[request] fromiso cheatcode

[Zomp]

Please enforce fromiso cheatcode (as available in many slackware and knoppix derivative distros) to allow direct booting from iso image file. This avoids burning a new cd/dvd just to test the distro.

Fromiso cheatcode is much much comfortable than wubi that is not available for Arch and forces the user to spend 4Gb hard disk space.

[hopp58902 Member]

So wait, is this a GRUB argument? I've never used it before. What exactly is it and how does it work?

[Zomp]

So wait, is this a GRUB argument? I've never used it before. What exactly is it and how does it work?

No, it is not a grub argument. It is a kernel line parameter (which, obviously, has to be interpreted by grub or grub4dos or lilo, even if I do not use the last one).

Fromiso cheatcode allows grub or the other boot manager to load the os from the iso image file instead from the cd.

Advantages of "fromiso" cheatcode:

- no need to burn a cd/dvd every time a new version is released (save your cd, and save your time!)

- possitibily to try the live cd in its real speed, that is, as if it was already installed on the hard disk (or better again, if fromiso cheatcode is used together with copy2ram cheatcode)

- possibility to make a faster hard disk installation than using a live cd

- possibility to have a fully working system without the need to partitioning the hard disk if used together with persistent cheatcode

Fromiso (or equivalent from or fromhd or bootfrom or boot) cheatcode is available in all the Slackware and Knoppix derivative distros.

From Kanotix site:

http://www.kanotix.com/FAQ-id_cat-63.html#q298

With this cheatcode you can start from an iso out of a partition, which is much faster then from a CD (HD installations with "fromiso" only takes a fraction of time, some say less then 4 minutes, but with 6-8 minutes its still fast as lightning).

From sidux site:

http://manual.sidux.com/en/hd-install-opts-en.htm

With this cheatcode you can start from an iso out of a partition ,(ext2/3), which is much faster then from a CD (HD installations with "fromiso" only takes a fraction of time).

'fromiso' is of course much faster then from the CD- /DVD-drive and keeps the drive available.

Fromiso rocks!

[Lifeflayer]

Wow, this is pretty epic. Now I may finally have a reason to try out different distros from Ubuntu/Kubunru and Fedora.

[hopp58902 Member]

So, how do we implement it?

[Zomp]

So, how do we implement it?

Almont any Slackware derivative supports it. I don't know how.

Here is a patch to modify Ubuntu initrd: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=457318