[syslinux] Headless operations

[Miller, Shao]

Chris Miller writes:

And, I think I understand,...

Vmlinuz is LINUX, isolinux.bin is ISOLinux!!!  How do I now know this?
Simple, when I call vmlinuz, I am not presented with the four menu
options
that exist in ISOLinux.cfg!!!

Duh!  

... ... ...

Please ALSO share this with the list.  I'd hate to
leave the impression that I don't want to be instructed, but I don't
have to
understand, and now I think I do.

Shao Miller writes:

I think you've got it, and I think it's a healthy attitude to be open to
instruction when trying to understand something.  :)

Chris Miller wrote:

Please explain what this line is doing:
          KERNEL /boot/Fedora-10/isolinux/vmlinuz    <===============
Isn't
this loading ISOLinux?

Shao Miller writes:

--- CLARIFICATION #1 ---

* That line is a Syslinux config-file line.
* That line works in a SYSLINUX config-file, an EXTLINUX config-file, an
ISOLINUX config-file, and a PXELINUX config-file.
* That line tells the boot-loader (EXTLINUX, in your case) to load a
Linux kernel called "vmlinuz".
* That line says that the "vmlinuz" Linux kernel is in a directory
called /boot/Fedora-10/isolinux/vmlinuz.  The directory name could be
anything, including not containing the letters "isolinux" at all.
* The directory _must_ be located on the filesystem from which the
particular Syslinux boot-loader was loaded.  Since you're using
EXTLINUX, this must have been an EXT2/3 filesystem.  And it is.

--- END OF CLARIFICATION #1 ---

Chris Miller wrote:

That line is found in EXTLinux.conf, so I know EXTLinux is acting on the
request, which I believe is a request to load ISOLinux so he can read
the
iso file I have on my disk -- PLEASE notice, that my iso file in not on
or
part of a CD.  Am I not loading ISOLinux with EXTLinux?  Isn't vmlinuz
ISOLinux?  I found vmlinuz on the CD in the directory called "isolinux".

Shao Miller writes:

--- CLARIFICATION #2 ---

* You are right: The line is found in extlinux.cfg.
* It does cause EXTLINUX to act on the request.
* The request is to load the Linux kernel called "vmlinuz".
* The fact that this "vmlinuz" was originally found in a directory
called "isolinux/" does not make the kernel anything to do with
ISOLINUX.  It's still the same Linux kernel, and could even be booted
over the network from a directory called "shiggletypoopet", which is
where I sometimes boot my Linux kernels from.
* None of the Syslinux suite [SYS|EXT|ISO|PXE]LINUX currently possess
any abilities for working with .ISO files.  ISOLINUX needs to be run
from a CD/DVD at this time.
* But the very same kernel and initrd can be anywhere, on any media, and
loaded by any boot-loader.  Once they are up and running in a proper
Linux environment, it's up to that environment to work with any .ISO
file you might have.  I believe that DamnSmallLinux does this.

--- END OF CLARIFICATION #2 ---

I might be a little wordy.  This is something I struggle with from
time-to-time in communications.

- Shao Miller