EXTLINUX is the default boot-loader for Praxis, configuration is done manually. This package is installed by default
Installing the Boot-Loader EXTLINUX
For good measure we update the MBR of the disk, this can be done while the disk is in use.
root@host # dd if=/usr/share/syslinux/mbr.bin of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1
Ensure the /boot partition (if one was made) is mounted and install EXTLINUX.
root@host # extlinux --install /boot
EXTLINUX in the 3.x series creates a file named extlinux.sys.
root@host # ls -alh /boot/extlinux.sys -r--r--r-- 1 root root 13K Feb 25 2010 /boot/extlinux.sys root@host # lsattr /boot/extlinux.sys ----i---------- /boot/extlinux.sys
In the 4.x series the file is now ldlinux.sys, notice these files are immutable.
root@host # ls -alh /boot/ldlinux.sys -r--r--r-- 1 root root 32K Oct 30 13:35 /boot/ldlinux.sys root@host # lsattr /boot/ldlinux.sys ----i---------- /boot/ldlinux.sys
Convert GTP to MBR
Some machines have a feature called UEFI which works with GPT. To convert this system back to using MBR we use gpartd.
emerge sys-apps/gptfdisk sys-block/parted parted /dev/sda
Configuring EXTLINUX
EXTLINUX is governed by either extlinux.conf (3.x) or syslinux.cfg (4.x) depending on your version.
DEFAULT praxis-201043 PROMPT 1 TIMEOUT 60 LABEL praxis-201043 MENU LABEL Edoceo Praxis / 2010.43 / 3.6.34 KERNEL kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.34-gentoo-r12-praxis INITRD initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.34-gentoo-r12-praxis APPEND root=/dev/sda4
See Also
Using vesamenu.c32 Images & Themes
I made a seperate theme configuration file. Image 640x480 PNG saved with GIMP defaults
Annotated Menu Configuration
# # Theme Custom Configuration File # MENU TITLE Edoceo Praxis Linux MENU BACKGROUND edoceo-theme.png # MENU HIDDEN # MENU MASTER PASSWD edoceo MENU TABMSG "Press [Tab] to edit options" MENU NOTABMSG "Press [Tab] to edit options (password required)" # Menu is 80 columns across so to make a fully wide menu it WIDTH=78, MARGIN=0 # To make a menu in the left side MARGIN=0, WIDTH=60 # To make a menu on the right side MARGIN=20, WIDTH=78+$MARGIN # Sets the total width of the menu MENU WIDTH 50 # Space on the Left/Right of the Menu MENU MARGIN 0 # Title is on Row 2 # Vertical Bar at Row 3 # Menu Items Start at 4; End at 4+$ROWS+1 MENU PASSWORDMARGIN 3 MENU ROWS 8 MENU PASSWORDROW 5 MENU TABMSGROW 13 MENU CMDLINEROW 14 MENU HELPMSGROW 15 MENU HELPMSGENDROW 16 MENU TIMEOUTROW 20 MENU ENDROW -1 MENU HIDDENROW 0 MENU HSHIFT 2 MENU VSHIFT 1 # Color # [ item ] [ ansi ] [ hex fg] [ hex bg ] [ shadow ] # In Vesa Menu the Background Color Hardly Matters? # Box around whole menu thing MENU COLOR border 0;30;44 #00000000 #00000000 none # In the Header Box MENU COLOR title 1;36;44 #ffff0000 #60000000 none # Selection bar MENU COLOR sel 7;37;40 #ff00ff00 #60000000 none # Unselected menu item MENU COLOR unsel 37;44 #c0ffffff #00000000 none # Unselected hotkey MENU COLOR hotkey 1;37;44 #ffffffff #00000000 none MENU COLOR hotsel 1;7;37;40 #c000cc00 #60000000 none MENU COLOR disabled 1;30;44 #60cccccc #cc000000 none MENU COLOR tabmsg 31;40 #902062ff #90000000 none MENU COLOR cmdmark 1;36;40 #902062ff #00000000 none MENU COLOR cmdline 37;40 #99ffffff #ff000000 none MENU COLOR pwdborder 30;47 #ff000000 #60ff0000 none MENU COLOR pwdheader 31;47 #ff000000 #c0ff0000 none MENU COLOR pwdentry 30;47 #ff000000 #00ff0000 none MENU COLOR scrollbar 30;44 #40000000 #00000000 none MENU COLOR timeout_msg 37;40 #80ffffff #00000000 none MENU COLOR timeout 1;37;40 #c0ffffff #00000000 none MENU COLOR help 37;40 #c0ffffff #00000000 none MENU COLOR msg07 37;40 #90ffffff #00000000 none