable USB.
So my Peppermint 4 installed it in half an over in its terminal mode.
In initial instruction came in French but with my limited ability in French, I got it running.
Unlike the windows derivative, the work I did in windows on three days was accomplished in one hour.
In fact I erased it, and did it twice to get a hang of it.
So in half hour of work, I  got my first USB with multiple Linux distributions (of my choice) installed.
It let you drop the image into its lower counter of the dialog box and the work is done in a terminal with checking of data and updating the GRUB2.
GRUB2 is the best boot loader currently available by passing dos in windows platform.
I had a Flash drive (Verbatum) which had a file that did not allow full formatting (about 4 MIB of proprietary data) and installing of Grub 2 on its master boot section.
What I did was to install gparted in windows mode (Mini multiboot-v2- YUMI application was used in graphic mode) and booted it with its GRUB file (as a Dos exe file) in  and to my luck, the Multiboot (much faster than UnetBootIn) shifted the boot section to another sector and hid the unwanted file out of sight, which was blocking MultiSystem utility. so that I could get on with the installing, Knoppix, DSL, JoliOS, and EasyPeasy with 512 persistent for Knoppix and another 750 FREE for any data.
So if you have a Flash drive that does not boot due to proprietary files, MULTIBOOT is the answetr both in window's mode (unfortunately windows to begin with and Linux to shift the boot record (in his case GRUB2) to a bootable sector.
All this is done by PENDRIVE Linux and my first bootable (apart from Puppy Linux) was made on Pendrive Linux in 2009 using windows operating system.
I still have that FLASH Drive as a souvenir.

Now that I rarely use windows, thank you very much, Pendrive Linux.

I used Windows 7 (paid copy but never registered) for this work and during this period windows search engine was eavesdropping on my computer and to my annoyance it warned me about 100 times.
Interestingly it downloaded the driver for my old machine which was not available on first boot.
Microsoft should know that I do not violate its monopoly but I have over 300 Linux distributions in my archives.
Over 30 distributions in Flash Drives for demonstration purposes.
With this MultiBoot System of Pendrive, I will be carrying 0ver 100 Linux distributions in Flash drives including XP which will be soon defunct soon with JavA Zero effect.
Mind you the name of this blog site is Linux 100.

They (PENDRIVE) are looking for translators for translating the documentation and please join them and HELP them.
I hope somebody would translate this blog piece of mine (ideally with added details) for those who cannot understand English or do not use English as a first language.
Thanks a LOT Pendrive Linux.
This is posted with a Flash drive (Multboot System) booted with KNOPPIX, one of my favorite Linux Live distributions.